Simplify Your Tax Refunds in Japan: Shop, Save, and Enjoy with Pie VAT
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Exploring Japan’s temples and shrines, savoring its exquisite cuisine, and enjoying modern museums and amusement parks are just a few of the many attractions the country offers. But there’s another popular activity many people love when visiting Japan: to go shopping!
With the yen currently at a lower value, shopping in Japan is advantageous. It offers fantastic deals that let you stretch your budget further than at home. Plus, with tax-free shopping options, your savings are even greater, making it the perfect time to indulge in a shopping spree.
In this article, I will share with you an app that digitizes tax-free shopping, making it easier than ever!
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
Tax-Free Shopping
If you’re not familiar, many countries offer tax-free shopping for visitors. Tax-free shopping is a great benefit for international tourists, allowing them to claim a refund on the sales tax or value-added tax (VAT) paid on goods purchased abroad. This means that eligible travelers can shop while visiting a foreign country and reclaim the tax portion of their purchases when they bring these items back home (usually minus a small fee), making their shopping experience more economical and appealing.
Learn more details about tax-free shopping here.
In Japan, there are two ways to get tax-free while shopping as a tourist. One is via a tax exemption, where the store deducts the tax amount from your purchase at checkout (presenting your passport at the time of purchase). The other is via a refund process, which generally involves long queues and cash refunds. This is neither efficient nor enjoyable, especially when you are on vacation!
Pie VAT
Pie VAT, developed and managed by Pie Systems, Inc., is a cutting-edge digital platform designed to simplify the VAT refund process for tourists.
By leveraging a user-friendly app, Pie VAT offers an efficient, seamless, and hassle-free tax-free shopping experience with features like instant refunds, exclusive offers, and store recommendations.
The platform operates in various prime shopping locations, including major malls and outlets, providing tourists with an easy and digital way to manage their refunds. Additionally, the app has a number of features directed towards helping tourists abroad including:
- Special Pie-exclusive savings via coupons
- Discovery and exploration of local stores
- Cost-efficient data packages via eSIM
Pie has a strong presence in Japan and numerous EU countries. It partners with thousands of stores, including 18 of the top malls and outlet malls in Japan, to offer tourists a truly digital-first, value-added shopping experience.
With the highest rated app in the app store globally, discover how Pie VAT is transforming tax-free refunds with innovation and ease!
Pie VAT in Japan
Pie VAT is one of Japan’s leading tax-free operators, powering tax free in 18 of the top malls and outlet malls, as well as thousands of stores across the country. Learn more about using Pie at these malls here: https://pages.pievat.com/tourist_pievatstation
In Tokyo, for example, Pie VAT can be found at some of the city’s largest shopping malls, including AQUA CITY Odaiba, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, and Ariake Garden in Odaiba; RAYARD Miyashita Park in Shibuya; and Tokyu Plaza in various locations such as Harajuku, Omotesando, Shibuya, and Ginza.
At these malls, you can use Pie VAT in partner stores such as MUJI, Sanrio, Nitori, Adidas, New Balance, and Loft. And for anime and manga lovers, you can use it at the Mugiwara Store, One Piece’s official merchandise store!
Refunds can be processed in over 135 currencies, including EUR, USD, JPY, CAD, GBP, CNY, and more. Pie VAT works to keep fees and exchange costs as low as possible.
If you’re traveling to Japan and plan to shop, download the Pie VAT app, register, and find partner stores easily via the app. This will cut down even more time when you shop and ask for tax free at a Pie partner store.
Download the Pie VAT app now, register, and find stores to shop and save at!
How does Pie VAT work?
Here’s how the Pie Tax Refund flow works:
Download the Pie app and complete your registration. You can download the app before traveling, but after arriving in Japan, you’ll need to upload a photo of your entry stamp and scan your passport. Data and security are top of mind, and Pie leverages industry leading technology to ensure your data stays secure and private. Using Pie VAT for tax-free shopping in Japan is simple and convenient.
Start by shopping at Pie VAT partner stores, which can be easily identified by the Pie VAT sticker at the store entrance. You can also locate partner stores using the Pie VAT app. After making your purchases and paying the full amount (including tax), open up (or download) the Pie VAT app. Follow the simple steps in the app to claim your refund.
For individual store purchases, complete your tax refund directly through the app. If you’re shopping at a mall, after you claim your refund via the app, stop by the “Pie VAT Station” Tax-Free Counter, located in popular shopping malls across Japan, to finalize your refund process.
*Important: Please remember to visit the Pie VAT Station before leaving the mall on the day you shop.
Once processed, your refund will be available for withdrawal in the Pie app, and you can withdraw it anytime to your bank, credit card, Wechat Pay, or Paypal, providing a seamless tax-free shopping experience.
Easy right? In addition, the Pie VAT customer support team is available 24/7 within the app to assist with any questions about your claim, required documents, eligible purchases, or anything else you might need.
As I previously mentioned, Pie VAT is available in Japan and several EU countries, so you can use it on your trip to Europe. Pie VAT partners with over 2,000 stores across the EU and Japan, and has helped 100s of thousands of tourists reclaim their VAT. This extensive network covers major shopping destinations and popular retail outlets, providing a broad range of options for tourists seeking tax refunds.
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Written by
From Barcelona to Tokyo. Coffee & Adventure lover🌏☕️
I started to like Japan because of the anime, music and doramas, but after my first trip to the country I found what I love the most: traveling around, the culture and history. I have travelled a lot in Japan, but I still have many places to discover that I want to share with you🙋🏼♀️ Let’s discover Japan together!
Also, as a foreigner living in Japan for over 6 years I understand what kind of things are difficult when you move here and I want to help other people in the same situation that I have in the past.
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