Gibraltar is NOT duty free

[Essex_uk]

Checking store prices for Remy Martin VSOP 1 ltr - interesting results.:(

 

Recently stopped at Gibraltar (May 2014).:)

Walked from ship up through the arches into square, then checked prices in 4 stores. Prices ranged from £33.00 to £43.75.:eek:

The further we walked along the main shopping street the higher the prices.

 

Here's the killer - its cheaper to buy the same product in the UK; even my local corner shop (and we all know they charge top prices) was selling it for £33.75!!!!!!!!!;)

 

On the other hand haggled the price of my wife's leather jacket from first leather shop (there a only a few leather shops along the main street).

Labelled price £335.00 paid £150.:):cool:

[John Bull]

Essex's thread title is incorrect factually, but makes a good point about value-for-money.

Yes, it is duty-free. But like airports, cruise ships & the like the sellers cream off as much profit as they can.

But one big difference with Gib is that there's free competition, unlike the captive-audience at airports & on cruise ships.

And you can usually bargain lower prices, as long as you do it away from ear-shot of other customers.

 

Best to check ship prices (and ask if there'll be a discount day) before going ashore.

 

Cigs/tobacco and booze.

Certainly cigs are cheap and there are booze bargains to be had. But prices do vary from shop to shop, so it pays to shop around & to know the home prices. And beware of misleading price notices ("no, that price is for the product below the shelf" etc :rolleyes:). So check the total you're paying rather than assuming it's the total of the prices you think you're paying.

 

Electronics goods (cameras, phones etc).

Gib is a dumping-ground for last year's model. So you do need to be sure of the precise model and the price at home - don't be tempted by offers on stuff you've not researched.

 

Other than on smokes & booze, the only real price advantage that Gib shops have is the tax you pay at home (the 20% VAT in the UK) so bigger price differences are suspect.

 

Unlike Essex, I find prices are lower the further you get from the port-to-town route or the busy end of Main Street.

 

Wouldn't go so far as Essex, but would advise caution.

 

Haven't added my usual JMHO to this post - I know my stuff on this subject. ;)

 

JB :)

Edited June 5, 2014 by John Bull

[Mim Lloyd]

Did you try Morrison's supermarket in Gib? Good prices there.

[Essex_uk]

If I want to say Gibraltar is NOT duty free, then that's my opinion.

It may be factually incorrect but the title was written to grab attention, so that others going to Gib could be warned of the 'so called' duty free pricing.

 

My experience of the 'duty free' Gib stores selling alcohol is a store stacked to the celling with various bottles on shelves, with a number of people looking to buy their favourite tipple. So the opportunity to be 'out of ear-shot' of other customers and negotiate a better price is almost non-existent. And to be realistic, negotiate on £30/£40 - who bothers! People will just pay the labelled price.

 

I agree that people should shop around, but many are not savvy shoppers and hate the thought of negotiating. It is a well known fact that 'holidaymakers' having saved all year round for their break have money to spend and the 'duty free' stores in Gib exploit this.

 

The previous times I was there, there was no exploitation of holiday makers. What will happen is the greedy stores will eventually kill off the 'place to grab a duty free bargain' and Gib's tourist trade will collapse.

In the past you used to see many Spanish families duty free shopping; looks like they have already learned that Gib is getting to pricey, as very few were around the day I was there.

[John Bull]

If I want to say Gibraltar is NOT duty free, then that's my opinion. .

 

Your warnings about prices & scams well worth posting. :)

And the reason for the attention-grabbing title understood.

But Gib is duty-free, that's fact & not opinion.

 

OK, some of the prices may be so outlandish as to be not worth wasting the time, but we've found worthwhile prices - mainly just off Main Street. And negotiated lower prices, those places "just round the corner" aren't usually full of customers.

 

JB :)