Global Blue – Shop Tax Free

Will delete app. Instructions aren't clear/ inaccurate. E.g sign up and login. I don't have an account and clicked sign up with an error response of wrong password when I haven't signed up before. I eventually got to see my list of refunds but no indication if any action is required. I tried to use the "add purchases" from an approved retailer. Clicked onto the "scan" function, it could scan but gave an error but not indicating what the error was. This was the case for a few of my receipts.

Instead of just opening, the app asks each time to sign up or log in. Oddly, :log in" brings one to a web page OUTSIDE THE APP. This rather defeats the purpose of an app! Additionally, despite checking the "keep me signed in" box, it does not do so. Next, EVERY time app asks for location services. I do not understand the advantage. The old GB app was stramlines, more efficient and kept user signed in. After my most recent purchases clear, i will likely look online for refund progress.

The process to get back my VAT was the easiest it's ever been with Global blue. It was so easy. I thought I was missing something. Every qualifying purchase was linked to my passport. Once I downloaded the app, everything was there. At the airport, just go to the kiosk, scan your passport and boarding card and select how you wish to receive your refund.

This whole thing is a scam. Customs doesn't work and the app is therefore useless. It's just as bad as recycling deposits.

Experience in Berlin was futile. Even thow I had the application installed and that made things easier at the shops, I thought it will be the same at the airport. But no. Arriving at the airport, first thing I checked in my luggage, after I walked at the global blue counter to get the custom's validation. The receipts were not enough and the app didn't count. They wanted to see the stuff, (I find this very disrespectful and vulgar) even though all was in the system and regular.

Probably the buggiest app I've ever used! In all the apps I've ever used, this has to be the worst. Constantly crashes, logs you out, asks you to clear cache and start again and still didn't work. Had to delete in the end and resort to going to reception at the airport. Rather than being an app to help speed up the process, it became a complete pain!

Utter garbage. 1. According to the vast majority of reviews on here the app simply doesn't work, which is what happens when you tender out the process to someone who's hasn't done this before and are learning as they go. 2. Even if it did work, you can't sign up without agreeing for loads of partner businesses who have clearly paid for the privilege to spam you. I contacted STF and they said you can just sign up as a guest, which I found out after accessing the app again was simply not possible.

Great idea, just very badly implemented and it's getting worse with every update. The "your offline" message appears in 3/4 situations (4G or Wi-Fi doesn't matter). Saving doc-ids that are not yet handed in for later tracking does not work. However, the moment you hand them in the doc-id is gone. Installing the app on more than one device to track refunds on both does not work either.

There should really be an easier way to contact customer service via the app and where one can choose a specific transaction. All the customer service tab does is link to a website where one has to enter all contact details again despite being logged in via the app. Poor, poor implementation, kinda like an app from a decade ago

At the Greek airport, their employees are slow and incompetent, creating long queues. I was late for the plane, so I was forced to send the application from home, but the purchases were confirmed at the airport and the refund amount was ridiculous. I contacted by email and sent the completed form to the address located in Slovakia. After which my request was "lost". This gave the impression of scammers and their monopoly on TaxFree is absolutely incomprehensible to me.

Terrible Customer Support – Unable to Get Tax Refund Help I had a frustrating experience with Global Blue regarding my tax refund. I didn’t receive my refund, so I tried contacting their support through the app by logging in. When I clicked the "Contact Us" option, it redirected me to a "Submit Your Request" page, but the page was blank, and I couldn't type anything or submit a request. It’s extremely disappointing, especially when dealing with money matters, and there’s no other way to get hel

This application only shows forms that are applicable for refund, and they stay for more than a year. When I went to Milan Airport, the system was down. My main issue is that they link the forms, regardless of where the purchase are. But when you do the claims, any none-exit country will be sent to its country. Although the customs in the existing country are responsible for the validation, they still need to send to it's country. Why can this not be automated???

It is so convenient, I've so far only used this app twice once in Spain in 2024, once in Italy in 2025, it's positive so far. Simply look for the Global Blue machine at the airport, scan passport and boarding pass. I've noticed this time I'm finally able to receive the refund in € into my € account avoiding the unfavorable exchange rate. I hope this is here to stay. but a fee was still deducted. VAT in Italy is 22%, the refund was about half of that, so why deduct a further fee?

i underwent all the necessary process in jedda airport for tax refunding but now it shows customs validations required so the refund has not done. worst service

I set up my refund account. This is a EURO account and the transaction were in EURO currency. For the lucky times that I was refunded, they send me the refunds in GBP and USD. At every claim I am asked to set it up again. The result is that I lost 2 refunds! It's impossible to contact them via the app and their feedback takes week.

The reality is that you don't even get half the tax back. Such are the hidden fees and charges. Be advised: the bar code in the app. doesn't scan in the shops, so have your passport with you. The service is slick , quick and easy to use.

Disgraceful company that makes it as complicated and difficult to claim your money as possible, which appears to be their entire business model. Used twice for purchases made in Europe. First one, airport desk was closed, and rather than enabling digital submission, asked me to courier the papers around the world which defeats the purpose of the refund. Second, I deposited stamped papers in the box at GVA, refund was paid and REVOKED several weeks later. Don't waste your time with this junk.

There is absolutely NO point in using this app. In the end if you want your refund you'll be forced to go an agent at an airport and fill out all of the information that the point of sale collected and that the app already collected from you. So save yourself the trouble and just fill out the forms at the airport or let the country keep their money because they clearly don't want to give it back to you.

Offered very little benefit, if any. The exchange rate for the automatic refund to my card was also very poor, about 10% worse than the rate I was receiving from MasterCard. For how easy the kiosks at the airport are to use, this app is a poor alternative and I won't use it again.

It's bad enough that they now have monopoly on tax free, and I have to pay them fees instead of just getting the money back from the country I made the purchase in, like I used to. I thought the app was an improvement, but I can't enter my card for refunds. Keeps giving me "technical error".