Duty Free Border Downtown | Paradies

Travel Retail Operators

Paradies

Paradies is a family run business, started by the founder who was an immigrant to the USA from South Africa, but now the Firm runs over 500 stores and catering outlets in airports and hospitality locations, spread throughout the USA and Canada. Their major base is Atlanta, one of the world's busiest airports, where they have about 20 different shoppes. The Company operate their own brands, but also branded stores for other names, such as CNBC (news & convenience), New York Times (bookstores), PGA Tour (golf) and Brooks Brothers (menswear).

In the true sense, none of these stores are duty-free shops, because the products sold do not attract the special duties levied on liquors and tobaccos. Some shops, like those operated for Swarovski and Brooks Brothers may be tax-free if they have the accredited customs status. This would need to be checked at the store location.

In the USA the sales-tax is added to the final price of the goods and it varies by State between 4% & 11%, very few US States have a zero sales tax rate. This is different to the sales-tax (VAT/IVA) levied on retail goods in the European Union, where it is included in the final sales price. Clearly, if a sales tax is shown on your receipt at any of these stores, then they would not be tax-free goods. However, most airport Travel Retailers have an agreement with their landlords to ensure that they sell at competitive prices, below the local market levels.

It was announced in August 2015 that the French Firm Lagardère Travel Retail is buying a controlling interest in Paradies.

Tourists and business travellers all seek a bargain on their travels, hence the many questions related to tax-free and duty-free shopping.

'Where are the best duty free prices, buying a TV duty-free, list of shops, store hours, carrying liquids thru, can you shop at?', these are just some of the questions we receive on the subject.

Our suggestion is to search your travel shopping requirements by destination or carrier, rather than by brand or product. The reason being that duty-free prices and rules vary by country or even your mode of transport. So, check your destination first, by using the search facility provided above.

The duty free on arrival global search 'App' for phone and tablet is now available in Android version beta v1, we are working hard to make it the best travel shopping site and mobile App available, the Apple/iOS version will follow soon. You will be able to search the globe from your phone for duty-free shops at your destination, on planes, boats, airports or border stores. To download the app click the image below to check before you fly!