Duty Free Alcohol Rip off

[Comoman]

Can anyone REALLY be bothered lugging around booze bottles of all things on their way to or from a flight?
The garish obstacle courses presented by airport duty free stores and the wheedling parasites lurking amongst them are so utterly repellent that I wouldn't take their offerings if they were free of charge with a $100 bill taped to each one.

Absolutely agree - I have complained previously to Perth Airport management about the harassment passing through international arrivals. It really is obnoxious - high pressure sell. I've even had a basket shoved in my hand once! I shoved it right back.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Can anyone REALLY be bothered lugging around booze bottles of all things on their way to or from a flight?

Clearly plenty can or else DF stores would cease to exist. I buy plenty DF booze on way home from SIN - max every time - $25 botts Baileys / Bombay Sapphire etc - if we don't need them they make great cheap gifts.

Couple years back when heading to Vanuatu ex BNE Moet 2006 was on special ~A$60/bott - we took 2ea - great sitting on balcony overlooking Pacific sunset sipping Champers. This was about only occasion in memory that I have bought DF o/b from Oz - but everybody is different and I say good luck to any traveller who chooses to buy DF o/b or i/b - their money - their travels- their decisions - we are all different.

 

[FirstClass]

Quite right too! Just as some hafta drink Moet or it too would cease to exist, I guess...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Can anyone REALLY be bothered lugging around booze bottles of all things on their way to or from a flight?
The garish obstacle courses presented by airport duty free stores and the wheedling parasites lurking amongst them are so utterly repellent that I wouldn't take their offerings if they were free of charge with a $100 bill taped to each one.

That's a bit of a silly statement. Couldn't we also question why people could be bothered lugging all those pesky clothes around when they can just buy them at their destination?

I find the DF grog no problem. I order on-line and pick it up upon entry. I hand the receipt to one of those "wheedling parasites" who very efficiently take me straight to the collections counter and hand me my purchases with a smile and a thank you and I'm on my way with hardly a minute delay. I've been doing that for years now every few weeks and I've never had an issue (that I can remember). Horses for courses I guess.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can anyone REALLY be bothered lugging around booze bottles of all things on their way to or from a flight?
The garish obstacle courses presented by airport duty free stores and the wheedling parasites lurking amongst them are so utterly repellent that I wouldn't take their offerings if they were free of charge with a $100 bill taped to each one.

At SIN the DF is delivered straight to the jetbridge. Nothing to carry around. At most DF stores in Asia the staff are there to help you. I simply hand them the DF list and they pick all the items for me and bring them to the register. Not much that could be simpler!

 

[FirstClass]

I guess it could be worthwhile if one's DF order was stowed in the cellar prior to one's arrival home.

Otherwise Dan's has better range and better service.

Cluttering up the airport for the sake of a couple of bottles of slightly cheaper grog just doesn't seem worth the aggravation.

If one could bring in a DF pallet, I might be persuaded otherwise.

Anyhow, will refrain from further blighting this thread with idle meanderings...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If one could bring in a DF pallet, I might be persuaded otherwise.

For me, it's not just slightly cheaper grog. The spirits we drink are roughly 1/2 Dan's price and as I do this at least a dozen times a year (usually more), I'd guess it saves me $800+ a year. Nothing to sneeze at.

 

[medhead]

To be clear, I don't think there is a specific legislation regarding duty free excise. But you have to remember that 90%+ spirits are imported to Australia. Some notable exceptions, but in general most are imported. Therefore , under the ATO excise laws, the excise is applied at importation. You cannot import solely to sell duty free. That, I know. Now, for some of the exemptions, (Bundaberg Distilleries is the one I'm thinking of), again the excise is applied at the wholesale level. Again the duty free retailer would not be able to access a non-excised product.

So, the excise is already applied before it gets into the Duty free store. The WET is not an excise, so not eligble for duty free status.

As for your example of purchasing 3 litres prior to departure and returning with them. The proviso under duty free status, is that the product, will not be returning to Australia. (Read, not returning in a re-sale state) in theory. So, customs upon your return, don't care where you bought it or how much you paid, in thier eyes you are importing excess of the duty free limit.

Hope it helps a little in understanding.

P.S.- forgot to mention about the TRS. As a foriegner, you are eligble to claim the excise, but with limitations. (think its $300 min and various other things) Plus its time consuming and is most common want of a traveller, limited time. Some do, but not that many as its not really advertised on a Punt Road Billboard

You seem to be making things up. Australian's can claim TRS when exiting Australia. There is no limitation to Foreigners only. WET can also be claimed back on exports. Duty Free shops have bonded stores, as linked by another this is because they have goods that have not yet been taxed.

