Is LV stuff cheaper in Europe compared to Singapore ????

[popo78]

Hi All,

Was wondering whether LV stuff is really cheaper in Europe compared to Singapore? Hope to get some useful feedback cos will be going there. Tks..

Cheers

 

[queenie_30]

Yes they r cheaper caz as tourists,we get back VAT(GST)-value added tax.
Happy shopping!

 

[bb_queen]

Yes - esp in France.

 

[clearwater14]

How about my frds staying there as work attachments for 2 years? Thinking of asking them to buy back when they are back for visiting once a year. Are they able to get back the VAT? They are not PR in France.

 

[queenie_30]

Think shd be no diff since they hold S'pore passports right?

 

[piggersorous]

even before VAT, its areadi cheaper... FURLA is cheap too but in italy cheaper...

 

[makino]

Does anyone know how long the tax refund through credit card will normally take?

 

[midas]

hi tsukushi,

takes about 2-3 months. i took cash on the spot..

 

[makino]

midas,

thanks for ur reply. will wait for another mth then...

 

[pisduck]

LV is only slightly cheaper. Remember you cannot claim back all the tax, around only 50-70% of it due to administration fees. We visited the LV shops in Prague, Venice, Rome, Paris, Vienna, London, and our conclusion is that the PRICE is fixed throughout Europe.

Furla was MUCH cheaper in Europe compared to singapore.

 

[midas]

hi pisduck,

LV is 'quite' cheap...i bought a pouchette 4 my fren in Rome at 150euros (about SGD$300) and claimed back 15euros tax (about SGD$30), so it actually cost only $270 as compared to the $375 price tag in singapore..$105 savings!

 

[sharyenne]

Hi Pisduck,
LV prices in Europe r fixed?
Hmm... i tot dat it wld be cheaper in Paris.
juz asked my fren to get me smthg from Paris.

 

[ahmoi]

Edna
LV prices in france (i think the price is fixed in any france cities) is slightly cheaper than countries in Europe. The price in europe is already cheaper without the 12% vat refund. Is worth buying from France.

 

[sharyenne]

Thx Ahmoi,
glad to noe dat.
cos' i oni asked to buy a keypouch, amt is not eligible to refund VAT.

 

[midas]

Hi gals,

min. purchase amt in france eligible for VAT is 175euros in a single receipe, in italy is 150euros...so wat pple normally do is combine purchases, LV very easy to exceed 175euros one. juz find another pax who's buying a keypouch or small items shld be enuf liao..

 

[compassrose]

Hi Gals,

Recommended to bring paper cutting from Singapore or just need to remember the name of the product? CUz just in case, didn't see the product there. And is there a max each can buy? Heard something like just 1 piece per tourist. Is it true? Thanks!

 

[makino]

Just remember the model number and tell the staff. They don't display all their goods outside sometimes. Supposedly max 3 pieces per passport/couple, but sometimes you can try your luck to buy more at a different branch.

 

[compassrose]

Thanks!

I supposed 3 pieces per person is more than enuff for me.. haha.. doubt i can afford more than that...

 

[shern]

hi midas, which pouchette did u get for ur fren? tks

 

[midas]

hi shern,

the pouchette model is m58009.

 

[ni_côle]

Hi ladies,

Does anyone have any idea whether is there any Loewe boutique in Paris? Is it cheaper to buy it in Paris?

Thanks.

 

[kjustina81]

cheaper to buy LV bag in paris ... ask any air stewardess ... bought mine in paris came back spore checked the price .. cheaper by S$500

 

[piggersorous]

yesh, LV's price is lowest in paris as compared to other parts of europe and singapore. I compared the price of one bag in rome and paris, the diff was 20euros. wen compared to sgp itself, the price (before the VAT refund) was a diff of SGD200+ areadi..

hi nic
yes, theres loewe in paris but im not sure if its cheaper there.. likely tat it'll be cheaper as compared to sgp.

 

[piggersorous]

ooh forgot to add... FURLA is much cheaper in europe than in sgp but theres a slight difference in price when buying FURLA stuff in italy and other places...

 

[bemei]

Hi, all i juz came back from Italy and Paris. To conclude, LV in Paris is the cheapest, even before the VAT refund of 12%. I bought a Damier Speedy 25 for my friend at 400euros before the VAT refund. In Italy, it costs 415euros. It costs $950 in Singapore. It is definfitely cheaper there. And you can buy any number of items. I bought around 7 items. Hope this helps. Cheers!

 

[lsk005]

Any1 went to Spain to buy LV? same price as in Italy?

 

[heat]

I donno abt LV.. but Zara and Mango definitely 30% cheaper over there in Spain... Mango and Zara are like giodanio in singapore... so many outlets

 

[pishako]

i just came back from Paris too.. and yes, LV is def cheapest in Paris and as to the # of items each pax can buy.. like what jocelyn said, can buy more than 3 per pax.. i bought 7 items on 1 day and 2 items subsequently..

and if you are able to surf the French LV website, you can see the pricings - same as the store. It's not very hard to navigate, cos it's the same orientation as the UK/US sites.

