Heathrow Rewards bonus on electronics, watch and jewellery promo is back

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• Paul says:

  15 Nov15 November 07:01

  I assume you need to be travelling on an international flight within these timeframes to take advantage of this offer. Would that be correct?

  • Andrew says:

    15 Nov15 November 07:07

    Or a domestic flight – all travellers have access to shopping at LHR – the only exclusion is duty-free tabacco and alcohol which require you to fly outside the EU. If travelling within the EU you can even leave your purchases for collection on your return to save you taking it on your trip with you.

    • Paul says:

      15 Nov15 November 07:21

      Thanks. Is it still the discounted prices in that case, though? (it’s specifically electricals in Dixons I’m interested in). I thought the discount relied on a VAT saving because goods were to leave the UK (hence the boarding pass check…).

      • Phillip says:

        15 Nov15 November 07:28

        There is some discount but nothing close to the value of VAT. Some more info here:

        http://www.dixonstravel.com/

        • Rob says:

          15 Nov15 November 09:08

          Dixons has to charge an average price, thats why. In T5, probably 65 per cent of sales are to EU travellers so Dixons pays VAT on those sales. On the other 35 per cent, it doesnt. Given the thin margins on electricals it can’t give everyone a VAT equivalent discount.

      • John says:

        15 Nov15 November 08:01

        No everyone pays the same price but they claim the VAT back on non EU travellers.

  • Rob says:

    15 Nov15 November 09:10

    No, open to all. The shop swallows the VAT on EU flights.

    That is why its clever. You order a £5k watch for collection at LHR. You only pay £4k but show a Paris boarding pass. The shop MUST then pay the VAT anyway, so you are at zero risk from Customs on your return.

    • Aceman says:

      15 Nov15 November 09:24

      Can you get screwed coming back, if you buy something like that en route to the USA for example? since clearly they’re claiming the VAT back ex-eu, on your way back to the country you’re liable?

      • Rob says:

        15 Nov15 November 09:27

        Yes, if you bought that £5k watch for £4k using a Swiss, US etc boarding pass then no VAT has been paid. You must pay Customs the VAT as you re-enter the UK.

    • Nick says:

      15 Nov15 November 18:50

      I don’t follow this? You pay whatever the price is at any duty free shop at heathrow. It’s irrelevant where you are travelling to ie Paris or New York.

      You cannot claim back the vat at any stage.

      Yes, when you arrive at the foreign non- eu airport you could get asked to pay customs and vat- but that’s a different story.

      • Rob says:

        15 Nov15 November 20:20

        I didn’t say that – I was discussing whether the shop claims back the VAT.

        Surely you are liable to pay VAT if you buy an item in duty free when travelling to, say, the US and then bring it back into the country?

        • Alan says:

          15 Nov15 November 22:40

          But are you actually receiving it duty free? My impression was that they charged the same price to all customers and no longer market it as ‘duty free’. Therefore I don’t see why you should be liable for it on your return – you would have had a greater saving if you’d had the full duty amount removed than the partial discount they gave you.

        • Rob says:

          16 Nov16 November 09:00

          Yes. That is why they ask for your boarding pass. And also why some shops, if you look at your receipt, ‘mistakenly’ key in a different flight number – a non-EU flight number – when you are flying inside Europe.

        • Alan says:

          16 Nov16 November 11:11

          Interesting – does the receipt say any different on it? A bit dodgy if they repeatedly ‘mistakenly’ key in flight numbers like that!

          Certainly if flying intra-EU and you have a small VAT-registered business then it’s a good deal as you get a lower price, have paid VAT and have a VAT receipt, thus could claim back a further 20% (assuming it’s an allowable and justifiable business expense, but a laptop should be fine in that regard)

        • Rob says:

          16 Nov16 November 14:14

          It’s very dodgy, effectively defrauding the Government (ie all of us) £84 on a £500 laptop. But it is going on, I assure you.

• Andrew says:

  15 Nov15 November 07:09

  Amex are also running an offer with Dixon Travel Retail to give £10 back on a £75 purchase, which could be combined with this points offer.

  • Rob says:

    15 Nov15 November 09:08

    Yes, writing about these deals tomorrow

• TT2000 says:

  15 Nov15 November 08:28

  Was in Dixons yesterday and they are very competitive on price, including the Apple TV box at about £75. Also iPad mini retina is on the way.

  I’ve used their Order and collect service in the past, very easy to pick the goods up at baggage reclaim on the way back through to the Ad Lee car!

• Jay says:

  17 Nov17 November 07:59

  How do the returns process work, surely Heathrow won’t know if you take an item back?

• John says:

  17 Nov17 November 20:01

  I want to buy a macbook to take with me, but I want to leave the box in the UK and pick it up on my return in one month…. (or even better, posted to my UK address). Is this possible?

  • thesaver79 says:

    17 Nov17 November 20:23

    It is, but only if you’re flying within the EU.

    • John says:

      17 Nov17 November 20:32

      Umm. I am flying to Germany, but then on to Australia, and returning to the UK from Asia. So what does that mean for me?

      • John says:

        17 Nov17 November 20:36

        These are on separate tickets, btw. I will be staying in Germany for a day, then leaving the EU but going to Switzerland… I will leave Schengen in Switzerland.

        • thesaver79 says:

          17 Nov17 November 20:39

          You should be able to do it then. Either leave it for collection or have it sent to your home address.

      • thesaver79 says:

        17 Nov17 November 20:38

        http://www.heathrowairport.com/shop,-eat,-relax-and-enjoy/shop-&-collect

        My guess is that it’s your final destination that matters… but I’m only guessing!

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