Well, that's it for Australians buying goods from overseas

[hoffy]

I might pop over to Whirlpool and see if anyone is talking about it over there.....

Edit: quick scan and they are talking about Amazon, but are saying that if you are buying off of ebay from an O/S seller, you are slugged 10%

 

[Barry Kirsten]

I looked on the B&H website about this and they clearly state that they collect applicable taxes like GST at the time of purchase. Go to: About Us > International > Customs, Taxes & Other Fees (at bottom of About Us page). So it looks like they do collect GST for Aussie buyers.

 

[Michael W]

I might pop over to Whirlpool and see if anyone is talking about it over there.....

Edit: quick scan and they are talking about Amazon, but are saying that if you are buying off of ebay from an O/S seller, you are slugged 10%

I just did a test, looked at a lens that someone in Japan has at $750 BIN with free postage. Used the ebay "add to cart" option which is not a commitment to buy, then looked in the cart and it showed they were adding 10% GST, or $75 to the cost. Then did the same with a $7 lens hood from China & ebay added 70 cents GST.

 

[halfaman]

In the UK, we have to pay 20% sales tax (VAT) plus customs duty, which is around 5% to 8%, on all goods imported from overseas. This is collected directly by Parcelforce who mange normal household packages coming from abroad. They send a bill in the post which can be paid online. They also add their own handling charges. All together, this adds roughly 30% to the price of imported godos

Same in Spain and for all sales above 22 €. The Spanish Postal Service acts as buyer representative at customs and charges roughly 20 € for this administrative work payed by the buyer.

I don't understand why this solution is not posible in Australia.

 

[Tony Egan]

I looked on the B&H website about this and they clearly state that they collect applicable taxes like GST at the time of purchase. Go to: About Us > International > Customs, Taxes & Other Fees (at bottom of About Us page). So it looks like they do collect GST for Aussie buyers.

I think it probably took a good programmer about 5 minutes to make the update to their online shopping app! In the past (pre-July 1) if I got excited and added enough products to exceed $1,000 AUD, the GST was added. Once I removed a few items the extra tax disappeared. Change $1,000 to $1 in the software and they're good to go! I went a bit crazy in the last few weeks stocking up on paper with multiple orders around USD $700 and avoided the GST for the last time I expect....

 

[Michael W]

Same in Spain and for all sales above 22 €. The Spanish Postal Service acts as buyer representative at customs and charges roughly 20 € for this administrative work payed by the buyer.

I don't understand why this solution is not posible in Australia.

I'd say it's because the government wants the money but it doesn't want the headaches of getting Australia Post to do it. Easier to make it the responsibility of Amazon, ebay etc.

 

[Michael W]

I think it probably took a good programmer about 5 minutes to make the update to their online shopping app! In the past (pre-July 1) if I got excited and added enough products to exceed $1,000 AUD, the GST was added. Once I removed a few items the extra tax disappeared. Change $1,000 to $1 in the software and they're good to go! I went a bit crazy in the last few weeks stocking up on paper with multiple orders around USD $700 and avoided the GST for the last time I expect....

Actually I just tested that with B&H as I've never had an order with them that was over $1,000. I placed enough items in the cart to go over $1k and that triggered a panel that was alerting me to the additional tax, plus various other charges if I let their delivery company handle it. I then removed items to get the total below $1k and that message disappeared, so I'm thinking that nothing has changed. I suppose we won't really know until someone places an order and takes delivery, just on the off chance that some shipping firms might decide that they are going to collect the GST before handing the package over.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I spoke to B and H through Chat. They're not doing it yet. But they're checking into it and will get back to me today or tomorrow. Here's the chat I just had with them.:

B&H Live Chat


Opening Question: Australia implemented that all items even under $1000 have to have the seller apply and collect their sales tax. Have you started to do that? If not, when?



Jordan K: Hello Alan. My name is Jordan. Please give me a moment to begin working on your inquiry.Me: OKMe: Note that this was to go into effect on July 1st.Jordan K: As of now, I don't see that we are required to collect tax in advance. For most orders over $1000 AUD, we offer the option to clear customs charges in advance.Me: This was a new law in Australia that makes sellers have to collect even under $1000. Could you check with management later and email me later with their answer?Me: It was to start on July 1st.Jordan K: Are you sure that this law has taken effect for all international sales? I can check for more information and follow up at xxxxxxxxxyyyyyyyemail .Me: Yes. Please check into it. Here's a link to an article that explains it.Me: https://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=42065Jordan K: I will check for more information.

Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?Me: Thanks for your response. When do you think you'll get back to me?Jordan K: It should probably be later today, or maybe tomorrow.Me: Ok Thanks. Alan.Jordan K: Thank you for choosing B&H.

