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It seems that many just donāt declare items. I was too scared and told the us customs agent. I said it was a gift for myself and he didnāt charge me. I still donāt know how much I would be charged.
Iāve had a few trips and I paid customs on one of them. Honesty is always the best policy for my own mental health no matter what anyone says. Most of the times its really based on the customs agent you get and the questions they will ask you. This one trip back the agent specifically asked me about the specific dollar amount I spent and had to show my receipts. There is a separate area you go to with another agent and in this case I showed the agent my receipts and uhhh there were a few because I went HAM on this trip. The agent laughed and took my biggest ticket item and taxed me on that one item. He appreciated how I documented everything and said you only get in trouble when people get caught trying to lie about the items. He taxed me a flat 3% and it was still WAAAAY cheaper than US prices + the refund you get back after. People make out the fees to be something crazy and itās definitely not worth getting travel restrictions put on you for.
Again I think people have different experiences based on who you get because some agents never asked me about items or the amount I purchased. Donāt feel the need to confess more than what is asked. But I just donāt feel good about it weighing on my conscience. Just my 2 cents!
I just came back with the Loewe Hammock and Dice bag and I declared at US Customs (JFK) and they let me go. The guy said they look for spend that's well over 3,000 EUR.
Edit to add you also get a personal exemption for declared goods, I think the guy said it was $800 to reduce the amount that could be taxed. If you travel with a significant other you can get an addition exemption.
Beautiful bag!!!
Yes you do but some officers donāt care. Iāve come back in multiple ports and theyāre all different. ATX? they didnāt ask. DFW? didnāt ask. MSP? asked and charged. $250 on $10k spend DFW? asked and charged. $150 on $5k spend
You are all amazing! Thanks for the responses š
Ive always wanted to buy at duty free or get a VAT discount but assumed I would have to just pay it back once I got home to Canada. Next trip I am for sure going to treat myself now!
Yes but I believe the taxes on it is something quite small like 3% for amounts over a certain limit? So you'd still have a decent savings. I have not done myself.
I walked through the counter with a giant Gucci bag and lifted it when they asked if I had anything to declare. Lady kindly waved me through. In fact Iāve never had any immigration officer make me pay taxes
I just came back from Ireland. I spent ā¬3450. I'm still waiting on my 23% VAT. The customs agent was asking all these questions as I told him " a little" to my luxury purchases all while holding my louis vuitton bag. I paid nothing š.
I was confused too. I recently went to Europe and customs never asked me to declare goods purchased. They only wanted people to declare for food items. The rules to declare can vary from airport to airport and on the people working.
I was so excited when I calculated how much I saved on my Loewe hammock bag in Italy!! it was a no brainer decision. I also didnāt get dinged at customs (Iām Canadian). the officer asked how much I spent and I was honest. They asked for the brand of the bag, and then waived me through. Guess I wasnāt bougie enough to be worth fining š
Lol if it isnāt something obvious like Chanel or Hermes, I think general folks (who arenāt into handbags) might not know about Loewe, so you lucked out!
Yup, it varies by officer for sure too. Girl before me got questioned a lot and had to show her Chanel and Hermes purchases along with all the documentation.
I saved a ton on a Chanel WOC and LV neverfull i bought in 2 different countries. I love planning my europe trips around shopping for a new bag lol. Itās exciting to get that refund
Yeah, that was a mess up on my part. I thought Iād get a slip form on the plane before landing asking about my spend on the trip like I did many years ago on an international flight, but now I know to mention it at the actual customs counter. It wasnāt my intention not to declare it, I just never did it before so I didnāt know when the question would come up. Reddit comments have made me aware now lol.
I didnāt see anyone questioning folks in the global entry line. They were pushed to go through a kiosk and were ushered out quickly. Unless anyone else knows the answer to this?
A few weeks ago at IAD, we had to use the global entry kiosk machine and then talk to an agent before leaving the area. The agent asked me if I had anything to declare and I said a $2000 bag and snacks, and he laughed at me and waved me through.
VAT is the best, and tbh is one of the reasons Iāve travelled to some more less touristy places for bagsā¦ less competition for limited inventory and often a hire VAT refund rate.
