July the 1st 2018 GST On Low Value Imported Goods

**FenceFurniture** · 8th July 2018, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot

I'm no expert, however you would not have been charged GST at point of sale as the items as AU$1002, your GST component would be collected at the border as it currently is. I would suspect that they will charge you at the border GST on the price of the goods at point of sale. This will still be over the $1000 threshold and GST will be applied at the border.

If at the time of sale your purchase was AU$998 the the seller will charge you GST. The question now becomes when your parcel lands your purchase of AU$998 + GST exceeds AU$1000. Will they ask you to pay GST at the border on this and then ask you to contact the seller to obtain a refund on the GST you paid on the AU$998

This:
when your parcel lands your purchase of AU$998 + GST exceeds AU$1000

Forget adding the GST to see if it is >$1000. That is not how it works at all. Indeed that is a double dip that the website explicitly says is to be avoided.
Forget about it going up by $4.

Someone mentioned something about too much overthinking? Starting to agree.....

What I can comment on is the differences in exchange rates between when the payment is made and when they are dispatched - and I very much doubt that this has changed. Border Farce doesn't give a damn about the exchange rate when you paid. The <>$1000 assessment is made using the Mid-Market rates ON THE DAY OF DISPATCH.

Having said that, they can usually only fluctuate by perhaps 1% within a week or so (and even that would be a pretty big jump). However, there can be situations where the goods are paid for some time in advance, so the rates could potentially vary quite a bit.

HOWEVER:
If you have purchased at $998 and been charged GST I think I can put my sock on the block and say that Border Farce will not do a damn thing when it arrives - that is to say they will not bother checking the mid market rates yadda, because they may make another phoooo lemme see.... 40 cents in GST because the exchange rate has added $4. They will see that the GST has been paid, lift their left bum cheek, fart, and wave it through.

I'm starting to think that every 100 posts we need to post a summary because people are coming in late - not bothering to read the rest of the thread - and asking the same old questions or jumping to the same old incorrect conclusions. We then need another 30 posts to correct the disinformation, and get back to where we were 40 posts ago.

but that may only be temporary....

**justonething** · 12th July 2018, 05:04 AM

Not every overseas retailer cares about what ATO or Australia says. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/f...09-p4zqbw.html

**DomAU** · 12th July 2018, 08:03 AM

As expected, Lie Nielsen US is now also charging gst through their online checkout. Glad I decided to pick up a few things the last two months.

Cheers, Dom

**thumbsucker** · 12th July 2018, 04:33 PM

Did a quick Hypothetical Order to compare between LN USA vs LN Australia

- No. 164 Low Angle Smooth Plane
- Cabinet Maker's Scraper
- Handle Nut / Cap Screwdriver-SD-5
- Improved Chipbreaker 2 3/8 inch
- 2 3/8" Replacement Blade

LN USA = $1002
LN Australia = $1082

So even with the tax $58.50 and the international shipping $94.40 and the poor exchange rate $0.74 Australia to $1 USA to buy from overseas works out still $80 cheaper- that is still a respectable saving that I will be happy to make.

**FenceFurniture** · 12th July 2018, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

works out still $80 cheaper- that is still a respectable saving that I will be happy to make.

I wouldn't. It's not even 7½%. That is definitely a drink I would give to the local guy - otherwise soon there won't be a local guy.

You never know - the local guy might be happy to give you 5% off.

**Bohdan** · 12th July 2018, 05:02 PM

As it's over $1000 wouldn't there be import duty payable as well?

**doug3030** · 12th July 2018, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

So even with the tax $58.50 and the international shipping $94.40 and the poor exchange rate $0.74 Australia to $1 USA to buy from overseas works out still $80 cheaper- that is still a respectable saving that I will be happy to make.

Yep, you're in front - right up to the point that something goes wrong and something has to be sent back. It's a gamble either way.

For my money I think I would go with Fencefurniture and support the local guy unless the margin was much bigger.

I used to buy from the US a lot when the exchange rate was the other way around and USPS rates were still reasonable, but not now.

Cheers

Doug

**DomAU** · 12th July 2018, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I wouldn't. It's not even 7½%. That is definitely a drink I would give to the local guy - otherwise soon there won't be a local guy.

You never know - the local guy might be happy to give you 5% off.

Yeah I have to agree. I think about 15% is my "buy overseas" limit for luxuries, 10% at the lowest. Unless I actually dislike a local business - then I'm happy to make a loss buying overseas - definitely not so in this particular example.

