韓國衆多商家開始實施"即時退稅"

South Korean department Stores will start offering instant tax refund services to foreign customers starting in February as part of an effort to boost sales, market watchers said Sunday.

市場觀察者週日表示，作爲提振銷售的一部分，韓國的百貨商店將自2月份開始爲外籍客戶提供即時退稅服務。

Under the new program, foreigners can buy products without paying the mandatory 10 percent value-added tax if the item costs 30,000-200,000 won ($25-166), observers said. Each person can be exempt from VAT for up to the first 1 million won in purchases. Products that cost more than 200,000 won require the buyer to pay the VAT.

觀察者表示，根據這一新的計劃，如果商品花銷在30000-200000韓元（摺合25-166美元）這一區間，那麼外國顧客就可以不用支付購買產品所帶來的10%的增值稅。每人可享受的最高免徵增值稅金額爲100萬韓元。如果產品銷售價格超過200000韓元，則將會要求買方支付增值稅。

Seoul announced last year that it would implement changes to the way all local tax-free shops operate in 2016 by making it easier for tourists to spend in the country without the need to hold onto purchase receipts that must be shown at departure to get tax refunds.

首爾政府方面去年宣佈，在2016年，將更改所有當地免稅商店的運營方式。這樣將會使得遊客在韓國購物時更加方便，他們不再需要持有那些離開時退稅所需的購買收據。

Lotte Department Store, South Korea's No. 1 luxury retailer, said the instant tax refund will be given at its main flagship store in downtown Seoul. Shinsegae Department Store said its main store in Jung-gu will offer the service to customers

韓國的第一大奢侈品零售商樂天百貨近日表示，即時退稅將在首爾市中心的主要旗艦店實行。新世界百貨則會在中區的主要店鋪對遊客提供這項服務

Department stores said they picked the stores because they are the most frequented by foreign visitors, with more stores to be added later.

百貨公司方面表示,之所以他們選擇這些商店，是因爲它們都是外國遊客最常光顧的店鋪。後續其他店鋪也將會加入進來。

"Foreign shoppers can buy products minus the 10 percent VAT so there is no need to keep tabs on receipts or show the product they purchased at the airport when they leave the country," a Lotte official said. "This can greatly reduce the hassle at airports and should fuel sales at our store."

一名樂天百貨的負責人員表示：“外國消費者可以購買產品，減去10%的增值稅。這樣的話，當他們在機場準備離開韓國的時候，就沒有必要檢查他們的收據或出示他們所購買的產品了。這樣可以大大減少機場相關工作的複雜程度，還能夠大幅提升我們商店的銷售。”