ILUVPARIS

I recently returned from our trip to France where I purchased some gorgeous lace curtains from a shop in Isle Sur la Sorgue, France. When I realized how much I was spending I asked the cashier for a VAT refund form. She told me they did not have them and that really surprised me. Ordinarily I don't normally purchase enough from a shop to qualify for a VAT refund so, I don't know how common this is. I do know this shop has at least one other location because the cashier called the owner to inquire about the forms.

I just want to know if this common and whether there's some reason why a shop wouldn't offer customers a VAT refund? Does offering the VAT refund somehow affect a shops bottom-line?

Thanks so much!

janisj

It is entirely up to the merchant if they want to participate in refunding VAT. Some do, some don't. Whether the paperwork is too cumbersome because they are not in busy tourist areas, or their typical sale is too low to make it worthwhile, or whatever.

Guenmai

All stores don't offer VAT. I have been doing VAT since at least the 80s. Sometimes, I'll find an item at a smaller store and ask if they do VAT. If they don't,then I will first go to some department stores to see if the same item can be found there. Then I know I can get VAT.

Last month, while in Paris, I ordered a custom made parasol, from a parasolerie. It was a substantial amount of money. I asked about the VAT, but the boutique isn't set up to offer VAT. Had I gotten the VAT, it would have paid for the UPS cost that I paid to have the finished product sent to me.

Sometimes one needs to just shop around a bit if it's an item that might be possible to get at a VAT store. Other times, if it's a special item that can't be found elsewhere, one just has to do without getting the VAT. Happy Travels!

chartley

It could be that shops which offer simple VAT refunds are a bit like restaurants with menus in several languages. They are tourist places, with non-authentic products and above average prices.

Now can you tell me how I can claim back the sales tax when I visit the USA?

Ackislander

chartley, please think before writing..

Clearly shops that participate in VAT refund schemes are those with a sufficient number of overseas customers to make it worth their while to gain a competitive advantage over those that don't.

To draw the conclusion that they offer "non-authentic products", whatever that means, is is unwarranted and shows ignorance on your part.

chartley

"Non authentic products" are ones specifically created to be sold to tourists. They are decorative, rather than useful, and portable. The prices are set to make them appear to have some sort of exclusivity, and bear no relation to the cost of production.

Cuckoo clocks, for example. How many do you think the Swiss actually buy?

janisj

Chartley: Your supposition really doesn't hold water. Sure -- many 'tourist' shops participate in the VAT scheme -- but many don't simply because what they sell is inexpensive.

But department stores (Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, Liberty), fine jewelers, etc do participate because they sell expensive stuff and the VAT matters

logos999

Why would a native person or anybody that lives in the country help a foreigner to avoid VAT? That's asking too much. Pay your taxes and be happy. Those shops that offer VAT refunds aren't frequented by locals anyway.

Christina

A curtain shop in a small town in Provence (even one with tourists traipsing through for the outdoor market) probably doesn't have that much foreign business and reallyl why would they care? The shops that do this get a lot of business from tourists and advertise that they participate in VAT (eg, the big dept stores in Paris). Or they sell very expensive luxury goods even if not to the mainstream tourist.

Of course many shops that participate in VAt are frequented by locals, as well as tourists, they are just big dept stores and if you are in the middle of Paris, they are all competing with each other and I bet the amt. of money tourists spend in them is quite large.

It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that a curtain shop in that small town wouldn't participate in VAT refunds, why would they? It gives them nothing and just takes up time and trouble for them.

logos999

Only non EU tourists can even apply for a refund. In comparison this is a relatively small group (russia, us, japan). The costs for this service are simply added to the general costs. They only have extra administrative costs offering a VAT refund for this group.

ILUVPARIS

In all my trips I've probably purchased about 5 items that exceeded $175EU and it's just never been an issue in terms of receiving the VAT reimbursement. In fact, out of the 5 shops, I think only one was in a large store like Galleries Lafayette---the others were all smaller shops. So that's why I was surprised when I was told by this store that they don't participate.

Isle sur la Sorge does attract a number of tourists and this particular shop sells way more than curtains. Their prices weren't cheap so I could see items adding up to $175 quite easily. It may be a new shop and perhaps over time, they might change?? Who knows....

I have no regrets. I've honestly not seen lace like this anywhere in the USA and if I did, it would probably have been hundreds more.

Thanks for the info.