There is no proviso that exported duty/tax free goods cannot return to Australia. That is controlled by the import allowances.

With respect to booze the limitation on duty free import is 2.25 litres duty free, i.e. without paying excise. But if I have paid Australian excise on the booze, as you claim is the case for duty free shopping, then I can import any amount that I wish. If I have paid excise already then I'm not exceeding the duty free limit precisely because I've paid excise. To say that duty free booze is not excise free ignores logic, and it ignores the information provided by the ATO and border force.

And for the benefit of others, no I would never lug around 3 litres of booze on holiday either.

 

[harvyk]

I've always understood ot to be tax and duty free, not profit free. Unless I've misunderstood something about selling booze, the retailer is permitted to sell the product at sny price they like. Provided they don't pretend part of the price is a tax they are free to sell at any price they like.

Also I tend to purchase something outbound and then use collect on arrival so I don't have to lug bottles on my trip. When I've actually taken booze OS I've done it with the intention of drinking it whilst I was away.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

This is another reason why I lug DF purchases back to Oz - genuine Imperia Russian Vodka I bought in DF in PEK couple years back - never seen it on sale in Oz - cannot remember exact price I just remember it was cheap - worth the purchase just for bottle alone.

 

[andrewlorien]

I'm lining up to get ripped off... Any members of Aelia (formerly duty free stores NZ i think) want to message me their email address so i can make them a referrer when i create my account?

 

[Walter_Plinge]

Just returned from Europe. I would have bought 2 x Grand Marnier at a REWE supermarket in Dresden @ €8.95 a bottle except I didn't have much room. Went for inbound instead - 2 x Chivas plus small bonus bottle for $109. Not much of a bargain. Dan Murph's equivalent is $114.14. I had a duty to perform so I just paid.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

earlier this month at SYD heinmen they had 30% of JW

Was able to get 2 * 1L bottles od double black for about $87 which is quite cheap

Balck label I can sometimes get close to DM pricing when it's on special and then say 5% cashback with the 3 points per $ a nice bonus from the edge card.

With the way amex was proving cashback at DM and 1st Choice last year I was buying my scotch at or below duty free pricing.

Th emoral of the story is in a free market profit driven economy the sellers will charge the highest price they can get away with.

Buyers have to know the pricign they can get and then do their best to hunt down the best price they can find.

 

[Major]

Arrived into BNE last night and purchased 2 x 1.125L bottles of Bundy UP Rum for $55. Not a bad deal

 

[Simo]

There was a fellow AFFer and myself passing thru BNE Duty Free and he had a look at a bottle of wine in both AKL Duty Free and BNE Duty free and the cheapest place by a few $$$ was Dan Murphy's.

Duty Free use to be some good buying many years ago but now they just make up the duty into profit margin...

Yes I understand that they are opened extremely long hours and also extra costs for the airport locations but I don't spend my money there at all...

 

[Major]

I never, ever buy wine or champagne at airport duty free shops. The system only works for me with spirits.

Some places are better than others. AKL used to be very good. Now it's not as good

 

[Cruiser Elite]

IMHO there are still unique situations where Champagne DF is a must - earlier this year I bought some specially packaged Vintage Moët at SIN using the Changi vouchers - to say never is a bit over the top - as always purchaser must be in control - you must know what you want and what it's real value is. And again we are all different - never does one size fit all.

 

[Major]

IMHO there are still unique situations where Champagne DF is a must - earlier this year I bought some specially packaged Vintage Moët at SIN using the Changi vouchers - to say never is a bit over the top - as always purchaser must be in control - you must know what you want and what it's real value is. And again we are all different - never does one size fit all.

Quite right. (goes back to previous post and puts 'I" in front)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

DF for some spirits and Dan for wine is my motto, but I'd like to start finding a few good champers to add to the cellar as my spirits shelf seems to have multiple of everything at the moment.

 

[serfty]

DF really only works when there's a large portion of government rakeoff with excise and GST.

That gives the Stores a bit of breathing room between not having to pay the govt. and the rather high rents the Airports charge these days.

IIRC, spirits have at least $20 in excise and GST comes on top of that, so there's some margin.

Wine is much lower alcohol based excise, but the GST becomes more of an issue the higher the price point.