Most of us see Duty-Free shops as an opportunity to save money and get lower prices on expensive brands. In a lot of cases their airport location allows businesses to avoid paying customs duty, or tax, on their goods. But believe it or not, duty-free prices aren't always lower than normal retail stores. We’re going to reveal 5 secrets of duty-free that employees will never tell you. In general, brands such as Hermes, Chanel, and Dior have a policy of keeping more or less equal prices on their products in all their shops around the world. So you can often get a much better deal if you buy an item on sale at a local store. Most duty-free shops have websites with prices listed, so you can compare them with other duty-free locations as well as with regular stores. The only exception when the price is almost always lower in duty-free shops is with alcohol and tobacco. You probably thought that the items on duty-free shelves are super rare or unique and produced especially for these stores. But, in fact, the things you can find there are no different from the ones you see in a regular store. Remember your budget and keep a cool head, especially if your country makes you pay tax on items you bought duty-free while traveling abroad to avoid paying crazy taxes for them back home. Keep in mind that finding the best deal depends on two factors: location and exchange rate. If you wanna buy chocolates, alcohol, or tobacco in Southern Asia, for example, better do this in city stores and outlets. It’ll be way cheaper than getting these products at the airport.