Do you love to shop, but want to know how to save money on VAT when shopping? Nearly a fifth of the price we pay for things is tax, so you could save hundreds if you could eliminate this charge when shopping in France. Want to know how to save money on VAT? Read on…
What is VAT?
Firstly, let’s chat a little about what VAT is – introduced in the 70’s simply, it’s a tax which is payable on the sale of goods and services within the EU, paid for by the consumer. It’s currently 20%, some goods such as children’s car seats can be 5% and most food and children’s clothes, stamps etc are 0%.
Now that Britain are no longer in the EU there is a benefit when it comes to tax, and that is that we can claim back the VAT on any purchases made in the EU. Meaning, essentially, we can get 20% off of the purchase price. This can add up to hundreds of pounds, depending on what and how much you’re buying. It’s like the duty-free section of the airport but in all your favourite European cities like Paris, France!
The sorts of items you can claim the VAT back on range from clothes (and handbags!) tech, jewellery, wine you take home etc, but can’t be things such as eating out, petrol used or transportation tickets. Think of it as anything unconsumed whilst away!
This is great, however it can be super confusing and difficult to get your refunds put through, as you need to have a tonne of paperwork as proof, keep all your receipts and then spend ages putting the refund through, it’s enough to put you off doing it, especially as it could be rejected if everything you need is not all there.
Problems with traditional in-store VAT refunds.
Paper forms & proof – and with that lost paperwork, mising receipts and hassle!
Wasted time – having to factor in loads of time to process everything in-store eats into your holiday and then afterwards you’ll have to spend up to 8 weeks waiting for your refund.
Failures – After all the effort you go to, sometimes your refund will be rejected anyway due to missing paperwork.
Hidden fees – Traditional tax refund companies work with retailers so both of them will take a cut from your refund. Therefore, the money you take home is less.
But, there’s a simple solution…
How To Save Money On VAT When Shopping In France.
That’s where Wevat comes in – they make claiming your VAT back so easy and are a stress-free way to save money on VAT when shopping in France. They’re a digital tax refund app who have saved shoppers from all over the world €18m on their shopping in France! And they can actually get you back 13.4% on your purchases – win win! (For traditional tax refund, you can get 8%-12%)
They make it totally simple to make the claim, all you need to do is download the Wevat app on the App Store or Google Play Store before your trip, snap a picture of your purchase invoice (addressed to Wevat), then Wevat will generate a barcode for you to scan when you leave France at 12 departure points.
No paper forms, no sending paperwork off, just a few clicks and you’re done! The minimum amount is 100 euros total not per item, so whether you’re having a blow-out in a Chanel boutique in Paris, or if you’re just grabbing some wine to take home from the Hyper-marche you’ll be able to save that VAT.
Track your refund in real-time!
Wevat can help with your VAT refund in France, serving customers from over 50 countries, and sending the savings directly to your bank account within 7 days, with refund updates directly on the app.
Wevat are currently only operating with goods purchased in France, but are looking to open up to more European destinations, and they are fully regulated with UK & French customs.
There are some things you may need to bear in mind:
Before Shopping:
1. When it comes to time periods for successful refunds; You need to have left France & the EU within 3 months following the month you made your purchase – For example if you leave in August, the earliest you can make the purchase is 1st May (this is only something to think about if you’re in France for a long period of time.)
2. You mustn’t be in France for over 6 months.
3. Sign up the app before you make your purchase to ensure your invoices got verified in time.
During shopping:
When you make your purchase, you need to ask for an invoice for the items you’ve purchased to be addressed to Wevat. The best way to do this is to follow the instructions on the app and ask them for a Facture (invoice in French)
Tips for getting the facture:
- Ask for a Facture and show “request an invoice” screen in the app to the shop staff
- Don’t mention tax refund to avoid the store issuing a paper tax-free form
- Shops like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and sometimes Dior can make it hard to obtain an invoice easily, however you can get the invoices from majority of the shops including Galleries Lafayette, Le Bon Marche, Pharmacy, Sephora and also boutiques shops in Le Marais.
Customers have the right to chose the tax refund company they prefer and shops are obligated to issue an invoice upon request.
After shopping :
You can verify your passport in the Wevat app so you don’t need to bring the passport every time you shop which is helpful. After finishing all your shopping, generate your e-digital tax refund form in the app which is a barcode in the app.
Make sure your goods are unopened and unused and not in your checked in luggage in case they need to be looked at by airport staff.
Then, you’ll need to scan your barcode at the détaxe kiosk – so make sure you leave enough time for this. If you are using traditional tax refund method, you will need to mail the paper tax refund at mailbox. It’s a good ideas to take a photo of your validated forms at this point if you’re doing the traditional tax-refund method so you have it all as easy-access proof.
Once you have scanned your barcode at the détaxe kiosk and you see a green tick on the kiosk screen, it means you’ve been successful. Wevat will notify your refund status right after. You will receive your refund within 7 days of confirmation.
With the Wevat app, everything is consolidated and keeps it all easy to manage within your phone. The app is safe as they comply with data protection and all data is stored in encrypted servers. Don’t forget, you can download the free app here.
Pop over to my YouTube video for more information about how you can save the VAT on your purchases in France by using Wevat.
I hope this post was helpful if you’re looking to save money on VAT, don’t forget to share it if you found it useful!
