Duty Free Shopping: Is It Worth Your Money?

Just because Duty Free can offer lower prices, it doesn’t necessarily reflect on the entirety of the items available. There are certain goods that some analysts and experts consider to be fairly great deals while some are not.

Usually, items that are usually covered with “sintax” are rarely a bad deal at airports. These items include liquors, tobaccos, and packs of cigarettes. Depending on the brand, some perfume or clothing items can be purchased with a significant discount. The ladies would also have to reconsider buying luxury fragrances, cosmetics, sunglasses, and clothes, as these items are hit and miss.

Cosmetic products may come as a bargain if the items are not typically on sale and in a larger quantity. Makeup gift packages can also contain a combination of hard-to-find items. Designer handbags, watches, and sunglasses also vary in price—oftentimes, these are much expensive at airports than at boutiques. Souvenirs like keychains, T-shirts, and mugs with the name of the visited country also tend to be more expensive.

Pasalubong (souvenir) favorites such as chocolates, biscuits, and nuts are few of the basic items that can be found in Duty Free stores. As tempting as it is to splurge on delicious sweet treats, experts consider these items to be impractical purchases, as these products are available also in supermarkets, thus making them less of a bargain.

Items that are a specialty or are exclusively made in a particular country also tend to be offered at lower prices. For example, some consider Swiss chocolates as a great deal because these chocolates are usually taxed in areas outside Switzerland. Canadian maple products would also be cheaper at a Duty Free shop.

Electronics such as phones and similar items will be cheaper in some countries in Asia or the USA, but before buying, make sure that it would be usable in your home country. Some phones that are purchased overseas need adaptors to be charged, while some only work on different network frequencies. Online shops can also be a huge competition when it comes to bargaining prices for electronic devices. The cheap price might also be because of the outdated units and older models.

In addition, it would be to the advantage of shoppers if they know the price per ounce or pack, or any unit of sale that the product employs. This is because in comparison to normal stores, Duty Free sells more varied items than the average shop. Another thing to keep in mind is that not all Duty Free shops carry the same brands or items. The array of cosmetics, bags, watches, sunglasses, and fragrances may vary, while cigarettes, sweets, and liquors may be similar in some.

In general, when it comes to Duty Free shopping, the best strategy is to research in advance regarding the typical prices of the items in local stores then compare it to the pricing in the Duty Free stores at the country you are planning to visit. That way, tourists can score better deals and avoid buying things compulsively.