Buying International: Another VAT Thread

[NAUI1982]

I’m heading to Poland on business and flying through Amsterdam. I’ll have a long layover both on the way to Poland and on the way back, plus a weekend in Warsaw for some downtime.

I plan to visit Gassan in Schiphol Airport, and I’m also considering checking out some ADs in Poland.

The last time I bought some luxury goods was in Italy, where I used Global Blue for the VAT refund. It worked fine, but it was a bit of a hassle. With the dollar much stronger against the Euro now, I’m hoping for better savings this time around.

A few questions for the experienced travel shoppers out there:

1. In a Rolex Boutique (either in an airport or Poland), is the price listed with VAT included, or are the prices somewhat “adjusted” to reflect a more USD-friendly exchange rate?
2. Does Gassan at Schiphol Airport waive VAT on the spot, or would I still have to go through the Global Blue refund process?
3. I’ll be leaving Poland at 6am, before the VAT office opens. Can I handle VAT validation in Amsterdam during my layover, since it’s my final departure from the EU?
4. For Poland ADs, is the VAT process similar to Global Blue, or do they waive it on the spot?

Bonus question: Has anyone recently gone through this VAT refund process when buying a Rolex in the EU? If so:

• How smooth was the process at the airport?
• How long did the refund take to appear in your account?
• Any tips for dealing with early morning flights before VAT offices open?

Any other advice is welcome (inventory constraints included), but if I get lucky, I’m a buyer, and if not, no harm done!

Thanks in advance!

[NAUI1982]

Went to 3 Rolex stores in Warsaw, but they’re all owned by the same AD. Nothing but PM, and ladies size TT available in store. Very limited but very friendly SAs who were happy to sell me stuff for my wife.

I admit buying a 336238 YG Sky-Dweller on OF. Yup could get the 326238 at home from the grey at somewhere in the low to mid 30k range for 2020 through 2022. The black dial versions are few K more (talkin USD here), but even our classified forum doesn’t have any 336 editions posted for sale yet.

So I’m coming home with a nice YG, black dial on OF for a few K below retail and brand new. Of course, I have to wait a little bit for my VAT to get processed. No big deal…

This is my first YG and my first Sky-D, so it’s a nice add to my collection…

[bibbi]

Welcome to Poland! Hope you enjoy Warsaw, even in these shocking hot days.

Glad to hear you found sth to purchase at Kruk. Congrats on you beautiful new watch. On one hand they are a good AD but on the other there is completely no other option for Rolex purchases at retail in Poland. Just this only AD with 7 or 8 Rolex boutiques across the country.

For those who don’t know the strangr building in the photo (taken from Intercontinental?) is a building which was a sort of “gifted” by soviets to the Polish nation in 1955. For decades it was the tallest building in the country. From time to time there are discussions wherher it should be torn down as a remainer of the dreadful communist era.


bibbi

[NAUI1982]

Thank you bibbi!

It is a scorcher out here today. I decided to ride a lime around cause it was getting too hot to walk.

I was just sharing the news with my wife and we can’t decide which kid inherits this when I die.

…and yup. I’m at the IC and that is exactly the shot, you called it.

[jrinTX]

Not a Rolex, but we bought jewelry in Ireland in June. We got our VAT refund last week.

The office was open, but the forms go into a Dropbox outside the window, so if they are closed, you should be fine.

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by NAUI1982

Went to 3 Rolex stores in Warsaw, but they’re all owned by the same AD. Nothing but PM, and ladies size TT available in store. Very limited but very friendly SAs who were happy to sell me stuff for my wife.

I admit buying a 336238 YG Sky-Dweller on OF. Yup could get the 326238 at home from the grey at somewhere in the low to mid 30k range for 2020 through 2022. The black dial versions are few K more (talkin USD here), but even our classified forum doesn’t have any 336 editions posted for sale yet.

So I’m coming home with a nice YG, black dial on OF for a few K below retail and brand new. Of course, I have to wait a little bit for my VAT to get processed. No big deal…

This is my first YG and my first Sky-D, so it’s a nice add to my collection…

As to that VAT part……..time will tell.
I’m still waiting for mine from October from a purchase wife made in Nice.
Been told it seems quite a few don’t get it back.

[Sergio_UKR]

got my VAT return from RG OF Daytona purchased in Spain within 2 weeks of coming back. Global Blue took a solid chunk in fees, but processed it fast.

[1st amg]

Wow, that is a gorgeous watch!

[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by Sergio_UKR

got my VAT return from RG OF Daytona purchased in Spain within 2 weeks of coming back. Global Blue took a solid chunk in fees, but processed it fast.

They seriously are taking a huge chunk out. I’m going to try and see if I can do this without them and if the merchant will work with me directly because this is thousands of dollars they’re taking!

[brandrea]

Congratulations Doug

[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Wow, that is a gorgeous watch!

It is a stunner! And I’m now reading up on the brand new movement in these new 336 models.

Originally Posted by brandrea

Congratulations Doug

Thank you!

[Sergio_UKR]

Originally Posted by NAUI1982

They seriously are taking a huge chunk out. I’m going to try and see if I can do this without them and if the merchant will work with me directly because this is thousands of dollars they’re taking!

In my case they took about a $1k from a total of $6.5k refund, so I got like $5.5k back.

