Anyone had a package come thru customs after 1 July that did not already have GST paid?

[the_2nd_zoo]

What is the actual process for under 1K items imported where the seller has not paid GST and it is considered a consumer purchase?

[lyndal1838]

You are missing the point stylesilver......the GST on items over $1000 has always been paid at the border.  Nothing has changed there.

What is new is that the GST on low value items will be charged when you pay for the goods.

There will always be some low value goods that will slip through the net, depending on whether you buy directly from an overseas supplier or through ebay but I believe the majority of buyers will pay the GST.

[brerrabbit585]

Read the last line.

Goods over $1,000 will be processed at the border, goods under $1,000 will have GST applied at the point of sale.

[stylesilver]

OK Brerrabbit & Lyndal! Got it ... And got my parcels yesterday! Yes no changes... they came thru quickly & no charges owing. And neither of these companies collected the Gst.

[redders_60]

I've been buying on the Asian version of an ebay type site for the last month or so. (Which I found in the scroll down lower "recommended" section here on ebay when I put something in my watch list) - the link took me offsite. For which I'm glad!

Parcels arrive within 1 week from order date on average. Prices far less than the Chinese on ebay & no customs duties. Many small parcels of homewares & such for personal use from China; HK; Taiwan; Phillipines & Malaysia. You don't even have to speak their language! Cheaper than a $2 shop & delivered to your mailbox!

The sad part is I really didn't know I wanted something like a rotary vegie peeler until I bought one for 29c including postage - It rips through pumpkin skin as easily as if it were a potato or carrot! A great find for one who has nerve damaged hands like me!

[redders_60]

As I've had several via ebay private messages about the site to which I was redirected by ebay. The answer is Vova. I'm hoping that I won't get chastised by saying this here; Especially considering ebay directed me there!

[everard6920]

You'll only have to pay it on shipments under $1000 if the site you're buying from has registered to collect the GST. This is because Malcolm and friends found it too troublesome and costly to implement it at the border (which would be the only way to ensure that everyone pays).

One of my overseas suppliers has already emailed me and told me to email them my orders from now on, rather than buying on the eBay-like site, to avoid having to pay the GST.

I can imagine that type of thing will be happening a lot - in particular, there'll be a lot of little paper notes going in with eBay orders telling Australian buyers to buy from their off-eBay site, or via email, and save 10%.

[beryl_green]

I recently bought an item from the Chinese Aliexpress site and was charged the GST on the purchase at checkout.

[everard6920]

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@beryl_green wrote:

I recently bought an item from the Chinese Aliexpress site and was charged the GST on the purchase at checkout.

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Yes, generally speaking, it's the "big" sites that have signed up - although not all of them have. As of a few days ago, Marks & Spencer hadn't. As in my example, if the "big" site is an e-commerce platform like eBay, Aliexpress or Rakuten, then the seller and buyer can easily circumvent it.

Joe from Kansas selling custom stickers on his own website isn't going to sign up either, and nobody, including our government, can make him.

If this legislation was implemented in a way that was fair and effective, then I might feel guilty about circumventing it. As it stands, it's just a money grab to keep Gerry Harvey and friends happy, so I don't.

[marwi5023]

Gerry loves horses. Horses cost a lot of money. Gerry needs lots of money to continue loving horses.
I love horses too but only in gravy wrapped in pastry. Yum yum

[stylesilver]

Yess! I bought a Veggie spiralizer?  -But from China Ebay I think -1/4 the price of the stores here... Was totally unaware that my life was not complete!! till I started eating zuccini noodles! And yes ! it seems to be only the biggg online outlets have been contacted by the Govt. to start collecting for them! And there was silly me thinking somehow customs would be doing it!

On another note ; Has anyone here had a parcel from Os go thru FED EX Sydney's OWN customs centre AND had a problem???

Ive only had 2 parcels go thru there & both of them opened by the officers there..AND both times there was something missing..(which my suppliers insist was in the parcel when they packed it) ....seems Fedex 's own customs officers are light fingered Loui s... If ya get my drift...