What De Bijenkorf tax refunds are and how they reach you

De Bijenkorf is a Dutch department store that operates online and in physical locations. If you made a purchase there and paid sales tax, a tax refund (often called VAT refund in Europe) may be available to you as a non-EU visitor — but the process and your may be able to access depend on where you live, where you shopped, and how you paid.

Delaware has no state sales tax, which changes the math considerably. If you bought something from De Bijenkorf's physical store in the Netherlands or from their EU website while visiting, you may be may have access to to recover the Dutch VAT (value-added tax), which sits at 21 percent on most goods. If you ordered online from Delaware to a Delaware address, no refund applies — you paid no tax in the first place.

The refund does not come from De Bijenkorf directly in most cases. It flows through a tax refund service — a third-party company that handles the paperwork, takes a commission, and sends the money to your bank account or credit card. The timeline runs from weeks to months, and the amount you receive is less than the tax you paid because the service takes a cut.

Key Takeaways

  • De Bijenkorf VAT refunds only explore if you bought in-store in the Netherlands or from an EU website while physically present, not for online orders shipped to Delaware.
  • You must request a tax refund form at the register before you leave the store; online purchases have different rules and often require a separate process through the retailer.
  • A third-party refund service processes the claim, takes a percentage (typically 15 to 25 percent), and deposits the remainder to your account in four to twelve weeks.
  • You will need your original receipt, passport or ID showing you are a non-EU resident, and proof of export (a stamped customs form) to complete the refund.
  • If you used a credit card, the refund may appear as a credit to that card rather than a bank transfer, depending on which service De Bijenkorf uses.

In-store purchases in the Netherlands: the refund process step by step

If you bought items at a De Bijenkorf physical location in the Netherlands, ask for a tax refund form (called a VAT refund form or tax-free form) at the register before you pay. The cashier will fill it out with the purchase amount and the VAT due. You must present your passport to prove you are a non-EU resident — Delaware residency counts.

Keep the form and your receipt together. Before you leave the Netherlands, you must have the form stamped by customs at the airport or border. This stamp proves you exported the goods and did not consume them in the EU. Without this stamp, the refund service will reject your claim.

After you return to Delaware, mail the stamped form to the refund service address listed on the form, or use their online portal if one is available. The service will verify the stamp, deduct their commission (usually 15 to 25 percent of the VAT), and send the balance to you. This takes four to twelve weeks depending on the service and the volume of claims they are processing.

Online orders shipped to Delaware: why you typically see no refund

If you ordered from De Bijenkorf's website and had the items shipped to a Delaware address, you did not pay Dutch VAT. De Bijenkorf's system recognizes Delaware as a non-EU, non-VAT location and charges no tax at checkout. There is nothing to refund because no tax was collected.

Some online retailers offer a separate "return and refund" process if you change your mind about the purchase, but that is a merchandise return, not a tax refund. The two are different. A merchandise return means you send the item back and receive your money back (minus any restocking fee the retailer charges). A tax refund means you keep the item but recover the tax you paid on it.

If you believe you were charged VAT on a Delaware shipment, contact De Bijenkorf customer service with your order number and receipt. This is rare but can happen if their system misidentified your location.

Which refund service De Bijenkorf uses and what to expect

De Bijenkorf partners with one or more tax refund services — the most common in the Netherlands are Global Blue, Planet, and Innova. The form you receive at the register will show which service handles your refund. Each service has slightly different timelines, commission rates, and payout methods.

Global Blue typically processes refunds in six to eight weeks and charges 15 to 20 percent commission. Planet often takes eight to twelve weeks and charges 18 to 25 percent. Innova falls somewhere in between. None of these are official estimates — they vary by claim volume and the time of year.

All three services offer online tracking. Once you submit your form, you can enter your claim number on their website and see the status. If the customs stamp is missing or illegible, the service will contact you to ask for proof of export. If you cannot provide it, the claim is denied and you receive nothing.

What documents you need and common reasons claims are rejected

Gather these before you submit: the original tax refund form (signed by the cashier), your receipt showing the purchase amount and VAT, your passport or national ID (to prove non-EU residency), and the customs stamp on the form. If any of these is missing, the refund service will ask for it or deny the claim outright.

The most common rejection reason is a missing or unclear customs stamp. Customs officers at airports sometimes stamp forms hastily or in the wrong place. If the stamp is illegible, photograph it clearly and submit the photo with a note explaining the situation. Some services will accept this; others will not.

The second most common reason is submitting the form after the important date. Most services require submission within three to six months of the purchase date. Check your form for the important date printed on it. If you miss it, the claim is void.

A third reason is purchasing items that are not may be able to access for VAT refund. Some goods — food, alcohol, services, and items under a certain price threshold (usually €25 to €50 depending on the retailer) — cannot be refunded. De Bijenkorf will note this on the form if it applies to your purchase.

Payout methods and how long money takes to reach your account

The refund service offers several payout options: direct bank transfer to a US account, credit to your credit card, or a check mailed to your address. Bank transfer is fastest (four to eight weeks after approval) and has the lowest fees. Credit card credit appears as a statement credit within the same timeframe. A mailed check can take an additional two to four weeks to arrive.

If you choose bank transfer, provide your account number and routing number. The service will convert euros to US dollars at their exchange rate, which is usually 1 to 2 percent worse than the mid-market rate. This is normal and is how they cover currency conversion costs.

Do not expect the refund to arrive on a specific date. Services process claims in batches, and delays happen. If twelve weeks have passed and you have not received anything, log into the service's tracking portal and check the status. If it shows "approved," contact their customer service. If it shows "pending," wait another two weeks and check again.

What to do if your refund claim is denied or delayed

If the service denies your claim, they will send you a reason — usually a missing stamp, an illegible form, or an expired important date. Read the reason carefully. If you believe it is wrong, reply to the denial with supporting documents. For example, if they say the stamp is missing, send a photo of the stamped form and explain where the stamp is located.

If the service says the important date has passed, you cannot appeal. The important date is firm. If you missed it, the refund is gone.

If your claim is approved but the money does not arrive after the stated processing time, contact the service's customer support. Provide your claim number and the date you submitted. They can check whether the payment was sent and, if so, whether it was returned due to a bad account number or other issue. If the payment was returned, you may be able to resubmit with corrected banking details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a tax refund if I bought something at De Bijenkorf and had it shipped to my hotel in the Netherlands?

Yes, as long as you requested the tax refund form at the register and had it stamped by customs before leaving the country. The refund applies to the purchase itself, not the shipping address. You must still export the goods — meaning you take them with you when you leave the EU.

What if I lost the tax refund form but still have the receipt?

Contact the refund service listed on your receipt (Global Blue, Planet, or Innova) and explain the situation. Some services will reissue a form if you can provide the receipt and your passport number. Others will not. Your chances are better if you contact them within a few weeks of the purchase.

Do I have to pay taxes on the refund money when it arrives in Delaware?

No. A VAT refund is a recovery of tax you already paid abroad, not income. It does not count as taxable income in Delaware or federally. You do not report it on your tax return.

Can I submit the tax refund form by mail from Delaware, or do I have to do it in person?

You must have the form stamped by customs in person before you leave the Netherlands. You cannot mail it back to customs and have it stamped. Once it is stamped, you mail it to the refund service from Delaware. The stamp is the critical step — without it, the service will reject the claim.

What if the refund service says my purchase amount was too low to refund?

De Bijenkorf sets a minimum purchase threshold — usually €25 to €50 — below which no VAT refund is issued. This is printed on the form at the register. If your purchase was below the threshold, no refund is available. You cannot appeal this; it is a retailer policy, not a tax rule.