It is a lot, but at least process is reliable, so I know I will get the money.

[NigeG]

Originally Posted by 123Blueface

As to that VAT part……..time will tell.
I’m still waiting for mine from October from a purchase wife made in Nice.
Been told it seems quite a few don’t get it back.

Guessing that it’s difficult to make waves when you’re 2500+ miles away.

I do wonder if those that don’t get it back is because they did not follow the procedure 100%?


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[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by NigeG

Guessing that it’s difficult to make waves when you’re 2500+ miles away.

I do wonder if those that don’t get it back is because they did not follow the procedure 100%?


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I think that’s the value proposition for Global Blue, they do have a full platform and it tracks the purchase and the refund process. But dang! Those fees!

[KatGirl]

Congrats on the gold Skydweller!

Kat


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[77T]

That is one great looking SkyDiddy -

Now about the layover home, are you still looking g for another Rolex while at the airport AD?


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[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by 77T

That is one great looking SkyDiddy -

Now about the layover home, are you still looking g for another Rolex while at the airport AD?


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I have less than an hour in AMS and I have to get through the Global Blue line too, so I doubt it. But you know how this addiction runs, I’ll stop in because it can’t be avoided on the walk from the gate to Global Blue. Of course, they’ll have some sweet SS GMT or whatever and I wont have time to buy it.


Will be just my luck…

[bibbi]

Originally Posted by NAUI1982

I have less than an hour in AMS and I have to get through the Global Blue line too, so I doubt it. But you know how this addiction runs, I’ll stop in because it can’t be avoided on the walk from the gate to Global Blue. Of course, they’ll have some sweet SS GMT or whatever and I wont have time to buy it.


Will be just my luck…

A sweet SS GMT would be worth postponing your flight!


bibbi

[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by bibbi

A sweet SS GMT would be worth postponing your flight!


bibbi

Yea that right there is definitely feeding the addiction. 😎

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by bibbi

A sweet SS GMT would be worth postponing your flight!


bibbi

Exactly

[jmgorman]

Wow - these rules are pretty strict! I was just reading ahead for the VAT process in Germany ahead of a trip to Dresden and it looks like I won't be eligible for the refund because my ticket is not directly back to the US, but has a layover in Zurich.

(You guys probably won't hear about it, though, since my big goal is looking around shops in Glashütte!)

[bibbi]

Originally Posted by jmgorman

Wow - these rules are pretty strict! I was just reading ahead for the VAT process in Germany ahead of a trip to Dresden and it looks like I won't be eligible for the refund because my ticket is not directly back to the US, but has a layover in Zurich.

(You guys probably won't hear about it, though, since my big goal is looking around shops in Glashütte!)

Hmmm, a layover in Zurich shouldn’t be a problem since Switzerland is out of the European Union as well.


bibbi

[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by bibbi

Hmmm, a layover in Zurich shouldn’t be a problem since Switzerland is out of the European Union as well.


bibbi

Right. You get the VAT papers stamped at the last airport leaving the EU. Doesn’t even have to be the country in which you acquired the watch! Just the last point of departure from the EU, and many of these customs verification offices are 24/7.

I’m going to be leaving Warsaw on a super early flight and found the location for 24/7 customs stamp on the VAT doc (Global Blue, the only processor being used in Poland apparently, damn those fees!)

But for Germany, with a flight layover in Zurich, you should be able to get your stamps before you depart. The Zurich layover is irrelevant.

[alphadweller]

Congratulations, great looking piece. Hope you get your tax refund soon.

[NAUI1982]

It’s Sunday morning 8:30am CST and I’m at the Schiphol airport again, passing through on my way home. Nothing but exhibition still, and I’m not surprised. Travelers through the airport would have no way of knowing what inventory shows up and when. What a great job these folks have at the store. Stand here and reject everyone walking through, over and over and over again all day, every day. Even by chance if a watch is in the safe, I’d be reasonably confident they’re not say they have something at all to anyone unless you can give them the secret handshake!

I wonder what that secret handshake is? Or . Or perhaps ? Don’t know…

[fooey]

Any masons in today?

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[Andad]

Nice SkyDweller.

[NAUI1982]

Originally Posted by fooey

Any masons in today?

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

HA! None that signaled…

[s_haverford]

Beautiful watch and congratulations! I am a big fan of the OF and love to see it on the SkyD line.

Hope you wear it in good health.

[Blofeldt]

I went through this process when buying a JC Deepsea in Italy a couple of months ago. You pay the VAT at point of sale and the AD fills in the Global Blue (GB) paperwork that acts as your receipt to get stamped by Customs when leaving the EU. Italian customs take the form and send it off to GB and as there is a process for customs to fill in electronically, this triggers the refund process through GB. The refund appeared within a couple of days. Although VAT in Italy is 22%, the UK rate is 20%, with GB's fees, inter-bank Exchange rates and a cheeky fee made by UK customs just for the privilege of declaring your good prior to entry on top of the duty, it ended up costing me more overall. However, I was able to get the watch that I wanted from an AD and it was still cheaper than going Gray. The whole process was easy, straightforward and and worked as it should. Just remember to get a copy of the GB forms to keep for yourself as these are taken by customs on departure leaving you with nothing more than the credit card/debit card receipt.