How to get a tax refund on purchases from Louis Vuitton and Chanel in France？
If you’re a fashion enthusiast traveling to France, chances are you’ve set your sights on a shopping spree at luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. To help you make the most of tax-free shopping in France this spring, Wevat is accepting invoices from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Céline, and Hermès for all eligible tourists traveling to France for a limited time!
By getting a VAT refund with the Wevat tax refund app, you can expect to save up to 13% on your purchases! Here’s what you need to know before shopping and a guide on how to get a tax refund for purchases from luxury fashion retailers like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc.
What you need to know if shopping tax-free at Louis Vuitton and Chanel
Non-EU citizens, which includes British travellers as a result of Brexit, can now reclaim the tax on purchases made on a majority of items such as clothing, jewelry, electronics, beauty products, and much more. Check out our other blogs and help section for more information on what can or cannot be claimed.
There are two main ways you can get tax refunds on purchases made in France - using a traditional in-store paper method, or a digital app like Wevat. If you go down the traditional in-store tax refund method, you can only get a tax refund with traditional tax refund providers (like Global blue, and Planet) that the retailer is partnered with.
You’d have to bring your passport around with you when shopping and show it to the store every time you buy something over the €100 minimum qualifying amount to get a tax refund form.
Since the retailer works in partnership with the traditional tax player, they will take a cut from your refund, which means the refund you take home would be less than if you used a digital refund app like Wevat. You will obtain a 12% VAT refund (excluding any foreign exchange fees) on purchases of over €100 made at a single store per transaction. This will reduce if instant cashback at the airport is chosen. When departing, you’ll need to keep all your shopping receipts and paper tax refund forms and undergo complicated airport procedures with customs.
Choosing to use a digitalised tax refund app like Wevat over the in-store method, you can get more of the refund because the retailer doesn’t take a cut. No more paper refund forms to carry around each time you shop, or potentially lose - the app combines invoices together into a single digital refund form, accessible at any time on your phone. You can also keep track of your refund in the app and talk with in-app customer support chat very easily. It’s also worth remembering that traditional in-store tax refunds require a minimum spend of €100 per purchase or shop, whereas with Wevat the €100 minimum purchase is per trip.
Normally, shopping with Wevat, you’ll need to ask the sales assistant for a valid purchase invoice (“facture” in French) when checking out and make sure it is addressed to Wevat. Instructions on how to do this can all be found in the app. However, staff at some luxury fashion retailers might be keener for you to use the traditional tax refund so they can still get cut from your refund. Shops including Louis Vuitton and Chanel might be hard for you to obtain an invoice. If you shop at Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Céline, and Hermès, the procedure for obtaining an invoice is different. Continue reading below to learn about how to get a tax refund on purchases from these luxury boutiques in France with Wevat.
How to get a tax refund at Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Céline, and Hermès with Wevat
Step 1: Sign up to Wevat and check your eligibility
Step 2: Shop at Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Céline, or Hermès and try to request a ‘facture’ (invoice in French) - show the ”request an invoice” in the app to get an invoice addressed to Wevat and not yourself
*If your purchase is less than €6000 and it’s impossible to obtain the commercial invoice under Wevat for us to process your tax refund, please do the following procedure:
Write down “Bought on behalf of VATCAT FRANCE” + your first and last name + purchase date on the invoice or receipt. Then sign the shop receipt
Upload the receipt on the app
If your purchase is over €1000, send us your proof of payment on live chat
Step 3: Verify your claim at your departure point - follow the prompts on the screen to get your digital refund form
Step 4: Scan and go - visit the tax refund kiosk within customs departure areas, scan the barcode on the Wevat app, and off you go! You can track your refund status 2 days after your departure. Make sure to keep goods claimed on hand in case of checking (in unused and original packaging).
⚠️ Please remember you can only use one tax refund form for your refund, so if you choose to use Wevat you can’t scan any forms issued by any other tax refund companies. A duplicate claim might cause both claims to be rejected by French customs.
Wevat is on a mission to bring a convenient tax refund experience and help international travellers save more money when shopping in France. Our team is ready to help you every step of the way, so drop us a message in the app anytime you need us.
Enjoy your shopping! 🇫🇷
Wevat Team