Anything to buy in UK & Germany?

Heading overseas during the school holidays.  Any good stuff to buy in Germany (Munich) and UK (Manchester)?

bro i started a thread on similar locations just recently . . . . 

http://www.golfrepublic.org/t28573-london-munich

Great! Thanks for the link!

on a side note, what's ur itinerary in Munich? I am headeing there but got absolutely no idea what to do or where to stay LOL.

i am bringing my kids so we are heading to a schloss, driving to Legoland, Austria. We will do the usual BMW visits whilst in Munich and maybe take a look at Rimowa luggage and Boss stuff.

How about u?

Luxury watches in Germany are well priced

For Rimowa, look for the shops 'Lederwaren', basically means luggage.
The signboard is the word in light blue.

Pay cash and there is a instant 10% off the price.
Here's another tip. If you are returning back to the shop within a certain time, 6mths or something, you can get back another 19% back in cash, when you return with the tax refund form, already stamped at the airport.

Else you can just get the usual tax rebate from Global Blue, which is much lesser. Opt to credit back to your credit card in this case, else another €3 charge.

For places to visit, can try Salzburg. Nice beautiful town, made famous by Mozart. Can take a short river cruise there for about €10.
Munich has a number of castles too. Most famous one is Neuschwanstein, the one which provides the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty.


Golf stuff, not so much. So far besides States, Singapore seems to have the best deals.

Rimowa and Beemer Museum for sure. The rest, absolfreakinglutely no idea 

Main objectives is London though heh.

Golfish wrote:

Luxury watches in Germany are well priced

what brands are cheaper than Singapore? Sinn for one I think, what others?

DKing wrote:

For Rimowa, look for the shops 'Lederwaren', basically means luggage.
The signboard is the word in light blue.

Pay cash and there is a instant 10% off the price.
Here's another tip. If you are returning back to the shop within a certain time, 6mths or something, you can get back another 19% back in cash, when you return with the tax refund form, already stamped at the airport.

Else you can just get the usual tax rebate from Global Blue, which is much lesser. Opt to credit back to your credit card in this case, else another €3 charge.

For places to visit, can try Salzburg. Nice beautiful town, made famous by Mozart. Can take a short river cruise there for about €10.
Munich has a number of castles too. Most famous one is Neuschwanstein, the one which provides the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty.


Golf stuff, not so much. So far besides States, Singapore seems to have the best deals.

hmm . .. don't quite understand. So I get it stamped t the airport and then don't collect the refund. Instead go back to the shop and get 19% back? Thats a significant amount!

Yes.

There is a different queue for check in luggage, so find that place, they will stamp your tax refund form after your purchase is verified and you can check in your bag there, while you hold on to your form.

Go back to the same shop the next time, with the form, which has your receipt attached. The amount for 19% is stated on the receipt. That is the amount the shop will hand over to you in cash.

Not all luggage shops provides this service, definitely not the Rimowa retail shops.
Look for the shops 'Lederwaren', they are a chain and had did it a couple of times at different of their outlets. You can ask them about the process, they will explain it to you.

As for the 10% discount by cash payment, it's not available for all brands. I bought a Samsonite at the same chain and they said can't give for Samsonite. Only had it for the Rimowa purchase.

The 19% proposal is interesting....I am familiar with the Global Blue tax refund process in Frankfurt but this is the first time that I heard that we can get back 19%.  Thanks for the tip!  Any idea whether the 19% 'voucher' will work if I buy the luggage in Munich and make the second purchase in Frankfurt?

Here are some other places to consider for Rimowa in Munich http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowTopic-g187309-i118-k7664255-Best_place_to_buy_Rimowa_luggage_in_Munich-Munich_Upper_Bavaria_Bavaria.html

I'm afraid it wouldn't.
Catch is to head back to the exact same shop you got it from.

Reckon that they have rimowa in Frankfurt airport( boarding area)? I will have a transit at Frankfurt on my way to US and so I can check out the shop if there is any. Assume that it should be tax free once in that section or else I am not sure on how to process the vat claim..

kissthegreen wrote:

Reckon that they have rimowa in Frankfurt airport( boarding area)? I will have a transit at Frankfurt on my way to US and so I can check out the shop if there is any. Assume that it should be tax free once in that section or else I am not sure on how to process the vat claim..

They have rimowa inside and outside the boarding area.  The last time I was there, I remembered that the ones in the inside were either of a limited selection or had the lufthansa logo...but no VAT.  I usually also head to the supermarket at Frankfurt Airport when I am transiting home.

Yap, and those with Lufthansa logo are slightly cheaper. 
Having said this, I find the prices at those Rimowa shops, higher to begin with.
But end of the day, convenience is probably the deciding factor.

oldie-newbie wrote:

Golfish wrote:

Luxury watches in Germany are well priced

what brands are cheaper than Singapore? Sinn for one I think, what others?

From what I know, most established brands are.
Rolex, iwc, ap, pp... Etc.
Enjoy!