MAC Duty Free

Re: MAC Duty Free

From what I remember when I travelled in January, there is a fairly decent discount... I know it is a minimum of 10% (the GST), but for some reason I remember it being more because I think I saw the holiday eyeshadow palettes were around the 65 dollar mark.... And they were retailing for 85 or so...

One thing to note is that you can only get access to the MAC Duty Free store when leaving Australia, not coming back in...

Re: MAC Duty Free

I am pretty sure it is more than 10%... I have been to the MAC duty free in Melbourne airport.. they have a display in the waiting area and then right before you board the flight.. I think MAC is still less expensive in whichever country you are going to (assuming they have a MAC) however, I find that airport MACs always have LE stuff/hard to find stuff left over so I ask them for it.. Atleast in Oz you can only purchase MAC before you board the flight.. not when you are landing...

Re: MAC Duty Free

But isn't it the same with all of the dutyfree items everywhere?

Re: MAC Duty Free

I recall still being able to purchase alcohol after landing back in Aus.. there's one more small duty free store before you get out of customs. This was ages ago though, so maybe I'm just confused.

Re: MAC Duty Free

^^ Yeah there is actually a massive duty free store now when you land but they dont have a MAC counter there... But they do have other cosmetic brands and perfume and grog...

Re: MAC Duty Free

I don't know about Sydney but yeah thats what I think is at Melb Airport

Re: MAC Duty Free

^^ Oh thats right you were from Melb originally! My brain has already made you a Sydneysider and you have only been here a few weeks.. lol

Re: MAC Duty Free

Ahahaha I dont feel like a Sydneysider just yet!

Re: MAC Duty Free

Yeah I know, but those stores don't give you duty free rates?

Re: MAC Duty Free

The only thing I can remember is that the eyeshadow (pots) were around $28 or so. I would say that you are much better off buying MAC at your destination because it will proably be cheaper (unless you're going to Japan!)

Re: MAC Duty Free

They're normally in between where you get off the plane and customs desks, so they should give you duty free prices because you aren't technically in Australia until you've gone through customs.

Re: MAC Duty Free

^^ I remember them now.. I never really bought anything from Aussie Duty Free stores, but with other countries I had to often show them my boarding passes.. So you can only buy Duty Free products when you board, not land. Actually, when I drop people off at the airport, I asked them to buy some palettes and stuff for me.. When they buy stuff, they have to actually pick them up when they board too?

Re: MAC Duty Free

No idea, but you still have your boarding pass when you land so maybe the same rule applies?

Here's an FAQ from a duty free shop at Melbourne Airport:

10) Who is allowed to purchase tax and duty free goods on arrival into Australia?
Everyone! All nationalities are eligible to purchase tax and duty free goods on arrival into Australia, not just Australians. Please note that age restrictions apply to certain product categories and that Australian Customs allowance restrictions apply to all. Please see our terms and conditions for further details.

So it must be that you can purchase duty free on landing aswell.

Re: MAC Duty Free

Before I would ask someone to buy stuff at duty free, she could only do it before departure or at destination. Maybe things are changed now

Re: MAC Duty Free

Yeah, it must have I guess! Some people don't want to purchase things on departure because then you have to carry it around haha.

Re: MAC Duty Free

the MAC counter at melbourne airport sometimes has buy 3 and get 1 free. so that's additional 25% off.

Re: MAC Duty Free

You CAN purchase when you arrive into Australia, its just that the MAC counters here are in the departure duty free stores. It is my understanding that if you know what you want, they can arrange a collection for you on arrival that you pick up from the arrivals store - you just can't go and play at the counter unless you are departing.

I'm flying out next week from Melbourne airport so I'll be checking out the counter, though buying stuff in the UK might be cheaper anyway, I'm not very sure of the UK prices.

Though one thing I really need and want to get when I get back is brush cleaner, is that available?

I'm in desperate need and since moving from Melbourne I haven't gotten around to buying anymore, I don't care about the Tax free price just would be so damn convenient to buy it then lol.

I know brush cleaner was available at the Singapore duty free stores, so its plausible the Australian ones have it too, but there are a few catches. Firstly, I'd say the bottle of brush cleaner is larger than the liquid limit, and I wouldn't expect that Mac would be able to seal it in a tamper proof bag, so it wouldn't be allowed on if you needed to transfer. Secondly, brush cleaner is marked as a flammable good due to all of the alcohol in it, so its prohibited from flying as well anyway.

 

As prices go, the UK is generally cheaper than Australia if the exchange rate is good; also check the exchange rate and prices if you're transferring in Asia as it can often be cheaper again there. I just got the tax-included price from the Mac websites of the countries visited and used a currency converter. I had my brother pick some stuff up for me in Korea on the way to the UK because it was cheapest there, but it appears that the exchange rate has inverted and the UK is cheaper at the moment. The Australian duty free stores sell the stock at a flat 20% off the domestic price, which is an okay discount, but there are even cheaper ways to get it.

Thanks,

Can you visit the MAC counter when arriving in Australia?

That was my plan to get it when I come back, just thought how handy that would be. I really don't mind paying the full price I just don't ever go to melbourne much anymore. I should just order it over the phone/online but I'm a bit stubborn.

I've not flown into Melbourne international, but at Sydney the answer is definitely no, you go directly into an arrival passenger stream and the duty free stores on arrival do not stock Mac. You might like to ask at the counter if you can pick up on the way back (like you can do with liquor and cigarettes), but that's solely dependent on if the Mac counter has an arrangement or is part of the duty free store there.