What if tax-free shopping became your best sales tool?
A better experience for your international customers
Every year, millions of tourists travel to France, and many of them love to shop.
For international visitors, a trip to Europe is a chance to *buy products they can’t find at home or to treat themselves. And knowing they can get a VAT refund on those purchases makes the experience even more appealing.
Tax-free shopping allows non-EU residents to claim back the VAT they’ve paid on purchases made in the European Union. It’s a powerful financial benefit that many travelers still don’t know about, one that can represent savings of up to 90% of the VAT amount paid.
As a retailer, offering tax-free shopping is a valuable service that sets your store apart in the eyes of international shoppers. When this benefit is clearly advertised and easy to access, your store, whether physical or online, becomes a more attractive and rewarding destination.
A smart sales strategy
A customer who knows they’re eligible for a VAT refund is more likely to make a purchase… and often to buy more.
In-store, hesitation is common: a shopper might love an item, but hesitate due to the price. But when they learn about the tax refund, it changes their perspective. The price feels more reasonable, and that “maybe” becomes a “yes”.
Tax-free shopping also drives word-of-mouth. Happy customers are more likely to leave positive reviews on TripAdvisor, Google Maps, or their favorite travel blogs, where peer recommendations often matter more than ads.
By offering tax-free shopping, you’re not just closing more sales, you’re also boosting your reputation, your online visibility, and your international reach.
Attract high-value tourist shoppers
Travelers who are familiar with VAT refund systems often actively look for stores that offer them.
For many tourists, shopping is not a spontaneous activity, it’s part of the travel plan. They research in advance and add specific stores to their itinerary. Even better: many of them share tips and recommendations in dedicated forums and groups (Reddit, Facebook, WeChat, etc.).
By offering tax-free shopping, you tap into this qualified, purchase-ready audience.
Offer tax-free shopping, without the hassle
Until recently, enabling tax-free shopping meant dealing with time-consuming paperwork, forms, passport checks, refund tracking, and lots of back-and-forth with customers, not exactly ideal for busy retailers.
But today, Zapptax has changed the game:
- No need to verify passports or VAT eligibility.
- No need to manage tax refund forms.
- No additional software or POS integration.
- No follow-up or post-sale processes.
- And most importantly: no time wasted at checkout.
Why choose Zapptax Retail?
Zapptax Retail is a 100% digital, 100% free solution that makes tax-free shopping easier for everyone. Travelers handle the refund process directly from the free Zapptax app: no paper, no stress.
In-store, your role is simple: issue an invoice in the name of Zapptax, give it to the customer, and you’re done. That’s it!
Zapptax is designed for retailers who want to offer more and sell more, without complicating their operations or slowing down the sales floor.
Becoming a partner also means:
- Immediate availability: no setup or technical integration required.
- Insights on demand: track your tax-free activity with custom reporting or via our new dedicated merchant portal (coming soon).
- Free marketing materials: flyers (in French and English), stickers for your storefront or payment terminals.
- Personalized support: each retailer gets a dedicated contact.
- Unlimited and free use: the entire process runs through the app, just issue the invoice to Zapptax and let us handle the rest.
Ready to boost your international sales?
Find out more and become a Zapptax partner at zapptax.com/retail
Or get in touch with the Zapptax Retail team:
✉️ [email protected]
📞 France: +33 1 89 71 60 35
📞 Spain: +34 919 49 62 31
📞 Belgium: +32 2 588 07 22
