The tax-free thing. You have to spend enough money to put it into tax-free status and I can't remember if the price is per item or per purchase but I think it's per item (something like 200SEK). The place you're buying it from has to participate in the tax-free program, they usually have that little flag outside the store or a decal on the window. When you buy the thing, you have to ask for the Global Refund Cheque (I usually say, "Can I have it tax-free?") and then you have to show them your passport, they fill in a form, attach the receipt, put a sticker with a control number on it and seal up your package, since you are not supposed to be able to use the stuff until after you leave the country.
In my experience, most shop keepers are not so fussy about the rules and they have basically given me the form with the parts they have to fill out completed, and given me the stickers to put it together later. That way we can show all of G's relatives what we have bought. Before we leave we pack it all up so that it looks like we couldn't have opened the package after leaving the store, stick the stickers on the bag or box to seal it up, and fill in any of the information from my passport that the shop keeper didn't bother with. Then when you get to the airport, before check-in, you find the customs window or export validation or whatever it's called. The people standing there will want to see your packages and the paperwork, then they will stamp the paperwork and you can pack your stuff back up and go check in. (Again, we are alwayd flying from Copenhagen, where they are so laid back that they barely even glance at your stuff, last time he didn't even wait for me to get the bag out of the suitcase before he was handing the paperwork back to me.) Once you are in the shopping area (past security) you find the tax-free refund window and give them that paperwork and they will give you the money in whatever currency you want.
Basically, unless you spent a fair amount of money, the return is pretty minimal and may not be worth the hassles. I have bothered to do it for things like shoes, baby stuff, hemslöjd things that are pricey. This last trip I was pretty disappointed because my cash back on Ingrid's shoes was only like $5 because you don't get the whole 25% back. And if you don't do it when you buy the stuff, it's already too late.
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Date: 2005-06-01 03:11 pm (UTC)In my experience, most shop keepers are not so fussy about the rules and they have basically given me the form with the parts they have to fill out completed, and given me the stickers to put it together later. That way we can show all of G's relatives what we have bought. Before we leave we pack it all up so that it looks like we couldn't have opened the package after leaving the store, stick the stickers on the bag or box to seal it up, and fill in any of the information from my passport that the shop keeper didn't bother with. Then when you get to the airport, before check-in, you find the customs window or export validation or whatever it's called. The people standing there will want to see your packages and the paperwork, then they will stamp the paperwork and you can pack your stuff back up and go check in. (Again, we are alwayd flying from Copenhagen, where they are so laid back that they barely even glance at your stuff, last time he didn't even wait for me to get the bag out of the suitcase before he was handing the paperwork back to me.) Once you are in the shopping area (past security) you find the tax-free refund window and give them that paperwork and they will give you the money in whatever currency you want.
Basically, unless you spent a fair amount of money, the return is pretty minimal and may not be worth the hassles. I have bothered to do it for things like shoes, baby stuff, hemslöjd things that are pricey. This last trip I was pretty disappointed because my cash back on Ingrid's shoes was only like $5 because you don't get the whole 25% back. And if you don't do it when you buy the stuff, it's already too late.