Question: shopping in London

Mayacamas

O.G.
Nov 8, 2008
401
1,316
Dear VCA'ers

I may have the opportunity to go to London unexpectedly in about 10 days. Can someone refresh me on if there is any savings with VAT refund and strength of dollar to purchase in the UK? The US city where I live doesn't have a VCA boutique, and there are three in London...

Thank you
Maya
 
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Dear VCA'ers

I may have the opportunity to go to London unexpectedly in about 10 days. Can someone refresh me on if there is any savings with VAT refund and strength of dollar to purchase in the UK? The US city where I live doesn't have a VCA boutique, and there are three in London...

Thank you
Maya
Maya, I’m gonna take a quick shot at this because I just finished an International Price/Shopping article about Hermès. Just taking a quick look at the UK and US prices my answer is probably not.

All my calculations here are approximate.

Just extrapolating from the YG/mop 5 motif bracelet on the websites: $4,000 US, £3,450 UK. Of course the UK price includes VAT and US doesn’t include tax (5.75 - 10% depending on your state).

At today’s exchange rate (XE.com) £3,450 converts to $4,162 (XE conversion rates fluctuate all day)
Yes, you’ll get 10% of that back, but import duty would be about $242 so total is just under $4,000 ($3,988, more or less). So i guess the only difference you might save buying in London is the sales tax.
 
For the experience it has added value, may I suggest, you contact whichever London VCA store before and tell them which piece or pieces you thinking of and arrange an appointment. Not all VCAs have everything, many combos and specs are hard to find particularly in the more popular lines. It may be possible for a store to get it/them in for you, particularly if you don't want to travel round all 5 stores.
 
For the experience it has added value, may I suggest, you contact whichever London VCA store before and tell them which piece or pieces you thinking of and arrange an appointment. Not all VCAs have everything, many combos and specs are hard to find particularly in the more popular lines. It may be possible for a store to get it/them in for you, particularly if you don't want to travel round all 5 stores.
Great idea!
Can someone DM me a recommendation?
Thank you!
 
UK no longer offers VAT as far as I know. If you buy in EU, VCA will be able to tell you precisely what you will pay. When I was contemplating a higher value item last fall, I was told that VCA will expedite paperwork and have you met at the airport to clear customs. When an item is flagged in this manner, it’s also best to calculate the duty and state sales tax applicable upon your return home. With all the additional aggravation, I would recommend shopping in your home boutique , so if you have issues with aftercare, it is easier.
 
I am in London now. UK VAT ended with Brexit, so no, there is zero benefit if you are going to London to save.
All you save is US taxes. However, you may now need to pay customs taxes, so no, I would not go to London with the thought of saving money. You can check actual UK prices by going on to the UK website, and you can convert from there.

I would say this is true for high-end luxury goods. However, some items you do save. I am a fan of Frederic Malle's perfumes (Carnal Flower for me! :nuts: :heart:), and there is some decent saving there. I didn't buy any though as it's still not worth it to me to lug small stuff like perfume back home to save a few pennies. Plus, you don't get the freebie samples which can add up to a few hundred dollars, so it's a wash.

That said, I would still definitely go to London to shop. There is a lot of stock here (Chanel is packed with stuff).

There is no VCA at LHR airport, but there are other luxury brands (e.g. Cartier and Tiffany jewelry are in T3). Last time I was there a few months ago in April, the Chanel prices at LHR were about 10-15% less than the Chanel boutique. Not sure why or if they have since adjusted their price. Even so, 10-15% saving is not worth the headache to purchase a jewelry item, not for me. Bags, shoes, clothes... those are okay, but for me, I always buy jewelry in the US as the after care and building relationships is equally important to me.

Bummer though, you will just miss the special Tiffany exhibition. I flew here to London to see it; it was great. Unfortunately, it ends this Friday, Aug 19. If you are a Tiffany fan, maybe some high jewelry pieces will be exhibited at the boutique (not sure if you are a Tiffany gemstone fan).

Have fun in London! I actually now enjoy shopping in London more than NYC. Peaceful, simple, and all the boutiques are in one area. Not to mention... afternoon tea! If you like tea, afternoon tea is a must. Enjoy your trip!
 
By the way, real life example... I was looking for a new colorful Trendy CC (all they had was black, many black ones actually, so lots of stock). Price in the US is $6,100. UK price is 5,120 GBP which converts to $6,168. Zero savings, and even if you save 10% on taxes, for me, it's definitely not worth lugging those huge boxes home.
 
Hi again! Another real life update. There is surely a lot of stock here in London.

I have been trying to find Hermes Violet Byzantin nail polish, but it’s sold out everywhere. The Harrods SA said it’s their best selling shade.

Anyway, I am hanging out at LHR and walked past Hermes (the boutique moved next to Chanel). I thought, ok… I’ll give it a shot. Lo and behold, they had it! I was surprised and so excited!

So… if you have been looking for hard to find items, put your list together… London is the place to find stuff!

I hope you find items on your list!
:hugs:
 
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I was just at VCA on Bond Street last month. I did save on US sales tax, which was nice as it is 6% by me. And also saved a tiny bit by the dollar being strong against the pound. But the absolute best thing was no appointment needed and no queue when I went.
 
One can only get UK VAT off now if the goods are exported / shipped if directly. VCA can do that for known customers or maybe if they decide to make an exception. It is an option I am considering as Hermes did it and it went smoothly for me.
 
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