Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Sep 26th 2011, 12:44 am
#1
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Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Just come back from a trip away and I have a couple of observations about "Duty Free" shopping i the airport.
1) a pair of sunglasses was actually cheaper (before any store discounts are applied) in specsavers/OPSM on george Street, by about 50 dollars, or 33%.
2) Bottles of whisky are really expensive in Duty Free Sydney,
3)...which is more expensive than Singapore,
4)...which is far more expensive than London
5)...but (and this bit really annoyed me), Australian immigration has imposed a mandatory secondary security screening when you are in transit and only 100ml of liquid is allowed. This means you cant buy any duty free liquids from Heathrow, as they will simply be confiscated by security at your transit destination, even if they are in a sealed plastic bag.
Apparently America does this too, but they are the only two countries that I know of. I would say to buy your duty free on the way over to the UK, so its not confiscated, but then its more expensive than the retail shops! So just order it on line instead.
There used to be a point in time where buying Duty Free actually gave you a real saving. Its really not the case anymore. The price may be duty free, but its massively inflated anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, based on the cost of bottles of decent whisky in Australian last chance duty free shop, the terrorists have already won!
1) a pair of sunglasses was actually cheaper (before any store discounts are applied) in specsavers/OPSM on george Street, by about 50 dollars, or 33%.
2) Bottles of whisky are really expensive in Duty Free Sydney,
3)...which is more expensive than Singapore,
4)...which is far more expensive than London
5)...but (and this bit really annoyed me), Australian immigration has imposed a mandatory secondary security screening when you are in transit and only 100ml of liquid is allowed. This means you cant buy any duty free liquids from Heathrow, as they will simply be confiscated by security at your transit destination, even if they are in a sealed plastic bag.
Apparently America does this too, but they are the only two countries that I know of. I would say to buy your duty free on the way over to the UK, so its not confiscated, but then its more expensive than the retail shops! So just order it on line instead.
There used to be a point in time where buying Duty Free actually gave you a real saving. Its really not the case anymore. The price may be duty free, but its massively inflated anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, based on the cost of bottles of decent whisky in Australian last chance duty free shop, the terrorists have already won!
Sep 26th 2011, 12:49 am
#2
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Joined: May 2003
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Posts: 24,246
Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Just come back from a trip away and I have a couple of observations about "Duty Free" shopping i the airport.
1) a pair of sunglasses was actually cheaper (before any store discounts are applied) in specsavers/OPSM on george Street, by about 50 dollars, or 33%.
2) Bottles of whisky are really expensive in Duty Free Sydney,
3)...which is more expensive than Singapore,
4)...which is far more expensive than London
5)...but (and this bit really annoyed me), Australian immigration has imposed a mandatory secondary security screening when you are in transit and only 100ml of liquid is allowed. This means you cant buy any duty free liquids from Heathrow, as they will simply be confiscated by security at your transit destination, even if they are in a sealed plastic bag.
Apparently America does this too, but they are the only two countries that I know of. I would say to buy your duty free on the way over to the UK, so its not confiscated, but then its more expensive than the retail shops! So just order it on line instead.
There used to be a point in time where buying Duty Free actually gave you a real saving. Its really not the case anymore. The price may be duty free, but its massively inflated anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, based on the cost of bottles of decent whisky in Australian last chance duty free shop, the terrorists have already won!
1) a pair of sunglasses was actually cheaper (before any store discounts are applied) in specsavers/OPSM on george Street, by about 50 dollars, or 33%.
2) Bottles of whisky are really expensive in Duty Free Sydney,
3)...which is more expensive than Singapore,
4)...which is far more expensive than London
5)...but (and this bit really annoyed me), Australian immigration has imposed a mandatory secondary security screening when you are in transit and only 100ml of liquid is allowed. This means you cant buy any duty free liquids from Heathrow, as they will simply be confiscated by security at your transit destination, even if they are in a sealed plastic bag.
Apparently America does this too, but they are the only two countries that I know of. I would say to buy your duty free on the way over to the UK, so its not confiscated, but then its more expensive than the retail shops! So just order it on line instead.
There used to be a point in time where buying Duty Free actually gave you a real saving. Its really not the case anymore. The price may be duty free, but its massively inflated anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, based on the cost of bottles of decent whisky in Australian last chance duty free shop, the terrorists have already won!
Sep 26th 2011, 12:58 am
#3
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Also the fact that its a limitation that you have to buy your liquids in your transit destination is very annoying.
I think my conclusion about this is to just order online and not bother with the shops
Sep 26th 2011, 12:59 am
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Duty free prices here are ridiculous, it is cheaper 99% of the time to just buy it wherever you are going.
Sep 26th 2011, 1:42 am
#5
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
1l Gordons Gin:
Perth DF: $23
KLIA: $13.50
Heathrow (700ml bottle): $20 or 2 for $38
2 x 750ml Moet Champagne:
Heathrow: $84
Dan Murphy (price as of last Saturday): $88
Perth DF: $95
Last edited by Amazulu; Sep 26th 2011 at 1:57 am.
Sep 26th 2011, 1:44 am
#6
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Dont drink Moet... Its a grape based cider for the gullable
Sep 26th 2011, 1:50 am
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
I would sooner have a nice cold glass of real cider than the grape based variety.
Sep 26th 2011, 1:56 am
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Sep 26th 2011, 2:07 am
#9
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
More intersted in a bottle of Glenfiddich, Glenlivet or even if they've run out chivas regal...
TBH when people come and stay with us our Duty Free tends to come cost free too... So the price doesnt bother me...
Still great savings to be had on smokes tho....
TBH when people come and stay with us our Duty Free tends to come cost free too... So the price doesnt bother me...
Still great savings to be had on smokes tho....
Sep 26th 2011, 4:48 am
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Sep 26th 2011, 4:50 am
#13
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Google him for his best known work.................
Sep 26th 2011, 4:51 am
#14
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Sep 26th 2011, 5:43 am
#15
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Re: Duty Free Shopping and Australia - a mild moan.
Don't worry, it wouldn't have worked, I am very selective 
