https://buyitthere.net/Whether a thing is really cheaper bought abroad — the VAT refund net of the operator's fee, the conversion spread, the duty on the way home, and a warranty that stops at the border. The whole sum, dated, ending in a verdict.Hugoenhttps://buyitthere.net/posts/what-a-vat-refund-actually-pays/Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0200https://buyitthere.net/posts/what-a-vat-refund-actually-pays/<p>A 20% VAT rate does not return 20%. On a €1,200 jacket bought in Paris in September 2026 and carried home to the United States, the refund that reaches the card is €150 — 12.5% of the tag price — and by the time the card&rsquo;s conversion fee and US duty are counted, the jacket has landed at $1,279.20 against a Paris tag of $1,393.80. The whole exercise is worth 8.2%.</p>