"I love paying sales tax and spending more when I shop," said no military member, ever. One of your sweet military benefits is tax-free shopping and getting your goods and services at a discount through the military exchange system.
Where you can shop
Every service branch has its own exchange system, and they're all operated separately. But if you're eligible to shop at one, you can shop at all of them. Here are the different exchanges:
Why shop the exchange
- Save cash. Keep more of your hard-earned paycheck when you shop tax free, and get name-brand items for less than department store prices.
- Give back to your community. A large part of the profit from the exchange goes right back into the installation. The exchange system also employs a lot of military family members.
- Shop safely online. You can shop 24/7 through secure websites, and get free shipping on purchases over $49 or for items purchased with your Military STAR® credit card.
- Pay and return easily. Your exchange accepts all major credit cards, your Military STAR® card or personal checks (with an ID). And most exchanges have generous return policies for headache-free returns, just in case you need to take something back.
- Get all your uniform needs. Everything you need — from standard uniform needs from the uniform shop to the perfect shade of shoe polish — is at your exchange store.
- Show your military pride. You can show your pride with swag like shirts, caps and gifts from your exchange. And pick up some special products to celebrate military events like the Army-Navy football game or the promotion of Navy Chief Petty Officers in September.
- Get special deals overseas. Stay in touch during deployments without taking out a second mortgage to pay for calling cards, thanks to the discounts at the exchange. If you're stationed overseas for at least 30 days, you can typically buy a car tax-free and may even be able to ship it back to the U.S. for free.