Depends on the store - some of them will sell you it tax free to begin with - and you simply post them the stamped invoice when you get back home.

Why not strap the skis to a roof rack? But first remove any price labels.

It reminds me of tale told me by a customers officer many years ago that he learned in his training:

At a small mountain pass between two countries a man pushed a bike up the road. Over the handlebars were two bulging sacks.

"Anything to declare?" barked the customs officer.

"No" replied the man with the bike.

"So, what's in the bags?" enquired the curious customs officer.

"Just sand" was the innocent reply from the cyclist.

The customs officer was having none of it and emptied both bags on the ground. Sure enough it was only sand.

The cyclist came up the pass about once a week most weeks of the year and the customs officer got fed up with tipping out the sand bags and after some months just waved him though without checking.

One day the customs officer told the cyclist that he was retiring and would see him again.

"But you are smuggling something, aren't you? If you tell me it won't go any further and you can go on your way..." the customs officer said with a sort of a grin that only a retiring customs officer can muster.

"OK" said the cyclist "if you promise there will be no trouble, I'll tell you."

"Please" responded the the officer, almost begging now.

"All these years I've been smuggling bicycles!"

yes, but you get more money back than you pay in duty...

if you don't import it you don't get your form stamped and you don't get the VAT back...

When we bought ski's from France last year the border was shut when we came back to Swiss on a Sunday, so we went back the next day to import them.

I could understand people not importing if there was no benefit to it, but it's even cheaper if you do import than if you don't.

It's the export stamp that is required to recover the VAT, not the import stamp.

Ok, So people are wanting to get the VAT back AND not pay the 8%

Which is still perfectly legal if you spend less than 300CHF per person.

Know that story well, but with a difference, the man was carrying onions, not sand. Other part of the story, the man would cross the border on foot somewhat worse for wear due to consumation of alcohol, apparently, of course part of his cover

Stopped several times. Once on the border in Germany after foot passenger on ferry, as suited to get a flight from there. Swiss border once had UK cigs for friends, within limit, the border chap was insistent if we had more, really did not want him to go through our stuff, as we would have had to repack. My OH said to him, if you find anything more, you can keep the car, then he let us on our way. Another time after day out shopping & sight-seeing, and we were well within limits, when asked, said we had nothing, waved us on (we could not be bothered with a search). A bit tired to recall, but have had the odd grilling at the border. On other occasions once no-one at border control - think football was on, last time just waved through. Always have our passports ready and to hand & any necessary receipts close by in case asked

AbFab is right - take all price/labels off, and actually stop by the road side and rub your skis in the snow and mud a bit- if you have a car with a hole in back seat to let skis through that will be OK too. Loads of people will be coming to start the ski season this week-end. They might ask you where you are going, so have a plausible story ready (pick a resort with snow nearest to the border).

Correct, if you are under the Swiss limit (300chf per head including children) then just drive through.

Does the 300 chf include any food items or just personal items/gifts?

There seems to be a strong aversion of people here to paying the import tax for something over 300CHF but everyone is keen to claim their VAT back.

Why would you be concerned about paying 8% when you get 19-20% back on the countries you are exporting from. As an example I purchased a bicycle in the summer of 2011 where I had to pay about 60CHF but I was getting 160CHF so there was no way I was not going to front up and declare the bike. Since the only way to get you tax back is to have the export forms stamped. Overall benefit was a bike that was (i) about 50% cheaper (ii) i gained an extra 100CHF discount by declaring it.

I therefore find it amazing how reluctant people are to achieving similiar benefits.

Some hints however as many have indicated here is to split invoices or to take multiple trips since that way you may still be able to get tax back and not be liable for import tax. However if you are liable the tax on import is well under the amount you will get back in return.

Is there a way toclaim back all the VAT? I have always had to pay Global Blue around 30% of the VAT refund

Yes, don't use Global Blue (i.e. ask the shop if they do their own forms for you to bring back) or ask the shop if you can return there with the stamped Global Blue form anyway and get a full refund of the tax. Shops near the border do this. I was surprised as places like Kaufland use Global Blue forms which have "no refund in the shop" stamped on them. Except you can go back to the shop and do just that!