‘Buy buy buy!’: Foreign tourist reacts to duty-free shopping after Delhi immigration
A foreign tourist has posted a video of his Delhi airport experience, questioning the shopping pitches he encountered just after immigration.
A foreign tourist’s experience at Delhi airport has caught attention online after he questioned the shopping pitches he encountered shortly after immigration. In a video, he appears surprised to see duty-free staff approaching passengers almost immediately after they clear immigration.

The video was posted on X by user Damon Zumbroegel, who captioned it, “Welcome to India? This is how one enters India in Delhi. The welcome to all visitors. Immigration…..then…..‘BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY!’. Not even 5 feet from immigration. This is a real video of immigration in Delhi.”
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The footage shows passengers walking through the airport after immigration, with duty-free shopping areas nearby. Zumbroegel appears to question how quickly the shopping pitches begin after passengers enter the country.
Take a look:
Internet reacts to Delhi airport video
The video has drawn mixed reactions, with some users saying the experience is common at international airports, while others defended the staff and said passengers can simply decline the offers.
“This is how you land into literally every country. Practically every Australian international airport is designed like this. Immigration, difficult for non-citizens, then duty-free, then baggage,” one user wrote.
“They don’t force you buddy, just a polite decline or a nod of the head and they will not even bother to come to you. Why trying to gaslight? You come to India, be a good guest and stop complaining about things that cause no harm or inconvenience,” another commented.
Some users said they actually find the shopping assistance useful, particularly when buying items after landing.
“I’m personally ok with this as I always take liquor and chocolates and by ‘accepting’ the ‘buy buy buy’ I’m doing him a favour,” one user wrote. They added that the staff member often stays with them during the purchase, helps with heavy luggage and can assist with quicker billing.
Others pointed out that duty-free shopping areas and sales staff are common at airports around the world.
“Same is everywhere. Whether you go in Dubai, Maldives, Vietnam, Singapore and other European countries,” another user commented.
However, some people criticised the tourist for complaining about the experience.
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“Nobody is asking you future minorities to buy anything lol? Why always complain about places you hate but also travel to for views?” one user wrote.
“Don’t go there again man! We don’t need you there!” another commented.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
ABOUT THE AUTHORVaishali KapilaVaishali Kapila is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital, where she covers internet culture, viral social media moments, human interest stories and workplace trends. She believes the best stories often come from ordinary experiences and everyday conversations. Through her stories, she aims to help readers understand not just what is trending, but why it matters. Born and brought up in Chandigarh and now based in Delhi, Vaishali has over five years of experience in digital journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times, she worked as a Sub Editor at NDTV, where she specialised in food and travel writing. Over the years, she has written and edited stories on recipes, nutrition, restaurants, destinations and travel trends, while building expertise in digital storytelling, search-driven journalism and audience-focused content. Today, her work spans a wide range of topics, including consumer issues, lifestyle, workplace trends and stories that reflect everyday life. She enjoys finding fresh angles, speaking with people and adding the context that helps readers make sense of a story. Vaishali holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism with a specialisation in New Media from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. When she is not working, Vaishali enjoys exploring new places, trying local food and documenting her experiences through a food Instagram page she runs with her husband. She also enjoys watching documentaries, learning about space and science, and exploring stories about different cultures and people.Read More

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