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ShoppingLifestyle

by Dara Morgan

Getting Tax Free For Online Shopping Is a Reality. Wait, What?

1 May 2025

Photo: Walter Sun

No one likes the end of a holiday. That dreadful final day of stuffing clothes into suitcases, wrestling with zips, trying to remember where you packed your charger, and the looming reality that in a few short hours, you will be back to emails, commutes, and laundry. But there has always been one tiny glimmer of joy to cling to: the tax refund. Yes, that magical little bonus where the airport gives you back some cash for all the shopping you definitely did not overdo. A sort of gentle financial pat on the back for being a tourist.
And now — brace yourself — you don't even need to step foot in a shop to get it.
Enter: Ounass and Planet, dragging the tax refund into the future with style and Wi-Fi. For the first time ever, tourists can claim VAT refunds on online purchases made during their stay in the UAE. Let me just say that again, slowly: tax-free online shopping. This is not just convenient. It is revolutionary. Frankly, I thought the future would bring us flying cars. Instead, we got this — and honestly, I am not disappointed.
Thanks to the UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA), tourists can now reclaim VAT on eligible online buys via a seamless, all-digital process. No paper, no printer drama, no rummaging for receipts while sweating at a validation counter. Just scan, shop, and verify — done. It is so smooth it almost feels like a scam, except it is very much real and very much government-approved.
A few things to note (before you start ordering a week’s worth of kaftans):
The system is operated by Planet, the official VAT refund partner, and only works on platforms registered with the FTA — like Ounass, who have quite stylishly jumped in first. It starts with a quick ID check at checkout and a final validation before you jet off. Then voilà: refund secured.
And let's take a moment to appreciate the UAE here. They have not just added a new layer to their already snazzy tourism scene — they have launched the world’s first e-commerce VAT refund system. It is as bold as it is paperless. According to the FTA’s director-general, Khalid Ali Al Bustani, it is all part of a grand plan to turn the UAE into the gold standard for tourist experiences and digital services. Mission accomplished, Khalid.

What does this mean for you?

No more squeezing last-minute mall trips into your itinerary just to score the VAT refund. You can now lounge by the pool, order online, and still get that sweet cashback. It is shopping efficiency meets travel luxury — a match made in tax heaven.
Ounass is currently running this as a pilot (fittingly exclusive, darling), but it will soon be rolled out across more platforms and cities. So, the next time you are in Dubai and browsing sandals online in between sightseeing, just remember: the refund is only a few clicks away.