Escorted Shopping
Time is important to Copenhagen visitors, and most hope to have some shopping time alongside seeing the cultural sights of the city. I can help with finding those shops, ensuring you get the necessary documentation from shops offering V.A.T. (Value Added Tax) refunds, and packing and shipping.
Street Shopping
Most people learn quickly about the 1.6 km (1 mile) long pedestrian shopping street known as Strøget, which is actually a string of four old streets of old Copenhagen. Here one can find not only two large department stores but also exclusive designer stores. But it is on the side streets and areas slightly to the side and back of Strøget where one finds specialized stores with jewelry, antiques, designer clothing and much more! For example, Illums Bolighus offers an enormous variety of household and decorator items, and it is alongside the famous Georg Jensen shop with silver design and the Royal Copenhagen porcelain shop.
Shopping Centers
Copenhagen has two large shopping malls. One is along the Inner Harbor, Fisketorvet, and the other, Field's, is a little out of the center but offers over 150 shops.
Opening Hours
You will want to plan your shopping time to correspond to opening hours. These are usually from 1000 to 1800 (10 am to 6 pm) on weekdays. Stores generally close earlier, about 1700 (5 pm) on Saturday, and many are closed on Sundays.
Flea Markets
Copenhagen has several open air markets on squares around the city, open usually only in the spring and summer from May through October, and on Friday and/or Saturday. I can help you find them and explore the opportunities to purchase second-hand goods, high-quality antique items, and even Danish porcelain just to name a few.
V.A.T. Refunds, Packing & Shipping
When shopping, I can guide you through the 'complexities' and your options regarding the Value Added Tax (V.A.T.). In Denmark the V.A.T. is 25%, which puts the country as one of the highest rates in Europe. Very few goods and services are not subject to the tax (for example, travel agency type operations are not taxable), and the tax is built into the prices you see in shops, restaurants, etc.
I can assist you in knowing how to claim a refund on qualifying purchases. (The refund is typically between 13 and 19 percent, and not the full amount of the 25% V.A.T. you pay.) I can also help you arrange packing and shipping (with insurance) at most points of purchase, and if you have the store ship your purchases, they will make deduct the appropriate amount of V.A.T. refund upon presentation of your passport. This generally will offset the cost of shipping, and you get the advantage of not having to show goods at departure before checking in for flights, or remembering to obtain the refund at the country of your departure if it is not Denmark.