 

[scrumpee01]

I just helped a friend to buy a LV from Cannes, France. Is about $150 cheaper than S'pore before VAT. BUT REMEMBER to claim your VAT first before packing your goods into your luggage to check in.
The customs officer will demand to see your goods as proof of purchase before they allow you to claim your VAT. Receipt alone is not enough which i think is ridiculous. I didn't know about this and couldn't claim my VAT as a result. But luckily the bag is still cheaper than buying it in S'pore, if not I will be very 'tui'.

 

[midas]

as safety precaution, it is not advised to pack branded goods in check-in luggage coz if luggage gets lost tats it..better to hand carry them

 

[rtan]

Hi all,

We just arrived safely from Paris with all our luggage intact; for safety (after reading the good advice from this forum on the night before we left Paris

), we packed the branded bags into our hand carry. I guess we were fortunate as the customs official at Aeroport Charles de Gaulle in Paris did not ask to see our products; she simply stamped the pink copies after merely seeing our paperwork. Bon chance?

Singapore is humid. Gosh. We are too used to the nice weather in Paris.

 

[midas]

hey Raymond,

welcome back!
u were gone for so many weeks i tot u migrated to france liao hehehe...

 

[rtan]

Hi Midas,

Thanks.

It was a glorious five weeks in France for me (three weeks for my wife); everything went smoothly and we had no major hiccups. Didn't miss home at all. It was like a second honeymoon for us. My wife enjoyed it very much too.

Who knows, we might go to France for further studies next year. Migration should never be ruled out by anybody.

Will post more pics and stuff maybe next week; we are also moving house this week so things are a bit chaotic for us at the moment.

A bientot.

 

[pishako]

yah.. when I was at CDG.. the customs officer didn't check too.. but it's totally random

cos my friends who returned 3 days earlier had some of their stuffs checked. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[lsk005]

from what i know, gucci is cheaper in italy compare to france

 

[orosalind]

Hi,

Sori to intrude. I am desparately trying to seek help / advise on VAT refund.

Wonder if anyone here has did any research on the procedure to claim VAT refund in Paris?

I am flying over to Paris soon and estimated large sum of purchases (cos my frens entrusted me to buy some expensive items back for them). Wanna know if there is any diff in terms of procedure if I made the puchases in cash vs card and also, what is the pocedure for claiming.

Appreciate if someone cld help if you know the ans. Thanks.

 

[disneyland]

where can i buy the stuff and how to claim VAT??

 

[rtan]

Hi Disney,

What stuff? If you are referring to LV bags, you can check out the LV website?

To claim VAT, you need to tell the cashier you will be claiming VAT. Then you bring the form, original receipts, and bags, to the VAT refund counter at the airport before checking in. They will stamp it and you drop the stamped form in an envelope and post it immediately. Expect long queues so give ample time, e.g. 1 hour extra to be safe.

 

[dleo]

Please hand carry all your branded goods. Do not check in. My friend's checked in cos she bought too many and couldn't hand carry, end up her luggage (which consists of all branded goods)was lost. Emirates Airlines only pay her US$20 per Kg for the loss which is not enough to cover. Luckily bought travel insurance still can claim some back.

People may be eyeing at you when you are claiming VAT. Please be careful.

 

[innercloset]

Hello, I will be taking eurostar from paris to italy instead of flight. How do I claim VAT den. Thanks in advance.

 

[midas]

cindy,
u only need to do VAT claim at ur last stop in europe...if u r travelling to italy then no need to claim ur VAT at france yet...they wun allow also..must be last stop in EU.

 

[innercloset]

ooo thanks very much.. Btw have u heard about Global Refund form ("Shopping Checque")?

 

[midas]

cindy,
nvr heard of it b4...sorry.

 

[innercloset]

Thanks midas..

 

[innercloset]

oh ya midas, I read in your earlier post u claim cash back. How can it be done this way. Thanks

 

[midas]

cindy,
on the VAT claim form u can choose to take back cash or credit the sum back to ur credit card account...in some countries, they will ask u whether u wan to take back the cash in euro or USD. i took back in euro coz no need to pay conversion rate to USD

 

[innercloset]

ooo thanks very much!

 

[newcreation]

Hi everyone

Just wondering cos my trip starts at Paris ends in Rome.

So if i buy LV in Paris then How to claim the VAT?

Thanks..

 

[stardus]

Hi,

VAT needs to be done only when you leave. So you can accumulate all and do it in Rome (your last stop).

Do not check in your purchases as some VAT officers want to "check" your purchases.

 

[newcreation]

Thanks Moonlight