Cheers, Dom

**homey** · 12th July 2018, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I wouldn't. It's not even 7½%. That is definitely a drink I would give to the local guy - otherwise soon there won't be a local guy.

**BobL** · 12th July 2018, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

So even with the tax $58.50 and the international shipping $94.40 and the poor exchange rate $0.74 Australia to $1 USA to buy from overseas works out still $80 cheaper- that is still a respectable saving that I will be happy to make.

Watch out - the 74c is the official exchange rate (actually its currently 73.6 and going down) and you won't get an official exchange rate on a consumer purchase. All the ebay exchange rates are look official but when you go to ay you won't get the same rate. You also don't get the rate when you press "buy now" but when they process the payment - on large orders they bet on any change favouring them and may hold onto it deliberately.
Also if you pay in USD using a CC you will be charged for an International exchange fee by your credit card.

Then you have to weigh things up against things like waiting for the order. things going wrong with the order and having to send things back yada yada. For me it has to be at least ~20% on larger items and ~50% on smaller ones especially if I can drive down the road and pick one up right now.

**FenceFurniture** · 12th July 2018, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Bohdan

As it's over $1000 wouldn't there be import duty payable as well?

Ah, well, this brings up a point that we haven't covered yet, I don't believe. (certainly not as nauseum, in the usual custom).

What is the $1000 limit used on overseas? Is it just the goods, or goods + freight. If the latter then they shouldn't be charging GST on this order. That means when it hits our border there'll be
A) Import Duty of 5%
B) GST on the goods + freight + Import duty (so the ID is now 5.5%)
C) A delay of about a week in delivery and paperwork/liaising to do

Net saving 1.9% and the local guy is one step closer to the grave.

Originally Posted by DomAU

I think about 15% is my "buy overseas" limit for luxuries

Yup. Unless, as Bob points out, it's a really cheap item. I wouldn't even bother saving $10 on an item that's $20 locally if that's all the purchase was. Different if I'm consolidating several purchases into a box at the freighter.

**aldav** · 12th July 2018, 06:15 PM

You don't pay GST on Import Duty. Some of the items in that shopping cart would probably not attract duty. Very hard to say what the outcome would be without completing the purchase and even then I'd be skeptical about the possibility of getting the same result twice. Just based on experience.

**DomAU** · 12th July 2018, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

Watch out - the 74c is the official exchange rate (actually its currently 73.6 and going down) and you won't get an official exchange rate on a consumer purchase. All the ebay exchange rates are look official but when you go to ay you won't get the same rate. You also don't get the rate when you press "buy now" but when they process the payment - on large orders they bet on any change favouring them and may hold onto it deliberately.
Also if you pay in USD using a CC you will be charged for an International exchange fee by your credit card.

Then you have to weigh things up against things like waiting for the order. things going wrong with the order and having to send things back yada yada. For me it has to be at least ~20% on larger items and ~50% on smaller ones especially if I can drive down the road and pick one up right now.

Yep, Paypal especially is a major rip-off. About a year or two ago Paypal begun allowing you to select "use my credit card exchange rate" or some such instead of the paypal conversion rate. In my experience you will nearly always get a significantly better exchange rate through your credit card (unless it is not a typical card) than using paypal to convert. I actually have a credit card with zero international transaction fees or conversion fees so I get the inter-bank exchange rate on all overseas purchases - which saves me 3% of the total purchase price over a typical credit card and about 4-5% over the typical paypal conversion.

I agree that if it's something I need, is less than about $200, and I can drive a short distance / get it immediately I will nearly always be happy to pay a large premium. However, I can't buy woodworking tools locally so I nearly always order online, and given that overseas postage is typically faster than local, if the price is also significantly cheaper, it's often an easy decision. Having said that I really love going into a woodworking / tools shop, picking something out, paying for it and taking it with me on the day; and I am happy to pay a significant premium for this. It's actually a relief to me that most good woodworking tools are now not worth buying overseas - I'll buy less and will enjoy buying some stuff at woodshows from the Australian vendors in person.

Cheers,

Dom

**Lappa** · 12th July 2018, 08:54 PM

The problem is that there’s less and less Australian vendors attending shows. Got an email from a Carbatec saying they won’t be there, but if I go to their shop on the days the show is on, I’ll save 10%..

**DomAU** · 12th July 2018, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lappa

The problem is that there’s less and less Australian vendors attending shows. Got an email from a Carbatec saying they won’t be there, but if I go to their shop on the days the show is on, I’ll save 10%..

That's a bit crap. Also, in effect, not going to the show and then competing for your attendance!

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