Just lodged an order with Freestyle...

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

It's the start of the semester and me and my friends are starting new projects, either for Honours or for our own personal work. Between me and 4 other people we lodged an order with Freestyle for $960 of film, paper, chems and equipment...it should be here by the end of the week. A lot of Ilford HP5+ and Fuji colour neg and slide. From 35mm bulk rolls to medium format and 4x5", and a few hundred sheets of paper.

Now, someone please tell me this wasn't a ridiculous idea...it's going by FedEx, so it should be like Christmas by the end of the week.

 

[munz6869]

It's a great idea - I do that every year to stock up the fridge...

Marc!

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I've had my orders shipped Fed-X ground. From LA to Northern California is about a couple of days. Never been disappointed by Freestyle. Great company!

 

[tomalophicon]

The only realy thing I'd be a wincy bit concerned about is GST. I've heard customs can add shipping costs to the total... Maybe it's just an old-wives tale.

 

[paul ewins]

Basically, they take the value of the items and include the shipping cost to determine whether it exceeds the $1000 GST threshold.

 

[wotalegend]

The only realy thing I'd be a wincy bit concerned about is GST. I've heard customs can add shipping costs to the total... Maybe it's just an old-wives tale.

Not an old wives tale - it's true. If goods + shipping cost exceeds AUD1,000 you risk getting hit for GST on the lot. We recently did a group order to Freestyle from APUG Oz members and we opted to take the prudent path of splitting the order into three different orderers/receivers.

 

[Michael W]

I don't think GST is such a big deal anyway, considering the overall savings.

 

[hoffy]

I don't think GST is such a big deal anyway, considering the overall savings.

Gerry Harvey thinks its a big deal

But we as consumers know the real deal. I wonder if any of the local distributors and suppliers read such threads as this (I know some of the shops in the US do, especially if you have something bad to say about them). I wonder if they realise that they seriously need to look at how they do business in this country. I am in the same boat at the moment, between 3 of us, we have a small order from Adorama (film and camera hardware - much easier to stick with one supplier)....hopefully christmas will come for me by the end of the next week!

 

[tomalophicon]

I don't think GST is such a big deal anyway, considering the overall savings.

NO, 100 dollars isn't that much. BUT:
Customs can hold the package for a pretty long time if they so choose. It would be mightily frustrating having all that film stuck at the airport.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

The total price including postage finally worked out to $950-ish dollars AUD, so we just miss the GST hit.

 

[rorye]

Happy Christmas in March! I've always had really great dealings with Freestyle and I bet you will too. Happy shooting.

 

[lns]

...it should be here by the end of the week....

This is pretty darn impressive. If I had ordered from Freestyle today, I would get it in Chicago by the end of the week.

I can't think of a better way to spend $960! Enjoy it.

-Laura

 

[mesh]

If you bought in Australia it would be $3875.67 and probably take as long to get to you! ;-) I would prefer to buy local of course, but Freestyle are so good to deal with, prices are great, have a wonderful range, and post fast... why would you go anywhere else?

 

[Ross Chambers]

Not an old wives tale - it's true. If goods + shipping cost exceeds AUD1,000 you risk getting hit for GST on the lot. We recently did a group order to Freestyle from APUG Oz members and we opted to take the prudent path of splitting the order into three different orderers/receivers.

And Fedex will hit you with a fee for clearing the GST as well if the total exceeds a AUD grand. UPS charged me for a consignment they carried.

A later purchase delivered via Australia Post also "attracted" as they like to say, a handling charge, and I did my own (fairly simple) documentation, but it didn't save anything.

Regards - Ross

 

[Michael W]

There is a $50 Customs fee for the privilege of paying the GST. I had to go to the Aust Post Customs centre at Chullora about 5 years ago to do the paperwork on a camera purchase. I paid the GST & fee together. Around the same time I bought a lens from B&H that came by UPS. They called me when it arrived in Sydney as they were clearing it through Customs. From memory it was the same as I would have paid direct. I have heard stories of some courier forms adding their own exorbitant clearing fees; one reason I avoid FedEx. Under $1k via post is the simplest way to do it.

 

[Ross Chambers]

There is a $50 Customs fee for the privilege of paying the GST. I had to go to the Aust Post Customs centre at Chullora about 5 years ago to do the paperwork on a camera purchase.

My experience about 3 years ago was that Aust Post and Customs had streamlined that a little (so they could get my money faster) I processed the fee via e-mail and faxes and didn't leave home until walking down to the Post Office when it was all paid. Every year it's easier to spend money without leaving your chair!

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Just checked the tracking and it's already in Sydney. That's pretty crazy.

 

[hoffy]

So, did you get your package yet?

As above, I did an order from Adorama on Wednesday night our time. It was packaged and sent Thursday morning our time. The last check I have done, it had just departed from Mascot in Melbourne, en-route to Adelaide.

AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS TAKE NOTE - This is how you do online sales!

 

[tomalophicon]

Once I ordered something from Freestyle our time Thursday night and it was waiting for me on Monday afternoon...