The thought of buying products free of taxes is alluring in its own way. So whenever we go international we love to buy things at the airport duty free shops which offer some great discounts on a variety of products because of which people love to throng airports early to load their carts with gifts for their near and dear ones. So if you are on your first international flight here are some products you should definitely buy at the duty free shops.
Chocolates
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Not only are chocolate shops the hub of returning Indians, because what kid doesn’t love chocolate, but the second most popular stop is liquor. Buying any kind of liquor or alcohol duty free reduces the price drastically and the buying limit of this commodity is often completely met by travelling Indians due to the cheaper price of high quality foreign drinks.
Liquor and Tobacco
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Tobacco and other drug products are also substantially inexpensive though they too have an upper buying limit. Be sure not to splurge your money on tobacco and liquor products too much for if airport security finds them excessive during screening then you might have to give them up which would definitely be a poor deal for you and a bonus to whomsoever is behind the counter.
Luxury Goods
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Apart from the two major buys, the prices on luxury goods are often highly slashed down as well. Although, this is not a general rule, as many luxury goods including sunglasses, perfumes, bags etc may actually be more expensive than anything you’d be able to buy at your local store, but in most cases, these goods are pretty cheap. Not to mention how perfume is the ideal gifting option for someone whom you are obliged to give a gift but don’t want to put much personal thought into it.
High Brand Watches
Another popular duty free buy is often watches. These gain more popularity for personal use rather than the gifting purpose but the collection and variety of expensive watches at duty free shops in the airports is vast and the satisfaction on having saved the money that you would have been paying as tax normally is something that is unmatched.
Cosmetics
Lastly, facial creams and lotions often have a price which is nearly 50% of what you’d normally buy at your local drugstore or mall. Not to mention the super cheap cosmetics. It’s no wonder that people who travel by air happen to have an indefinite stock of MAC lipstick shades and always have their makeup on point. For women, the airport is definitely the place to stock up on cosmetics if you happen to have the chance.
There are a variety of other products available in the airport at drastically inexpensive rates, but the ones mentioned are by far the most cost efficient and effective buys. So, taking in account the duty free limit, remember to pick up some of these products the next time you happen to travel by air!
Here’s why you should shop duty free
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How does it work? The answer is simple; buying duty free makes you exempt from paying the taxes that would apply to the product if it were sold in a one the country’s regular stores. On a variety of luxury products, this freedom from paying the tax lowers the item’s price drastically and hence makes buying it duty free a cheaper and smarter option for those traveling by air.
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But regard must also be kept for the buying limit. Beyond this limit, a specific percentage of taxes apply to the product. It varies from country to country and is often pretty high, although the buying limit has never posed as much of a difficulty for Indians because their suitcases are already lugged with items that have a combined weight almost crossing the upper permissible limit.
For most Indians who are returning back to the country after a stay elsewhere, the airport is the major shopping destination compared to the regular malls and shops(speaking from personal experience).
