Hankyu Deptartment Store 5 percent discount

Hi All,

Just wanted clarification on the below link. Do I need to print it out and take the hard copy to Hankyu on the day I want to make a purchase (engagement ring at Chaumet boutique)?

http://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/english/index.html/

Also it says "Moreover you can receive tax exempt after purchasing goods using this guest coupon" Is this another "discount" I can add on to the 5 percent already taken off with the coupon? Or is it one and the same?

Sorry my interpretation of it is not clear or good so I wanted to clarify it to make sure.

Another question is that my j-gal has a hankyu card that can give her 5 percent discount. Can we use this with the coupon and tax exempt?

Maybe totalling 10-15percent discount in the end? Or is it limited to one discount only?

If we use the Hankyu card, then she'll have to buy it (she already knows about the ring so it's not a surprise lol), if I use my foreigner tourist status to get the tax exemption and 5 percent discount I'll have to buy it. Hmmm, I think I just confused myself -_- lol

Thanks all for your input.

Jam1

I'm not 100% sure, but if your Japanese girlfriend uses her card for the purchase, she's not entitled to the 5% tax exemption as she's not a foreigner. You would have to make the purchase to take advantage of that.

From what I gather, you can probably:

- As a temporary visitor, you go to the service counter, show your passport, and you receive that "Guest Coupon" (the picture at the top is a sample, I believe). If Chaumet is not among the "exceptions for some articles," you will get the 5% discount. But I doubt if the Chaumet boutique gives you that discount, because it is not really part of Hankyu itself but is an independent tenant inside Hankyu.

- For you to claim the consumption tax back, I thought that the merchandise needs to leave the country with the visitor. If your Japanese girlfriend living with you outside Japan?

- If she uses her Hankyu card, all she gets is her regular 5% discount entitlement.

I don't think there is any way to get a cumulative discount. I think your best bet is for you to pick up the Guest Coupon, and buy it for her at 5% discount (if Chaumet participates).

Thanks John and AK for your replies.

Oh ok, so I'll try that and see if I can get a coupon from the service counter. Other than that, I think it would also help if I asked them on the same day about the guest coupon, tax exemption and Hankyu card since my j-gal will be with me. I know there is a good chance that there is no cumulative discount as AK said but it never hurts to ask just in case eh.

AK - my j-gal lives in Japan and no you don't need to take it out of the country as what I've researched in the internet. Most countries require you to and you can get the refund at the airport but for Japan, well Hankyu at least, you must get the tax refund the same day you purchased your goods inside Hankyu dept otherwise it becomes invalid after that day. It's rather convenient I think.

thank you once again.

I had the same understanding that AK had--you had to take the item out of the country with you for the tax exemption to be valid although you get the refund at the store. See the bottom of this page under "Tax Exemption Procedure": http://www.gotokyo.org/en/shopping/tax.html

"(2) Please submit a purchase agreement to the shop indicating that you will bring the goods out of Japan when you leave.
(3) The shop attaches a card entitled "Record of Purchase of Consumption-Tax-Exempt Goods for Export" to your passport and it will be collected by the customs officer at the time of departure."

Since Customs officials will take the document the store attaches to your passport, they may ask for proof that you're exiting the country with the item you purchased.

My mistake, I don't know where my head was at that time haha. Yes you do have to bring it out of the country, but who's to know if you don't. I bought a coat from Burberry Black Label a few years ago and had a tax exempt discounted from the final price. Then I left it at my j-gal's place (still there lol) since it's too heavy and too warm for wearing in Australia. I only bought it for Japan really. Can't remember if the card the shop attached to my passport was taken by customs or not when I left Japan that time. Oh well, it's not there anymore so either I went to customs or immigration took it or I took it off myself and it's in the rubbish somewhere lol

It's not like in Australia where they check your purchase at the airport when you leave, before they give you a refund. Alot more lenient and convenient in Japan ^_^

Well, after all that I'm guessing I won't be getting a tax exempt on my engagement ring I'm buying for my j-gal since she'll be there with me at the time of purchase and the staff at the shop would know it's not going out of the country. Lucky she's got a Hankyu card and maybe that 5% guest coupon from their website would help also.

Cheers.

I think there is some confusion here. The gotokyo page seems to be describing the procedure for duty-free shopping at the airport, and while I'm not positive, I don't think the same procedures apply to items purchased at regular department and electronic stores. For example, I haven't had a note attached to my passport when duty free shopping outside the airport. Has anyone else?

Also, outside of airport duty-free shops, there are virtually no checks or enforcement that the duty-free item leaves Japan.

yes some confusion now that you've mentioned it and good point yllwsmrf!

If I'm correct, duty-free shops are inside the security perimeter of the airport and past the checkpoints. Therefore, if you're buying anything there, your only recourse is to leave on an airplane.

Justin, the OP is buying at Hankyu department store which is in Umeda, Osaka near JR Osaka station.

Cheers :)