[Anonymous]

[Binman62]

Have just bought an Ipad direct from Apple after noticing the price difference at LHR

Base model from Apple including delivery VAT and engraving £429.
Same machine at LHR is £419. If duty free is really duty free price would be around £368.

Anyone else noticed that Duty Free isn’t duty Free?

How about an in depth from business traveller ……

[Deleted User]

Binman62 – I cant recall where your flights are usually to, but I think you will find the IPAD is cheaper in many other places too, especially overseas. The problem with any of the shops/outlets at Heathrow is that they are paying some of the highest rents in the UK per floor space – the shops have to cover their rents somehow.

[Bucksnet]

Not trying to split hairs but there is no ‘duty’ on an iPad, however there is VAT. They are saying the goods are duty free, not VAT free. But I know what you mean and this applies to other airports as well.

LHR is in general a rip off. I’ve just paid over £30 for a few hours parking!

[Potakas]

My only experience i have was actually from a Dior purse… Its price on Harrods was 1400 Pounds and at Heathrow T5 the price was 1000 pounds.

I know that they have to pay huge rents so they actually their initial price is higher but i think this one was a lot cheaper.

[CharlieBrown]

It’s all relative P.Sepsas. The rent of their Sloane Street store would probably make the eyes of most people water. I too would be interested to see if Duty Free really is Duty Free!

Regards.

[continentalclub]

Bucksnet is quite correct; there is no point of sale excise duty on an item such as an iPad, and anyone travelling through Heathrow eligible for VAT-reclaim would be able to do so at one of the counters.

A UK passenger travelling to Newcastle or Rome has access to exactly the same prices as a Japanese passenger travelling to New York – prices which are (variously) lower than those to be found on the UK ‘high street’. There is no concept of ‘duty free’ within the EU now anyway, (with small exceptions such as the Canary and Channel Islands) – so DF is merely used as a lingua franca term which is globally (mis-?)understood for airside shopping.

For items that are subject to duty – principally alcohol and tobacco – the savings continue to be significant, but only to eligible passengers travelling to or from outside the EU.

Fundamentally then, there’s no rip-off with the iPad. If you’re eligible for a VAT refund then you can claim it. If not then it’s £10 cheaper than the high street/online price. It may be more convenient for you to have it delivered; for very many the convenience of immediate acquirral, a £10 saving and BAA Worldpoints may be compelling. In such circumstances, the latter customer may consider a £10 premium for delayed-acquisition, no purchase advice, no ability to touch-and-feel and zero Worldpoints something of a rip-off.

We are all, thankfully, different.

[Author]

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