So i'm going to europe in a month and was wondering if its cheaper to buy handbags out there?? i'm from california and want to purchase either a gucci, balenciaga or louis vuitton purse but don't know if they are any cheaper in europe?! does anyone know?! This is also my first time out of the country so will i run into any trouble coming home if i purchase a bag there and bring it back to the u.s.?? please help! thank you =)
Going to europe!! Need advice!!
- Thread starter gemelli
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With dollar being down and exchange rates the way it is, I don't think it is wise to buy in Europe. My friends from Italy and Moscow come to New York to shop for bags and other stuff. I just had to suffer through a round of Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Sacks and Bloomies and for them it was cheap in comparison to Moscow or Milan.
It's definitely cheaper to buy in the US - the dollar, although much stronger than it was, is still down against the euro. You can, however, find quality brands that aren't sold in the US often and get some nice bargains there - I picked up a couple of very nice bags in Italy for gifts from a well-known Italian brand that's rarely sold in the US - that way you have something unique or you might find a style that a high end designer doesn't import to the US making it well worth the extra cost to have a unique bag.
It really depends on where you are going and what the exchange rate is. I have purchased several bags in Europe in the past couple of years because after doing calculations on the price they were cheaper than they would be in the U.S. For example, I bought a Balenciaga coin purse in Belgium in November that was 195 Euro. At the time the exchange rate was 1.27 so the coin purse was about $248, which is less than it would cost brand new in the U.S. You also need to factor in the VAT rebate, which was about 12% in the country I was in. So instead of paying $295 plus tax in the States, I paid around $218 when you factor in the tax rebate I got when I left the country.
The bonus? It was a brand new, in the box, never used 05 Olive coin purse which would sell for far more than the standard price if I wanted to sell it.
There's no hard and fast rule here, really. You have to know what you want, what its price is in the U.S., and what the exchange rate is that day. You also need to know if your credit card charges any sort of foreign exchange fee (if you're charging to a credit card) and what your tax refund will be. Even when the dollar is weak you can sometimes find good deals.
The bonus? It was a brand new, in the box, never used 05 Olive coin purse which would sell for far more than the standard price if I wanted to sell it.
There's no hard and fast rule here, really. You have to know what you want, what its price is in the U.S., and what the exchange rate is that day. You also need to know if your credit card charges any sort of foreign exchange fee (if you're charging to a credit card) and what your tax refund will be. Even when the dollar is weak you can sometimes find good deals.
It certainly should be cheaper to buy in the UK, at the moment, if you're coming here?
The Pound has taken a nose-dive against both the Dollar and the Euro (as well as some other currencies, such as the Yen).
However, it really depends on when the store purchased their stock, as if it was after the pound plunged, they may have had to pay more for it (in the case of imported goods) and they will, no doubt, try to pass that on.
The Pound has taken a nose-dive against both the Dollar and the Euro (as well as some other currencies, such as the Yen).
However, it really depends on when the store purchased their stock, as if it was after the pound plunged, they may have had to pay more for it (in the case of imported goods) and they will, no doubt, try to pass that on.
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It's a shame you did not come in January, because the sales are on and you can get huge discounts on lots of bags. For good prices you might try the Duty Free of whatever airport you're going to land. Most intercontinental airports have nice bags shops (Paris CDG, London Heathrow, Rome, even Brussels).
As far as full price is concerned, unfortunately the Euro is going down (last year it was very strong against the dollar), so by the time you're in Europe you might get lucky. Beware of the fact that some brands are more expensive in different European countries. It's not as if the price of a Tod's or of a Longchamp is the same throughout Europe. If you like Gerard Darel or Longchamp then you should definitely buy them in France. Furla, Coccinelle, Biasia, Tod's are cheaper in Italy. Besides, In Italy there are several outlets which sells designers bags at competitive prices.
Good luck and have a pleasant shopping experience!
hi girls,
my boyfriend is heading to germany, murich and zurich in feb.
i am considering getting a longchamp medium with short handle and a chanel classic change purse OR chanel reissue small wallet (i can't find the picture online but saw a lady using it some time ago and fallen in love with it)
may i know the price list for both countries and possible the estimated tax rebate that he can claim.
Really appreciate your help.
thanks!
my boyfriend is heading to germany, murich and zurich in feb.
i am considering getting a longchamp medium with short handle and a chanel classic change purse OR chanel reissue small wallet (i can't find the picture online but saw a lady using it some time ago and fallen in love with it)
may i know the price list for both countries and possible the estimated tax rebate that he can claim.
Really appreciate your help.
thanks!
I know this thread is slightly old, but, I was debating about getting a new Longchamp medium les pliage but am going to Paris in June and was wondering if I should wait. Is the price better in Paris, or, would it be the same as getting ot for 20% off during bloomies/saks F&F?
I think it's definitely worth waiting for, especially since exchange rates keep fluctuating. I'm not sure if it's the same as a few years back, but I know at Galeries Lafayette they provide tourists with a 10% discount if you present your passport. If nothing has changed, I believe you can use the discount on Longchamp, plus with the VAT % return, it should be a considerable amount cheaper.