Author Topic: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post  (Read 9478 times)

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Offline Raym

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GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« on: May 24, 2018, 02:10:58 PM »
Received this today as I have used Shopmate to import a rocking horse book


GST is coming for low value imports – understand what it means for you when using ShopMate
 

Hi Ray,

 The Australian Government has passed laws which extend the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to low value imports of physical goods.

 This change will mean that from 1 July 2018, Australia Post will be required to collect GST from you on items valued at $1,000AUD or less that you ship into Australia using ShopMate, and pay that GST to the Australian Tax Office (ATO). The rate of GST is 10%.

 The existing processes to collect GST on imports with values above $1,000AUD will remain the same.
 


   Find out more 
 


GST will be payable on:

1.The value of the item(s) you are shipping into Australia via ShopMate including any shipping fees or local taxes paid to the USA retailer, and
2.The value of the ShopMate shipping and service fee (including Extra Cover if applicable)


From 1 July 2018, each time you check out a ShopMate parcel and declare the value of the goods, you will be asked to provide payment for your ShopMate shipping and the applicable GST all in the same transaction.

What you need to do:
 Within 48 hours of providing payment for each ShopMate transaction you will need to email Australia Post the invoice you receive from your USA retailer.*

How to email us your invoice:

1.Simply email a copy of your USA retailer invoice to ShopMateInvoice@auspost.com.au
2.Include your first and last name and ShopMate Suite Number in the email subject line ?Your suite number is the second address line of your ShopMate USA address
?e.g. Subject line: John Smith, Suite SM-2364-5833


Offline loanrangie

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2018, 07:51:54 PM »
This has been talked about for the last year, was meant to come into force 01/01/2018 but the ATO still don't know how they will collect the GST.
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Offline Fizzie

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2018, 01:28:39 PM »
But they're saying you're going to pay GST on shipping costs ???

We don't pay GST on stamps or inside-Oz courier costs (I don't think ???), so why would we have to pay it on international goods ???

Real can of worms someone is opening up here :'(

BiL's two sons are currently living in Germany & Canada - they send Mum & Dad presents for birthday / Chrissie then Mum & Dad are liable for paying GST on delivery costs of their presents ??? :o, & who calculates the value of the item, as their won't be an invoice included ::)
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Offline corndog

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2018, 02:18:40 PM »
Not sure on this but I'll throw it in.  What happens if you pay sales tax from the country you buy it from, then pay tax when it comes into the country. Your paying tax on tax.

Offline Cruiser 105Tvan

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2018, 02:32:36 PM »
Not sure on this but I'll throw it in.  What happens if you pay sales tax from the country you buy it from, then pay tax when it comes into the country. Your paying tax on tax.
That's right, the ATO don't care that much.
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Offline Cruiser 105Tvan

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2018, 06:48:36 PM »
It's still a bit rude, all the same.
What happens when you have something that's delivered by Courier.
Doesn't come through the Post Office at all.
Does the Courier have to collect GST before they hand over your goods.
I can't see the Courier Companies hanging on to stuff till you pay. 
Not when they're so willing to leave Items on your front Steps in plain sight.
Ready for any one to walk off with, before you get back home.
None of the Courier Companies will want a bar of it.
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Offline duggie

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2018, 07:06:39 PM »
I don't know how they ( the government and the tax mob ) can even consider a GST on these goods . The GST - Goods and Service Tax is and should only apply to goods or service that is/has been done in Australia .
As these goods and the service required ( package and posting ) has been done off shore , how does a GST get added ? The sender has paid the cost for the service component (postage) and in some cases we the buyer have already paid a tax on the goods .
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Offline corndog

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2018, 07:22:14 PM »
It's just another way to rape and pillage us.

Offline Fizzie

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2018, 09:30:21 AM »
& it keeps Mr Harvey happy, so he can buy more racehorses, & his Mrs can build more high-rise units where no-one wants them :'(
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Offline tryagain

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2018, 12:49:43 PM »
The ATO will just make business collect it for them like they do now, easy with Australian businesses like Auspost, whether overseas businesses decide to play ball and what they can/will do if they don't is the big question. I think there is also debate with selling platforms like eBay and Amazon and whether it's actually them or the or the actual sellers who are liable.

