Seven out of 10 items are more expensive tax-free than the online store
In a new price test, close to 70 per cent of the goods were cheaper in Norwegian online stores than in the duty-free store at Oslo Airport and on the ferry between Sandefjord and Strømstad.
NORWAY: Wine, spirits, tobacco and chocolate are the classic duty-free items that travelers know can save good money on duty-free shopping.
– A recent omnibus we carried out before the holiday, reveals that Norwegians have unrealistic expectations of what they can save by handling at the duty-free shop, says country manager Christoffer Reina at the product and price comparison price.
Think tax free is cheap
In the nationwide opinion poll, which Opinion has conducted for PriceSpy, 53 percent – equivalent to 2.2 million Norwegians – state that they are planning a holiday abroad this year. Three out of four (73 per cent) answer that they will probably shop at a duty-free shop during the holiday trip.
– Flykaos and SAS strike means that even more people use the foreign ferries to the holiday destination. Expectations of a discount, compared with the prices in ordinary Norwegian shops outside the tax-free zone, are significant, either on land or on board. Our survey at the airport and ferry shows that a startling number – 70 percent – of typical “travel-on-holiday purchases” are cheaper to handle in Norwegian online stores. Some of the price differences we found were shockingly large. At the same time, the survey shows that travelers on average expect tax-free prices as much as 28 percent below the “normal” store price, Reina says.
Great price test
In May and June, the company mapped 70 products at Oslo Airport, 140 products at «Color Hybrid» (Sandefjord-Strømstad), and compared the prices with the cheapest price for a similar product among several hundred Norwegian online stores.
– We examine typical purchases that Norwegians make before the holiday starts, or which many obviously think it is cheaper to handle when they leave Norway, because it is “tax-free”; such as sun products, deodorants, perfumes, skin care, makeup, small electrical appliances and toys. Seven out of 10 – 70 percent of 140 individual products – we map at Color Line, were cheaper online. Similarly, two out of three products – 66 percent of 70 products – were more expensive at Oslo Airport than in Norwegian online stores, says Christoffer Reina.
Large price differences
Most startling was Color Line’s sales of Lego products: All 12 mapped Lego products were cheaper online, and on average 14 per cent cheaper to shop online. Also on some electronics and perfume / wellness products, testing revealed some significant price differences:
- The Sudio Tolv Wireless In-ear earphones were NOK 450 cheaper online (NOK 499) than at Color Line (NOK 1199).
- The ferry company sold the perfume Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey edt. (100ml) 270 kroner more expensive (899, -) than the cheapest Norwegian online store (629, -).
- If you would rather buy Elisabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream (500 ml) online (170, -) than on board the Strømstad ferry (355, -), you would have saved 185 kroner at the time of the test.
- At Oslo Airport, a Hugo Boss Deo Stick 75ml costs 110 kroner more (245, -) than in the cheapest, Norwegian online store (135, -).
- Clarins Milky Boost Cream Foundation was found 101 kroner cheaper at PriceSpy (204, -) than at the airport (305, -).
– In the name of justice, some price bargains can still be made tax-free, since 30 percent of the goods were actually cheaper there. Perfume Versace Woman edt. (100ml) was, for example, 280 kroner cheaper at Oslo Airport (299, – vs. 579, – online), while the perfume Burberry Her edt. was 232 kroner cheaper on board the ferry (745, – vs 977, – online), says Christoffer Reina.
Here is the price expert’s advice for you who are going to visit the tax-free shop before you go on holiday:
- Be aware – think about what you want to buy before entering the store.
- Do a price check. Both airports and ferry companies show prices online, where you can check if there is money to be saved before you travel.
- Avoid toll purchases – bring a shopping list. Remember that bad times or stress can easily lead to expensive impulse shopping.
- Check out the promotions. Airports and ferry companies often offer package solutions (“2 for 1”) and larger volumes of bottles and tubes, and there is money to be saved.
- Do not be fooled by the shelf placement. It is strategic. The tax-free store puts what they would rather sell where you see it first.
- Depending on where you are going to travel; take into account that very many products are cheaper in the country you are traveling to.