买完2000元丝巾立刻返现180元退税款，记者实探杭州“即买即退”服务

Core Points - The State Taxation Administration has announced the nationwide implementation of the "immediate refund upon purchase" service for outbound tax refunds, enhancing the existing outbound tax refund policy [1][6] - This service allows foreign travelers to receive cash refunds equivalent to the tax amount at the point of purchase in designated stores, facilitating immediate consumption [1][5] Implementation Details - The "immediate refund upon purchase" service has been piloted in cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Shenzhen, with Hangzhou being the latest city to join the initiative starting September 15, 2023 [3][5] - In Hangzhou, 14 stores, including Hangzhou Tower and Yintai Department Store, are the first batch of trial merchants for this service [3][9] Refund Process - Foreign travelers can process the "immediate refund upon purchase" service by shopping for at least 500 RMB, with a maximum limit of 50,000 RMB, and must leave the country within 25 days [5] - Travelers need to provide their credit card for a pre-authorization guarantee to receive cash refunds on-site [5] Tax Refund Rates - The tax refund rates vary between 8% to 11% depending on the applicable tax rate of the purchased goods, with specific examples provided for different product categories [5] - For instance, a foreign traveler purchasing a silk scarf priced at 2,000 RMB could receive a cash refund of 180 RMB after fees, based on an 11% refund rate [5] Merchant Participation - Stores interested in offering the "immediate refund upon purchase" service can become designated merchants after discussions with local tax refund agencies [6]