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2018, 12:23:53 PM »
Interesting move by Amazon
Amazon to block its US website for Aussie shoppers over new GST rules

https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/amazon-to-block-its-us-website-for-aussie-shoppers-over-new-gst-rules-20180531-p4zikr.html
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Offline Pete79

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2018, 01:12:52 PM »
Interesting move by Amazon
Amazon to block its US website for Aussie shoppers over new GST rules

https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/amazon-to-block-its-us-website-for-aussie-shoppers-over-new-gst-rules-20180531-p4zikr.html

Just logged on to post the same news.

Well done Amazon, good job keeping Australia in the dark ages for a little bit longer.....

Apparently we’re not even going to be able to see the US site any more. Just so you can’t see exactly how much you’re getting ripped off with every purchase...

Offline Bird

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2018, 01:18:36 PM »
Just logged on to post the same news.

Well done Amazon, good job keeping Australia in the dark ages for a little bit longer.....

Apparently we’re not even going to be able to see the US site any more. Just so you can’t see exactly how much you’re getting ripped off with every purchase...
VPN ;)
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Offline Pete79

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2018, 01:19:39 PM »

Offline HKB Electronics

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2018, 01:24:35 PM »
New Ebay conditions:

"From 1 July 2018, Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST) applies to the sale of low value goods (i.e. goods valued at AU $1,000 or less) imported by consumers into Australia.

eBay is considered an Electronic Distribution Platform (EDP) under the relevant legislation and therefore responsible for collecting the GST on low value imports and paying it to the Australian Government. This means that from 1 July 2018, eBay will add GST at checkout on all imports with an order value less than AU $1,000 and remit the GST to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). We will not collect GST on orders over AU $1,000.

If you are a seller with products located outside Australia, you don't have to collect GST nor remit anything to the ATO in regards to your eBay sales. Any GST that applies for low value goods bought on eBay and imported into Australia is added to the order price and collected by eBay from buyers, then remitted directly to the ATO. You still receive payment for your orders as normal However, you acknowledge and agree that 1) your prices may appear 10% higher to buyers than before if their delivery address is in Australia; and 2) we won't report GST collected to you, although we will indicate on the order details page if GST was collected by eBay.

As a seller, you must not misrepresent the location of your items on eBay and you must comply with eBay's Selling practices policy. Sellers found in violation of this policy may be subject to listing removal, warnings and suspension by eBay.

If you are a buyer, you may see "GST may apply" when viewing items on eBay that are located overseas. You acknowledge and agree that if you buy a low value item on eBay from outside Australia, you will be charged 10% GST on top of the seller's item price (applied in your cart and at checkout). If there is any dispute as to the GST you have paid on an order, you should contact eBay. If you receive a full or partial refund for your purchase, you will also receive a refund for the proportionate amount of GST."

Still we allow those that a chauffer driven to say you can't claim travelling to work expenses as a valid job related tax deduction. If we let them get away with that one no doubt we won't do any thing about this either. Its just another new tax to cover the governments spending. Pity the average worker just can't demand another pay rise when his living costs go up.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 01:36:59 PM by HKB Electronics »
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Offline edz

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #15 on: May 31, 2018, 01:43:56 PM »
Places a bit like Pirate bay etc will just set up redirection sites to get around the blocks and things will be shipped to freight forwarding sites or posted as gifts from Uncle Fred or Aunty Alice ..
Then the tax man will have to go after all the Postal and big global courier networks to get them to stop shipping into Australia. Good luck with that .
P*ss  people off enough and they will fight back one way or another .. Some Government / retailer types might like to remember that ..
Especialy when people are used to having something and someone comes along and takes it from them . .
But then again Australia is  full of a lot of "  SHEEPLE   " these days .
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 01:45:50 PM by edz »
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Offline paceman

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #16 on: May 31, 2018, 02:02:42 PM »
this is an interesting one...  only from the retailer perspective... the government have got this very wrong.

from my own experience, the vast majority of stuff i do buy from overseas is small items (for example, the led bulbs i recently got from aliexpress)...

they were a $13 purchase, so based on this law, i would have to pay an extra $1.30...

would that have stopped me from buying said item?  nope...

amazon doing what they are doing is understandable, because they have an australian alternative (which at the moment is not as good, i know, but will get better and maybe, this law will actually accelerate the improvement process of the australian amazon store)

ebay and aliexpress will just add the GST onto the item (by the looks of it).  depending on the original price (for me anyways), that's not a big deal.

i've never bought something over $300 from overseas, let alone nearly $1000.... obviously others have and do.

just my own experience and input... YMMV...  as others have said, legal options are already in place to get stuff from the US (in particular) to australia, when the US store won't post to us...  these types of options will just increase, i think...