 

[BrianShaw]

You may be singlehandedly responsible for calling it to B&H's attention and making Australians pay the taxes when ordering from B&H. Good job!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Now we are into July it occurred to me to try a quick test. I added some items to a cart at B&H and went part way into the purchasing process and there was no mention of collecting GST or not shipping to Australia, so fingers crossed that nothing has changed there. Then I tried Amazon.com and added a book to my cart and when I got to the payment section there was a red error message saying they can't ship to Australia and that I should try the Australian Amazon site. I went there and searched for the same book which was obviously being supplied by the same USA seller however the price had jumped from USD 28 to AUD 48 and then they added $15 shipping and 10% GST on top. So that quick test suggests to me that Amazon is now next to useless for my purposes but that B&H might stay as it has always been. I'll be interested to hear of others experiences, particularly when placing real orders.

Would you like to send me the information and I will see about arranging to buy it and then ship it to you? Is there GST on gifts? This could be fun.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

You may be singlehandedly responsible for calling it to B&H's attention and making Australians pay the taxes when ordering from B&H. Good job!

What's the expression, no good deed goes unpunished. Sorry if I caused any problem. But I'm sure they would have found out about this sooner than later.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Well now we have a similar result, since the US Supreme Court ruled that all states can now collect sales tax on internet sales. I will just suck it up.

 

[BrianShaw]

What's the expression, no good deed goes unpunished. Sorry if I caused any problem. But I'm sure they would have found out about this sooner than later.

True dat!

 

[Mick Fagan]

I purchased some goods from eBay ex China on July the second. The eBay bill was as per usual but went on to show another add on order which sends 10% GST to their Australian GST account, which they will forward to the ATO as per all other businesses operating in Australia.

Not an issue at all, I have no idea why there is a big kerfuffle about this.

If Amazon wishes to block all Australians from buying via Amazon.com and ensuring they only purchase from Amazon.com.au, that will be their loss in the long term; they just don't offer the type of products many of wish to purchase.

Time will see what happens. My gut feeling, is that Amazon have lost the argument about the government of Australia forcing them to become tax collectors, nothing but spin on their part trying to bolster what is in reality a failing of Amazon Australia to generate meaningful sales.

Every business in Australia is a tax collector, if they wish to operate here, they need to get onboard.

Mick.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Would you like to send me the information and I will see about arranging to buy it and then ship it to you? Is there GST on gifts? This could be fun.

Is there GST on gifts?
Good question!
But...when is a gift not a gift??

 

[Toyo]

Is there GST on gifts?
Good question!
But...when is a gift not a gift??

Also, is GST charged on used goods or only on new?
T

 

[c41]

Not an issue at all, I have no idea why there is a big kerfuffle about this.

My gut feeling is the 10% plus increase in the cost of buying anything from overseas may be a factor?

 

[c41]

GST was charged on anything over $1K value, gift secondhand whatever.

Its a dumb ruling imo, but this country is governed by short termist idiots and then we get State Governments as a cherry on the cake.

 

[Tony Egan]

Not an issue at all, I have no idea why there is a big kerfuffle about this.......
......Every business in Australia is a tax collector, if they wish to operate here, they need to get onboard.

Mick.

Agreed Mick - my view is, isn't that what computers and accounting systems are for? Governments of all persuasions apply taxes to businesses all over the world. In my corporate life I spent a lot of time dicking around with overseas government authorities trying to recover withholding taxes. B&H is a relatively small business compared to Amazon, Google, Microsoft etc. They can probably fly under the radar for a while until whatever bureaucracy in Australia starts to put traps in place to check up on sales under $1,000. The Amazon pricing model is dead in the water in the long run. It's a global economy, stupid! Well, I suppose the good news is I can place a few more tax-free B&H orders for now!

Time for an enterprising US based member to set up a "photo gift clearing house" for us. We'll even let them add 5% for the service!!

 

[hoffy]

Even though I started the thread, at this stage I tend to agree. Amazon spooked me, but they also had ulterior motives as well.

 

[BrianShaw]

...

Time for an enterprising US based member to set up a "photo gift clearing house" for us. We'll even let them add 5% for the service!!

5% is hardly enough to make tax evasion worth it. But if you'd like to supplement that money with Akubras, or other useful Australian goods...

 

[Sirius Glass]

Is there GST on gifts?
Good question!
But...when is a gift not a gift??

Never look a GST horse in the mouth.

 

[Tony Egan]

5% is hardly enough to make tax evasion worth it. But if you'd like to supplement that money with Akubras, or other useful Australian goods...

How about a pair of ruby red Blundstones? Some Canadian friends visited recently and went home with a pair each!
https://www.blundstone.com.au/shop/mens-or-womens-red-rub-casual-boots-style-1431

 

[hoffy]

How about a pair of ruby red Blundstones? Some Canadian friends visited recently and went home with a pair each!
https://www.blundstone.com.au/shop/mens-or-womens-red-rub-casual-boots-style-1431

Why buy Blundstones, when you can buy Red Wings in the US.

I bought a pair in 1996 and finally retired them this year. Best damn boots ever.

 

[NJH]

Man I got stung this last week on a car fuel hose I had to import from the US. Cost me basically 1/3rd again on the price to get it customs cleared by the local Post Office.