Buying a Chanel bag in Paris + shopping helps – Paris Forum – Tripadvisor

First, I will say I have already done some research on this subject and have not found the exact info I was looking for.

In february my wife and I are going to Paris and we will be celebrating her birthday, as well as our first trip to the city. With that being said, her birthday gift will be a Chanel bag, but we truly don’t know if we should buy it in Paris or on our New York layover on our way home. Before I go further, I will say that while my wife would love the experience of buying a Chanel bag in Paris, she is practical and if the bag can be purchased cheaper in the US, she is going to buy it in the US.

We would love to hear from some of you who have recently purchased a Chanel bag in Paris. First, was it cheaper than it would be in the US? We are also a little confused about the VAT tax and the refund process. Also, we are under the impression that amount of goods you can bring into the united states duty free is quite low as it relates to a designer bag of this nature. Bottom line, we are finding it hard go believe that buying her bag in Paris will be more cost effective based on the exchange rate, VAT, and the customs allowance. If someone could break down their recent purchase for us that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!