Are watches cheaper in airports, especially in the duty-free section of an airport? The elusive answer to this ever lasting question has piqued the curiosity of one too many. There are a lot of things to consider and lot of hoops to pass through if you want to buy a watch in an airport duty-free area in any country.
If you are seeking a TL;DR version of the answer: Sometimes yes, but more often than not, watches are NOT cheaper in airports. Here’s the longer in-depth version of the answer to “Are Are Watches Cheaper in Airports?” that will cover all the aspects related to overhead costs, myths, and other factors that affect the price you pay for a new watch at the airport. Read along…
Are Watches Cheaper in Airports: Detailed Analysis
The myth called Duty-Free
Can you Sneak the Watch Back Home?
Think you are smarter than the customs officers? Ever tried sneaking back your slick purchase at an airport? Don’t even think about it. You may end up paying a huge amount, fine or even jail time. Sneaking a watch or high-value item is far too risky than simply declaring it. Fancy? Never. It is akin to smuggling goods from the airport. Beware!
But, there is no tax to be paid!
A Duty-free item implies that the whatever you are buying is not subject to local taxes when being sold. However, it does not mean that the item is exempt from customs duty in your home country.
Worse, you may end up shelling out way more than intended when returning to your home country. This is one of those secret ‘hidden costs’ of watch buying overseas that is often overlooked by many.
Customs Will Never Find Out…
Razor sharp customs officials are very good at spotting new purchases from a distance. After all they are trained to track certain things and suspicious behavior. Especially, when you are coming back from tax havens such as Switzerland, or your body language appears sketchy and you try to hide a new undeclared watch in your carry bag, signs are this may not end up well.
In such situations it is best to be honest, helpful, and cooperative. That’s the easy way out of trouble.
Are watches cheaper at airports along with everything else?
Duty-free shops at airport often lure us into guilt purchases that soon become impulsive buying hauls. The most commonly bought items are perfume and alcohol.
Honestly, local merchandise, eatables or confectionery items are usually quite overpriced. Insofar as watches are concerned, it is not so easy to determine what is the best price on the surface. A lot of factors weigh in…
How to Buy the Best Airport Watches?
Keep these pointers in mind before buying airport watches and will definitely save yourself a ton of money and buyer’s remorse.
1) Check Prices
Make use of easy access to the internet on your smartphone or Airport Wifi before making a splurge on a certain ‘duty-free’ item at the airport to find out if you are getting a good deal or not. More often than not, you would be surprised that prices are even more expensive in the airport.
2) Branded Stores Only
A store in an airport does not necessarily mean it is reliable and trustworthy to buy your watch from. A lot of watch sellers and salespeople nowadays deploy an incentive scheme to entice potential buyers. Not to mention, always avoid nondescript stores that often often lure buyers in with huge discounts. Only shop at trusted and branded stores that you easily recognize. Another cue is that if a if a store is busy it is often a reliable shop, avoid stores which have no customers.
3) Be Logical
Ask this question to yourself, are watches cheaper in airports? Is it too good to be true? Don’t get carried away with sheer excitement of your foreign sojourn and end up emptying your wallet more than you intended. There is a reason why duty-free shops thrive so much at all airports worldwide.
4) Don’t Be Hasty
Due to the paucity of time at airports (or too much waiting game) people often get restless and fail to do enough research about their products.
This could potentially lead to making daft decisions and impulsive purchases. Do ensure that you have taken good amount of time to decide on making a buying decision. Do not be under pressure from a salesperson or by yourself, spending on a big purchase should never be a quick decision.
5) Be Aware of the Quality
Airport watches have likely been handled by thousands of people looking to get a good deal. You want to ensure you have thoroughly checked the quality of your watch and are not being sold a floor model or window piece.
If you are intending on buying the watch at the airport make sure it is in mint condition and a new timepiece (unless you are buying from a second-hand seller, then that is up to your discretion).
Are Watches Cheaper in Airports? 4 Things to Consider
Brand
Brand value affects the price of a watch tenfold. Each brand and store have their own price points and further the price fluctuates between different countries and airports, hence you could find the same watch in different range of pricings. For instance, prices could see some fluctuations because of the differences between two currencies Dollar and Euro, etc.
That said, most high-end brands are universally priced, hence you will not find any difference in the prices wherever you go.
Economy
The present economic condition local, national, or global as it may be, can severely impact prices of watches in airports. Some countries may increase the customs duty on watches whereas others may levy extra sales tax. There are always good and worst times to buy a watch. Here timing and luck and market knowledge plays a crucial role as some people wait for an event to trigger before making a big purchase.
Exchange Rates
Exchange rate between your local currency and your home currency can have a huge impact on the price of watches or any commodity that you purchase in the airport. Remember, when you convert the cost back to your home currency, you might as well skip a heart beat looking at the price fluctuation. To avoid such scenarios, use a smartphone to get a fairly accurate estimate of the price.
Customs
A product that is duty-free at the source does not always mean it will be devoid of customs duty when you return home from your profitable trip. Customs officials are very picky about such purchases based on the rules and regulations of that country. Customs fee can be a hidden cost that you forget to factor in whilst on your shopping spree for luxury watches in a foreign airport.
Are Watches Cheaper in Airports? Summing it up
As you may have surmised, the answer is not that simple. There are a lot of different costs and factors such as location of the airport that you will need to factor in before buying a watch at an airport. However, when buying expensive watches for a reasonably good price point always remember that it could be too good to be true.
What appears to be a great deal on the surface might fleece you off hard earned money when additional costs (customs duty, I am looking at you) pile up. That doesn’t mean that the occasional cheap deal on watches is elusive, it is just hard to find based on timing, luck and a host of factors mentioned above.
Remember, each watch comes with its own unique price point so the answer is completely situational. We hope you have found your answers to the burning question: are watches cheaper in airports?