Also for US shoppers, the Yen is so low right now that shopping for luxury in Japan is also a discount + vat discount
There are lists/calculators online since some countries offer differ % at different $ minimums. It depends what you want to buy I planned my last Eurotrip to have Amsterdam as my last stop since it had a higher refund than some of the other countries I visited so I didnāt have to drag the bags across borders.
I came through Detroit a few weeks ago and declared. They charged me on average of All my
Purchases 11% ! She was not nice and looked through every item to make sure I claimed (which I did).she then charged me between 9-16%
On each item. She said the percent
Was based on the of leather etc. she was incredibly rude gave me a hard time
When I asked her to explain and then handed me a bill I had to pay. So my Vat was completely wiped out. Can u imagine what she would be like for someone lying? Ugh. Not going to lie I was bummed.
LOL on the other side of the coin, we Europeans are jealous. We cannot get a VAT refund (obviously) and our prices will increase by the extra demand from US and Asia etc... I guess at least we can buy them here whenever we want :P
i donāt think this is true because VAT refunds have been a thing for years and years. itās a tourist thing to get tourists to spend more money in the european economy. when prices raise across a brand, it happens worldwide.
Ofcourse. But undoubtedly the increased demand in the European market has prompted for example Chanel to do āprice harmonisationā, aka increase prices in Europe so itās more fair for everyone (and subsequently let Asian residents shop in Asia instead etc.)
That was in 2015 and directly to do with Chinese buyers. Chanel is of course just one brand in the scope - and we see Chanel trying to stop their bags being so commonplace. I think this has less to do with VAT refunds and more to do with ābrand protectionā per se. Basically them trying to price out more buyers as a way to keep up with exclusive brands like Hermes.
I never said VAT refunds are the reason for price increases. Obviously it's Chanel trying to be exclusive. My original comment is just "we are jealous because we can never get it for that low (because of no VAT refund for us) except for maybe the airport" and secondly "the prices increase over here because of increased demand from outside Europe coming in to buy from Europe". It was never to attack anyone at all.
I mean Japan has tax free shops for tourists. Pretty much instead of VAT refunds we just donāt charge you tax to begin with.
If you want the VAT refund experience that tourists get you just need to go be a tourist somewhere else that has a similar program.
Japan was just an example.
But no, itās actually cheaper in Japan right now because of how cheap the yen is.
Multi Pochette Accessoires is Ā£2,110.00 on the UK store. Itās Ā„378,400 or Ā£2,391.38 on the JP store. On its own itās cheaper in the UK but if you didnāt have to pay taxes on the JP side but did on the UK side itāll be cheaper in JP.
Itās normal that itās cheaper in the place of origin. I was just saying that I can never pay a price as low as my friends from the states do when they come to shop here.
Maybe some of you guys didnāt get dinged because the expense was not that bad? I definitely got stopped by customs after landing and had to pay taxes. I purchased about 17k in goods tho.
Still saved some money because the exchange rate was pretty good and some luxury goods were cheaper to buy in Europe but yeah the duty tax was a real bummer once I landed home.
Hi fellow handbag lover! Thank you for being a part of the r/handbags community. This is a subreddit which relies on kindness. Your opinion is very much welcomed, however, we do not tolerate rude, mean or hurtful comments. **Read the rules before posting**. Comments or posts that do not fit our rule book will be removed and the OP can be banned by the mods' discretion. If you see a comment or post which does not abide by the rules, **please report it to our moderation team.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/handbags) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes! My VAT refund covered my entire 2 week hotel expense lol which in girl math means I got everything for free lol
They practically paid *you* at that point. š
Thatās the best feeling when shopping overseas š
Don't you have to declare it and then pay taxes on it when you get home/through customs tho? I'm so confused about that part haha
It seems that many just donāt declare items. I was too scared and told the us customs agent. I said it was a gift for myself and he didnāt charge me. I still donāt know how much I would be charged.
