It’s no secret that for many travelers, shopping is a part of the tourist experience. Hitting boutiques in foreign lands, whether unique to that locale or a universal luxury brands, our purchases can serve as useful items and as wonderful ways to remember a particular voyage or event.
And the shopping, doesn’t necessarily end on the streets or in the villages. Airports are now hubs of retail activity. Just think of the high end designer brand boutiques at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris or at Heathrow in London.
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For some, those luxury boutiques at the airport represent an additional (or last) chance to nab those coveted handbags or shoes before heading home. Couldn’t find Chanel ballet flats in your size at the Rue Cambon boutique? Well, there just might be a pair at Charles de Gaulle.
Of course, one major advantage of this airport shopping is the duty-free aspect. Yes, as a non-EU resident you can get the VAT refund when leaving. However, you must do the paperwork. But, when purchasing at airport duty-free stores, it’s already taken care of – and backed out of the pricing.
With the ever-rising popularity of pre-owned luxury goods, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to see reseller boutiques moving to the airport. In 2021, McKinsey & Company predicted that the resale market, then representing about $25-30 million, would double by 2031. With estimated 10-15% annual growth, the industry was on a trajectory to be valued between $65 billion and $100 billion by 2030.
And maybe, if you can’t get it new, you’ll be happy with second hand as your last chance duty-free shopping opportunity. Indeed Vogue Business recently reported on the expansion of this segment of the industry. In 2021, Retailer ARI opened its LXR resale boutique at the Montreal, Canada Airport. It now has plans for another at the Lisbon, Spain Airport.
Luxury resale is more common in the cruise industry. Harding+, which operated cruise-ship boutiques, reportedly is expanding its preloved offerings to more ships and plans a lounge concept called “reloved.”
Even LVMH is in on the action. Its retail-at-sea subsidiary Starboard Cruise Services began sales of pre-owned luxury goods in 2022, and has expanded since.
On the other hand, pre-loved items can be difficult to purchase under time-pressure. Probably the biggest concern about buying on the secondary market is product authenticity. The second is condition. It’s not clear whether and to what extent either of these can be carefully evaluated as you’re rushing to catch a flight.
Without time or external input, the only source of information is the seller (and your own expertise). It can be a tough call for a non-returnable item. Simply, it is not the same as purchasing from a brand’s retail boutique.
So, we’re curious how you feel about this. Would you shop luxury resale during overseas (or on-seas) travels? And what about at the airport? Let us know.
Love, PurseBop
XO
Updated: November 7th, 2023
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