| What
should I know about shopping abroad? |
- In many
countries of the world, negotiation on the price of an
item is appropriate and often expected.
- Satisfaction
guaranteed is much more widely practiced in the United
States. Make sure you are familiar with their return and
exchange policies.
- Many
countries do not enforce copyright laws, the logo you see
may have nothing to do with the company it represents to
you. Check to see if the item is a fake.
- Some items
for sale may need a special license for export. This is
especially true for antiques, works of art or other items
of cultural significance.
- Taxes can
make up an even larger percentage of the purchase price
than you will find in the United States.
- Duty free
may only mean the items are free from duty where they are
sold. U.S. Customs have their own guidelines for taxation
when you return.
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| Shopping
in port, what does Caveat Emptor mean? |
It means the
buyer beware. Remember merchants know that putting up a duty
free sign often means bargain to many. There are some great
buys to be had, but make sure your purchases are good
values. Stick with brand names you know and make sure those
brand names are spelled right on the product. In other
words, make sure it’s not a fake. Also, duty free may just
mean it is duty free where you are buying it. U.S. Customs
have their own guidelines for taxation when you return.
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| Where
can I get quick access to cash while I’m traveling? |
| www.visa.com/pd/atm/main.html |
Visa’s ATM
locator web page. This site provides a searchable database
that locates ATM’s belonging to the Visa, Visa Electron
and Plus ATM network worldwide.
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| www.mastercard.com/atm/ |
MasterCard’s
ATM locator web page. This site provides a searchable
database that locates ATM’s belonging to the MasterCard
and Cirrus ATM network worldwide.
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| Where
can I get help in understanding all the U.S. Customs Service
regulations? |
| www.customs.treas.gov/travel/know.htm |
The U.S.
Treasury Department Customs Service’s Traveler
Information, Know Before You Go web page. This site contains
information on U.S. Custom’s declarations, duty free
exemptions, prohibited and restricted articles and the
procedures for shipping items back to the U.S.
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| www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/travel.htm |
The U.S. Customs
Service Traveler Information web page. This site contains
links to the services the U.S. Customs Service provides to
travelers; some of these web sites are also individually
linked to this web page for your convenience.
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| Where
can I find information about the restrictions for bringing
food, plants, animal products or pets into the U.S.? |
| www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/travel.html |
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service’s Travelers’ Tips web page. This site
contains the procedures and restrictions for bringing food,
plant and animal products into the United States. It also
contains a general list of approved products and links to
other relevant government web pages.
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| www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/pet.htm |
The U.S. Customs
Service Traveler Information Pets/Animals web page. This
site contains the procedures and restrictions for bringing
pets and other animals into the United States. It also
contains links to other relevant government web pages.
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