(edit:  added government stupidity at the top)
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 02:15:59 PM by paceman »

Offline Bird

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #17 on: May 31, 2018, 02:20:00 PM »
Quote from: edz
P*ss  people off enough and they will fight back one way or another ..
..... But then again Australia is  full of a lot of "  SHEEPLE   " these days .

You beat me to it with your own answer
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Offline Pete79

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #18 on: May 31, 2018, 02:21:54 PM »
What you’ll see happen with Amazon is all prices will creep up over time until the Australian consumer gets shafted at an acceptable level.

At the moment Amazon is basically competing against itself.

This is my take on it.
They currently sell a product in the US for $100 and you can ship it to Aus for say $20.
They want to sell the same product in Australia for $130 and charge you $5 local delivery.

The fact that you can currently check the US price and make sure the AU price is fair stops their profiteering from Australian consumers.

As all the other US companies like Adobe have show us over many years, Australian consumers are ripe for the picking.
The government and the consumer watch dog a weak as piss and the companies have nothing to fear by screwing us over.
Amazon has just decided it’s easier for them if we can’t see how badly we are being screwed....

Offline Spada

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #19 on: May 31, 2018, 02:45:51 PM »
The last big ticket item I bought from overseas was a motorcycle helmet. Cheapest I could find it for in AUS was $1100'ish. I bought the same item from an online retailer in Italy for $685 delivered to my door. Even if GST was applied by either the seller (not likely because they are EU based) or collected by Australia Post (not likely, because the sender pays their countries postal organisation the postage cost), the price would have still been $350 cheaper than buying locally.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other on whether or not GST "should" be applied to offshore purchases, but if the sums still show that it's significantly cheaper to buy off-shore, then that's what I will do. I still like to buy local when I can, but at some point price wins out over convenience.
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Offline paceman

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #20 on: May 31, 2018, 02:46:31 PM »
i think part of the problem is not so much price (because it can be very dependent on the exchange rate at the time), but more so availability.

sometimes, amazon US has stuff that you just can't get here in australia...

Offline Bird

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #21 on: May 31, 2018, 03:18:40 PM »
Quote from: Spada
The last big ticket item I bought from overseas was a motorcycle helmet. Cheapest I could find it for in AUS was $1100'ish. I bought the same item from an online retailer in Italy for $685 delivered to my door. Even if GST was applied by either the seller (not likely because they are EU based) or collected by Australia Post (not likely, because the sender pays their countries postal organisation the postage cost), the price would have still been $350 cheaper than buying locally.
That's why my old boss closed the doors after 30/40 yrs in the same location - he couldn't buy accessories from the distributors for the price people could get things from overseas. They used to come in, try on things then walk out... wasted most of his day helping people with riding gear for no sales. Just does servicing now - something you cant get online ;)
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Offline HKB Electronics

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #22 on: May 31, 2018, 03:29:55 PM »
i think part of the problem is not so much price (because it can be very dependent on the exchange rate at the time), but more so availability.

sometimes, amazon US has stuff that you just can't get here in australia...

I recently purchased an item from Amazon US as it was around $30 cheaper than buying from Amazon here, I would have brought the item from my local Marine supplier but they didn't stock it. I don't mind paying a bit extra for shipping but when the local agent wants $300 to $400 more for the same item then something stinks.

Same with car spares, I can get KIA spare parts fro the US shipped here for around 1/3 - 1/2 the price of purchasing it local, granted some of the parts are made in the US but the rest is probably being shipped form Korea to the US and then back to Australia and its still half the price. Where a captive market as far as their concerned and they can charge what they like.

The Government doesn't care if your bring it in, their not interested in supporting local business, they just want their cut.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 03:35:50 PM by HKB Electronics »
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Offline Bird

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #23 on: May 31, 2018, 03:37:31 PM »
Quote from: HKB Electronics
granted some of the parts are made in the US but the rest is probably being shipped form Korea to the US and then back to Australia and its still half the price.
For years - ARB lockers - made in Kilsyth - 15 mins from here.. nearly 1/2 price from USA... dunno if its still the same.


Wonder how those buying tyres from Tirerack will go :(
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Offline achjimmy

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Re: GST on items under $1000 through Aus Post
« Reply #24 on: May 31, 2018, 03:54:36 PM »
 I think amazons move today is more about shoring up there underperforming Aussie site! Let’s face it it’s been pretty ordinary and not offered the savings the US and UK branches do, they were just to late to Au imo
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