What to do if a shop does not cooperate.

We feel it is important to voice your concerns to the shop. Why? The group of international travelers remains mainly anonymous to most shops. You are in the position to give face to this diverse group by sharing your needs and thoughts. It will give shops the opportunity to serve you, and other international travellers, better in the future and prevent loss of VAT.

Follow these 1-2-3 steps to reach out to the shop:

1. Email the customer support of this store.

For your convenience we have added a template here below which you can send to the shop. Please feel free to modify this template and please add us in de cc, so we stay up to date and are part of the dialogue in case there are any questions.

Dear customer support,

Recently, I visited your store and bought goods which I have taken back home as I live in a country outside the European Union.

There is a special EU-regulation which states I am eligible for a VAT refund on all my shopping, as long as I export the goods to my home country. Therefore, before leaving the EU, I followed the regulations’ guidelines and stood in line at Customs to get a customs validation stamp on my purchase receipts. I then contacted vatfree.com to help me recover the VAT from your store. Unfortunately, I have recently discovered that your store is listed as an uncooperative store in their shopping guide.

EU-law stipulates the VAT reimbursement can only take place via the store as you initially collected the VAT in your governments’ name. It is to my understanding that the VAT is either paid to your Tax Administration or, in my case, reimbursed to the international traveler that exported the goods.

Could you please let me know if and how I can recover the VAT that I have paid in your store?

In case there are any questions in regards to the regulation, vatfree.com is able to help and I have added them in the cc. Please let me know how we can resolve this matter at your earliest convenience.

With kind regards

[your name]

2. Reach out to this shop via social media.

For your convenience we have added a template here below which you can modify and use. Please tag us in your message so we stay up to date and are part of the dialogue in case there are any questions.

Dear customer support: I visited your store and bought goods which I have exported to a country outside the EU. I am eligible to claim back the VAT as mentioned in this regulation. I would like to send you all necessary paperwork via @vatfree.com. Could you confirm you will cooperate in refunding my VAT?

3. Join us in our mission to help you easily shop tax-free at stores and brands that love you back.

You can share your thoughts, voice your concerns and sign our petition for an effortless tax-free shopping journey.