Pie VAT 4+

The Pie VAT app is the most user friendly and efficient VAT refund process I have ever experienced. No need to find a refund office like Global Blue and get your customs stamp at the airport while you are trying to make your flight. It can all be done online through the app. Once you leave the country/return home you just take a photo (gps coordinates for your location will be captured providing proof the items purchased were exported). Bingo - I got my refund approved in less than 24 hours after submitting. I certainly hope more stores affiliate with Pie VAT. I will ask before I buy in the future and will gladly support establishments that use Pie VAT versus Global Blue (I lost 2 VAT refunds because of an early flight home and long lines at airport that did not allow me to get my customs stamp and refund request submitted before boarding my flight).

Not easy to get refund. Need patience to go through process to receive tax refund. Problem is that it is hard to find message service that is a big help if the company or if you have made a mistake with emailing what is required to receive the refund. There are other issues that need persistence. The same Information had to be submitted several times, at the store then by me when I received an email from the company and finally by the customs representative at the airport. The customs repre had take time to figure out how I could get the tax refund. The store where I bought the items gave me an envelope and said I should enclose the purchase receipt and a photo of the items. Mail it out. The customs repr said that if I mailed the envelope to the address that was on the envelope, I would not receive any refunds because at that office they would not be familiar or have any thing to do with that type of information.
I order to receive a tax refund had to go through email that had links that were not always accurate, example, link to change password when tapped got to login only. Sometimes was asked to login and sometimes did have need to login.
Persistence, patience and working with company’s messenger service (if you can find it) will help to get refunds.

I used this app to recoup some of the VAT I paid while traveling in Norway, and it was so easy. The store needed to complete some steps when I made the purchase, but after that, all I needed was the receipt, a picture of the items purchased, and a few pieces of personal info, all of which I could upload from my phone. This was way easier than trying to make time at the airport to visit the VAT desk, which was not open when I got on my 6:30am flight. I would definitely recommend using this app if you shop at stores enrolled in the program while traveling internationally!