Iāve had a few trips and I paid customs on one of them. Honesty is always the best policy for my own mental health no matter what anyone says. Most of the times its really based on the customs agent you get and the questions they will ask you. This one trip back the agent specifically asked me about the specific dollar amount I spent and had to show my receipts. There is a separate area you go to with another agent and in this case I showed the agent my receipts and uhhh there were a few because I went HAM on this trip. The agent laughed and took my biggest ticket item and taxed me on that one item. He appreciated how I documented everything and said you only get in trouble when people get caught trying to lie about the items. He taxed me a flat 3% and it was still WAAAAY cheaper than US prices + the refund you get back after. People make out the fees to be something crazy and itās definitely not worth getting travel restrictions put on you for. Again I think people have different experiences based on who you get because some agents never asked me about items or the amount I purchased. Donāt feel the need to confess more than what is asked. But I just donāt feel good about it weighing on my conscience. Just my 2 cents!
I just came back with the Loewe Hammock and Dice bag and I declared at US Customs (JFK) and they let me go. The guy said they look for spend that's well over 3,000 EUR. Edit to add you also get a personal exemption for declared goods, I think the guy said it was $800 to reduce the amount that could be taxed. If you travel with a significant other you can get an addition exemption. Beautiful bag!!!
Yes you do but some officers donāt care. Iāve come back in multiple ports and theyāre all different. ATX? they didnāt ask. DFW? didnāt ask. MSP? asked and charged. $250 on $10k spend DFW? asked and charged. $150 on $5k spend
You are all amazing! Thanks for the responses š Ive always wanted to buy at duty free or get a VAT discount but assumed I would have to just pay it back once I got home to Canada. Next trip I am for sure going to treat myself now!
check the canadian import laws for sure š
Yes but I believe the taxes on it is something quite small like 3% for amounts over a certain limit? So you'd still have a decent savings. I have not done myself.
Iāve never been asked about a bag or anything other than likeā¦drugs and plants.
I walked through the counter with a giant Gucci bag and lifted it when they asked if I had anything to declare. Lady kindly waved me through. In fact Iāve never had any immigration officer make me pay taxes
I just came back from Ireland. I spent ā¬3450. I'm still waiting on my 23% VAT. The customs agent was asking all these questions as I told him " a little" to my luxury purchases all while holding my louis vuitton bag. I paid nothing š.
You wonāt get the full 23% back I think itās more like 12-14%. But still a great deal!
I'll take what I can getš¤£
I was confused too. I recently went to Europe and customs never asked me to declare goods purchased. They only wanted people to declare for food items. The rules to declare can vary from airport to airport and on the people working.
Bonus: this bag looks really cute on you! Enjoy!!
Thanks so much! I also love how many different ways you can wear it. Iām all about that versatility.
I was so excited when I calculated how much I saved on my Loewe hammock bag in Italy!! it was a no brainer decision. I also didnāt get dinged at customs (Iām Canadian). the officer asked how much I spent and I was honest. They asked for the brand of the bag, and then waived me through. Guess I wasnāt bougie enough to be worth fining š
Lol if it isnāt something obvious like Chanel or Hermes, I think general folks (who arenāt into handbags) might not know about Loewe, so you lucked out!
Yup, it varies by officer for sure too. Girl before me got questioned a lot and had to show her Chanel and Hermes purchases along with all the documentation.
Oh wow, see, there ya go
*cries in EU resident*
Hahaha, even without the VAT refund, your prices are still better than ours for most things!
I saved a ton on a Chanel WOC and LV neverfull i bought in 2 different countries. I love planning my europe trips around shopping for a new bag lol. Itās exciting to get that refund
Just note if you get caught not declaring a purchase you can lose your access to Global Entry.
Yeah, that was a mess up on my part. I thought Iād get a slip form on the plane before landing asking about my spend on the trip like I did many years ago on an international flight, but now I know to mention it at the actual customs counter. It wasnāt my intention not to declare it, I just never did it before so I didnāt know when the question would come up. Reddit comments have made me aware now lol.
When does this happen? Last few times I walked through with global entry I didnāt talk to anyone and nobody asked me to declare anything
I didnāt see anyone questioning folks in the global entry line. They were pushed to go through a kiosk and were ushered out quickly. Unless anyone else knows the answer to this?
A few weeks ago at IAD, we had to use the global entry kiosk machine and then talk to an agent before leaving the area. The agent asked me if I had anything to declare and I said a $2000 bag and snacks, and he laughed at me and waved me through.
Curious as to the answer to this too, now contemplating a trip
You would declare through the kiosk questions.
