Thread: Buying from the US

Woodcraft are as good as their word. I deal with them. I would also suggest you go to eBay USA and search for dado blades. There are literally hundreds of them. The delay you mention is hardly a factor. Airmail parcel post takes on average 8 days.

Hi Ken,
has it also been your experience that you dont get duty or gst on small shipments of under $500 value coming into this country ?

thanks
Arron

For as long as I can remember, a long time, Australian Customs have not bothered to collect tax due of $50 or less.
With GST at 10% that means that items costing $500 AUD or less will not be taxed.
I understand that applies to goods posted or shipped in as well as to goods brought in as luggage.
To be sure, phone your local Customs Office and ask. I believe there is a brochure or booklet available that has all the information.
Note: $500 AUD will be your target amount. You will have to do the conversion from USD or whatever.

Arron

I frequently purchase items off the web - often from eBay.com (USA) and also from manufacturers (such as Lie-Nielsen). Even allowing for shoipping costs, it will be much cheaper.

For example, I bought 2 Clifton cap irons from a retailer in the USA. In Australia they would be $46 each (latest Timbercon prices). I paid $13 (AUS) each - total with shipping costs included was about $35. In other words, about 2/3 less!

About 3 months ago I bought a cheap 8" dado set (including chippers and spacers). Including shipping costs (airmail) to Perth - $85. The cheapest dado set on offer in Perth was the Delta 6" at $199 (from Carba-tec).

I have bought (and sold) numerous car parts on eBay over the past 5 years. I have had very few disappointments and, by-and-large, in my experience people are honest and strive to please.

The major drawback to large purchases is freight/shipping costs. In desparation, you can turn to surface freight. But most times you just have to bite the bullet and reassure yourself that, even if the shipping costs are more than the purchase, the total is less than the local item. I have only once been slugged for import tax, and that was a few years ago.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Arron,

I have never had to pay duty. I have never had a parcel go astray, and I have never had anything damaged. I recommend it. Just be cautious of who you deal with at eBay and read feedback comments from others. Most of the reputable woodworker supply houses are very good to deal with. eg Rocklers, Woodcraft, Lee Valley Tools, Woodworker's Supply etc etc

Arron,
You might want to check out Wood magazines test of dado blades. I am saving up to buy Freud's 8" dado set. Not their cheapest which sells for about $90 US but the next higher which sells for $199 US. They beat just about everyone in performance including the Forrest Dado King which sells for more than $100 more. I think the results are posted on the Wood Mag web site.

FWIW I just bought some camera gear from the states, total value was about $400 AUD. I didnt have to pay duty and the goods arrived in 11 days.

A local supplier quoted me $880 for the same gear.

As long as you are sure the supplier is reliable, I'd say go for it.

Joe

Out of interest I just received a quote from Woodcraft for a half plus three eighths beadlock kit $US45 compared to $139 here. Not bad but add $US37 freight and the trouble is not worth it. You can pay $US23 freight for surface mail giving a bit of a saving but it can take up to 3 months for delivery.

I have purchased quite a few products over the years from the US.
In the last couple of months - Books and CD's; seems to take around 3-4 weeks.

Something I can never work out; why books bought from Amazon, printed in the US, (US authors) but yet the package arrives from via Germany??

I have purchased climbing gear from the US and Canada, though a couple of year ago now, prices in Australia were so out of wack that I considered setting up a business.

The worst experience
One item I purchased (bivvy Bag) from the US decided to add it to a Fed Ex shipment of documents for work. Bad move.

The documents had no tax applicable but the bivvy bag at US$200
did, this being the case the item was shipped separately and Fed Ex like being on time, so they pay everything in advance. The retailer gets a quote from Fed Ex, which included import duties sales tax and freight (but not in my case), this way the item never sits in customs.

Because the retailer shipped inside the US for free, they sent the package directly to Fed Ex no charge, but Fed Ex charged my employer US$118 for delivery, standard delivery surface mail would have been US$20; Of course I had to pay BUT I did receive the package within 3 days. And Yes it was still cheaper by A$40.

So insure the item, but do not send it Fed Ex, I find if the parcel is not that big or heavy surface mail still arrives in just over a week.

Good Luck

Pulpo

Re: The Amazon.com mystery.

I seem to remember Amazon used to say in their shipping options that they use 'DHL Bookpost' for their international shipments - this was back in the days when they offered a surface rate as well as 2 'Air' rates. Now the cheaper 'Air' rate is the standard rate...

Anyhoo - 'DHL' is, I believe, 'Deutsch Hansa Line' - an offspring of an old, major, German shipping line. I had some books sent by the medium (10-14days) speed rate, and they were placed into the regular post in Hong Kong, whereas the slower rate (14-21 days) gets put in the post in Germany - I think it depends on who gives the best rates.

DHL is 100% owned by the German Post Office.

I have just managed to settle a dispute with Customs on a consignment of woodworking gear from Lee Valley in my favour.The total value of the goods was US$183, but when I went to pick the parcel up from the Post Office I found a demand for duty from Customs for AU$143. Customs alleged that the total value given on the invoice was US$522. I did not pay the demand and went home to phone Customs, sending them a copy of the order confirmation that Lee Valley had sent me. Customs refused to accept that as evidence, so they had to recall the parcel to re-examine the invoice. When they did that they called me to say I still owed the money! they had not bothered to check to find out whether the invoice corresponded with the total of US$522, which they said they had found on it previously. When I asked what the total was on the invoice they had in front of them, they said "Oh! Don't know how that mistake occurred." In fact there was no duty payable.

Anyway the moral of the story is that if you buy from overseas, make sure that your consignment totals no more than about US$300. If you then receive a Customs demand for duty, do not pay it, since duty is waived if the calculated amount due is less than $50, which it will be, so long as you don't have a consignment worth over US$300. If you once pay the duty demanded to the post office, it is impossible to retrieve it, if it is later found to be a mistake.

Originally posted by Rocker
When I asked what the total was on the invoice they had in front of them, they said "Oh! Don't know how that mistake occurred." In fact there was no duty payable.

Bloody feds giving all the other bureaucrats bad names!

But seriously, if this happened to me I'd get the officer's name (or their supervisor's name) and stick it in a hot letter to the Minister for Customs...

I think I will just let sleeping dogs lie. I wouldn't want Customs to use their discretion to decide not to waive the duty on any future consignmentsthat I may order from overseas.