Seven strategic duty-free shopping tips to save money and get something special
- Duty free shopping offers savings because you don’t pay tax on purchases, but can you really get good deals in airports?
- Whether it’s cosmetics, alcohol or sunglasses, these tips will ensure you get the best value for your money
Shannon, Ireland, population 10,000, is a great jumping-off point for travellers heading to Limerick or the Cliffs of Moher. It’s also the birthplace of a US$68.6 billion industry: duty-free shops. Shannon Airport opened the world’s first such store in 1947, offering people passing through the western part of the country the opportunity to shop without paying taxes before they left.
“To spawn what has become a global, multibillion-dollar industry is something that we’re very proud of,” says Darren Smyth, head of commercial operations at Shannon Airport. “Everybody the world over likes to feel like they’re getting good value.”
Depends on what you consider a deal. When Shannon Airport launched duty-free, a lower price thanks to the nixed tax was the key selling point. Today, duty-free shopping’s appeal is more complex. Now that we can comparison-shop for deals online for just about anything, duty-free shops had to come up with new ways to entice customers. Here’s what you need to know before you head to the airport.
1. The real savings are in alcohol
The best deals at duty-free will depend on the taxes where you live; the higher the tax on a product, the better the deal at duty-free. Around the world, “sin taxes” tend to be a common practice, making “sinful” products your best buy.