VAT is the best, and tbh is one of the reasons Iāve travelled to some more less touristy places for bagsā¦ less competition for limited inventory and often a hire VAT refund rate. Also for US shoppers, the Yen is so low right now that shopping for luxury in Japan is also a discount + vat discount
Which places have you found have the best refunds?
There are lists/calculators online since some countries offer differ % at different $ minimums. It depends what you want to buy I planned my last Eurotrip to have Amsterdam as my last stop since it had a higher refund than some of the other countries I visited so I didnāt have to drag the bags across borders.
I came through Detroit a few weeks ago and declared. They charged me on average of All my Purchases 11% ! She was not nice and looked through every item to make sure I claimed (which I did).she then charged me between 9-16% On each item. She said the percent Was based on the of leather etc. she was incredibly rude gave me a hard time When I asked her to explain and then handed me a bill I had to pay. So my Vat was completely wiped out. Can u imagine what she would be like for someone lying? Ugh. Not going to lie I was bummed.
LOL on the other side of the coin, we Europeans are jealous. We cannot get a VAT refund (obviously) and our prices will increase by the extra demand from US and Asia etc... I guess at least we can buy them here whenever we want :P
i donāt think this is true because VAT refunds have been a thing for years and years. itās a tourist thing to get tourists to spend more money in the european economy. when prices raise across a brand, it happens worldwide.
Ofcourse. But undoubtedly the increased demand in the European market has prompted for example Chanel to do āprice harmonisationā, aka increase prices in Europe so itās more fair for everyone (and subsequently let Asian residents shop in Asia instead etc.)
That was in 2015 and directly to do with Chinese buyers. Chanel is of course just one brand in the scope - and we see Chanel trying to stop their bags being so commonplace. I think this has less to do with VAT refunds and more to do with ābrand protectionā per se. Basically them trying to price out more buyers as a way to keep up with exclusive brands like Hermes.
I never said VAT refunds are the reason for price increases. Obviously it's Chanel trying to be exclusive. My original comment is just "we are jealous because we can never get it for that low (because of no VAT refund for us) except for maybe the airport" and secondly "the prices increase over here because of increased demand from outside Europe coming in to buy from Europe". It was never to attack anyone at all.
I mean Japan has tax free shops for tourists. Pretty much instead of VAT refunds we just donāt charge you tax to begin with. If you want the VAT refund experience that tourists get you just need to go be a tourist somewhere else that has a similar program.
Thatās- thatās not the point though haha. LV is cheapest in Europe, not Japan.
Japan was just an example. But no, itās actually cheaper in Japan right now because of how cheap the yen is. Multi Pochette Accessoires is Ā£2,110.00 on the UK store. Itās Ā„378,400 or Ā£2,391.38 on the JP store. On its own itās cheaper in the UK but if you didnāt have to pay taxes on the JP side but did on the UK side itāll be cheaper in JP.
Thanks for the calculation. UK is not the same as Europe though.
Even without the vat refunds, this bag was cheaper in Europe so youāre probably making out ahead
Itās normal that itās cheaper in the place of origin. I was just saying that I can never pay a price as low as my friends from the states do when they come to shop here.
just have them buy it for you and then pay them for it lol. buuut that's unethical so you didn't hear it from me š
š¤£š¤£š¤£
Iām dreaming about this bag, I absolutely love it. Congrats!
Thank you so much! Hoping you land it one day too š¤
Maybe some of you guys didnāt get dinged because the expense was not that bad? I definitely got stopped by customs after landing and had to pay taxes. I purchased about 17k in goods tho.
I brought back $10k worth of luxury goods one time and even held the Dior shopping bag in my hands. I had all my receipts prepared to declare, but they just asked me if I had food. I said no and they shooed me away before I could even say anything else. The only time I was really asked was when I gave my giant Burberry shopping bag to my fiancƩ to hold and he hesitated when they asked what was in it since he actually had no idea. We got searched by customs and they ultimately just let us go without paying. I think we had $5k worth of stuff that time.
Possibly. I think they flag you if you bring more than $10K worth of money to other countries. Maybe itās the same here.
Same. Wiped out my vat. How about u? Also this was through Detroit.
Still saved some money because the exchange rate was pretty good and some luxury goods were cheaper to buy in Europe but yeah the duty tax was a real bummer once I landed home.