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Located in the southern state of Kerala is another one of India's busiest and most prominent airports - Cochin International Airport, also known as CIAL. 

The airport has one of the longest runways in India and was the first airport in the world to be entirely powered by solar energy, showcasing its dedication to eco-friendly practices.

In the airport, passengers enjoy a range of experiences like restaurants, lounges and shopping duty-free.

Duty-free shopping is the concept of being able to purchase products without having to pay local taxes, as it will be consumed in a country different from where it was purchased. One can find both international and domestic brands in the outlets at Cochin Airport.  

In this article, we will explore everything about duty-free shopping at Cochin International Airport.

Cochin Airport Duty-Free Website

To shop duty-free products online, you can visit the website: www.cochindutyfree.com

What Can You Do on the Cochin Duty-Free Website?

When shopping from the Cochin Duty-Free website, you can: 

• View Products: The Cochin Duty-Free website showcases different types of products available, such as confectionaries, beauty products, liquor, etc. You can choose products from top brands such as Versace, Toblerone, Armani Emporio, Remy Martin, Bowmore, etc.
  
• Pre-order Products: You can pre-order various duty-free items on the website and collect them from the airport on your travel day.
• Avail Attractive Discounts: The website offers additional promotions and special offers on select items you purchase online. 

Below, we'll go over a step-by-step guide on how to shop duty-free online.

Which Terminals have Duty-Free Shops at Cochin Airport?

Cochin Airport has two duty-free shops in Terminal 3; one in the Arrival Area and the other in the Departure Security Hold Area.

Located in the duty-free stores is a wide range of products that passengers can shop for. The list of items that you can buy at Cochin International Airport are:

• Confectionery
• Perfumes and beauty products
• Soft Toys
  
• Alcohol and wines
• Tobacco products
• Tea
• Handicrafts
  
• Spices

Duty-Free Shops Timings at Cochin Airport

Duty-free stores are open 24/7 at the Cochin Airport Terminal 3 International Departure and Arrival sections.

If you want to pre-order duty-free products online before you travel, you can do so by visiting the duty-free website by Cochin International Airport. 

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to pre-order duty-free items online at Cochin Airport. 

• Visit the duty-free website. 
• You can either create an account or log in to your existing one.
  
• Next, select the items that you want to order under the beauty, confectionery, food powder or liquor categories.
• Add your items to cart and proceed to view cart.
  
• After viewing the items you've ordered, you can proceed to check out.
• You are required to fill in your details such as personal and flight information. Here, you can also select your product collection point.
  
• Review your details and place the order by making your payment (Cash on delivery is automatically selected).
• Complete your transaction by making payments at the store via cash/card or UPI mode of payment and collect your order from the pick-up point.
  
• You will be required to present your passport, a valid international boarding pass and the order confirmation number to collect your items.

What are the Required Documents for Duty-Free Shopping Online?

After you have pre-ordered your products online, you will need to pay for and collect them at the airport. You will need to produce the following documents:

• Valid Passport
• International Boarding Pass
• Order Confirmation Number (email or print)

What Modes of Payment are Accepted when Shopping Duty-Free?

When shopping from the Cochin Duty-Free website, cash on delivery is automatically selected. You are required to complete your transaction at the pick-up point. There, you can pay through:

• Cash
  
• Debit or Credit cards like VISA, Mastercard or Rupay.
• UPI 

The different currencies accepted are:

• Indian Rupees
  
• American Dollar
• British Pounds 
  
• Euro
• Danish Kroner
  
• Japanese Yen 
• United Arab Dirhams
  
• Australian Dollar
• Canadian Dollar 
  
• Hong Kong Dollar
• Swedish Kroner
  
• Singapore Dollar 
• Kuwaiti Dinars
  
• Malaysian Ringgit
• Saudi Riyal 
  
• Bahraini Dinar
• Omani Rial
  
• New Zealand Dollar 
• Swiss Franc
  
• Qatar Riyal

Note: The prices for goods are indicated in Indian rupee only, payment in other currencies is carried out at the official exchange rate of these currencies set on the day of payment. 

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Some duty-free shopping tips and etiquette are:

• Know the Allowance Limits: Duty-free allowances vary from country to country. Before you purchase a product, ensure that there is no complication when you land in your destination country as well. You should also be aware of the baggage allowance of countries you are travelling to or transiting through. Items like alcohol and tobacco products have age restrictions.
• Do Your Research: If you want to set aside some money to buy a luxury item in a duty-free shop, plan and do some research before arriving at the airport to determine which brand shops and items are available.
• Compare Prices: Although cameras, watches and other electronics are usually available at duty-free shops, they are always cheaper online on sites like Amazon, than at any duty-free shop. So, ensure to compare prices online with duty-free shops. 

When shopping duty-free at Cochin International Airport, you are sure to get quality products at an amazing deal. So, if you have time to spare, you can visit the duty-free stores located in the airport or shop online.