I'm planning to buy quite expensive laptop about one month before leaving the country. Is there a way for me to get VAT back?

The shop you buy it from would have to generate the paperwork, though I'm not sure if the places that sell laptops and the like here have tax-free shopping like many of the luxury goods retailers. You'll then have to show the merchandise and have the paperwork stamped on your way out of the country (there's a special place to do this in the airport), put the forms in the mail and the VAT should be refunded to your credit card.

I did this years ago when I visited here (before moving) and purchased a handbag in one of the boutiques, and, frankly, the tax refund wasn't that much since the VAT isn't as high here as it is in France or Germany.

latigresse, thank you! I didn't think of payment method and I would probably pay with Postfinance card (not credit card) which can then make refund more difficult...

The shop in question is apple store at Bahnhofstrasse. I agree that VAT in Switzerland is low, but even 8% from ~2500 sums up to a good laptop bag at least.

So I should ask shop staff for the special form, pay with credit card, submit a form at a special place (where is it btw?) at the airport and hope for the best, right?

Depending on which company the retailer uses to process the VAT refund, you can get the refund processed once you have gone through security.

I agree with Snoopy. We purchased a rather expensive piece of jewelry here before going to the US. We purchased with a credit card but I was given the VAT back in cash at the airport.

Isn't there a time limit on when stuff can have VAT reclaimed, otherwise surely every product purchased would have folks saying it's for export and trying to reclaim tax?

Papa Goose, I've heard (from not very reliable source though) that one need to reclaim tax not later than one month after purchase.