GST on online sales over $20

[misterforgetfulsbooks]

Why not just get ebay to collect it off the sale of anything sold here in Australia?

ie: you sell items in Australia, you pay Australian taxes - level playing field

[fishontap12]

I know all about the GST as I have a buisness outside of Ebay and I am not complaining , this is about how big retailers  are manipulating everything in there favour to get rid of smaller sellers just like they did with B&M stores over the years. They are now taking over every facet of internet selling and if you smaller sellers think Ebay are going to keep you around your dreaming.

Just another point, I do not mind paying the 10% GST on imported goods it will be the administration fee that no-ones is talking about that will be the killer........................ 

[everard6920]

I've been thinking about this a lot since the proposal was announced, and I'm honestly surprised that there isn't more outrage about this.

I question the ethicality of it. If I purchase an item from Japan (at retail), then I pay Japanese sales tax. When I import it, our goverment wants to charge me a goods and services tax for an item that 1. I've already paid tax on and 2. isn't their goods or service.

Do we really think this is ethical?

What about items that aren't available in the Australian domestic market? There are plenty of them, as we all know (eg: cultural items). Adding a 10% tax to them isn't helping anyone in this country, if the item isn't available here anyway.

As many people have pointed out, the price difference between the same item here and overseas is greater than 10% in most cases. Adding the GST itself won't discourage people buying from overseas, but the collection fee may.

A percentage collection fee would be even more unethical, imo (because you can calculate how much it costs to collect - I don't see how it could cost more to collect $100 GST than it does to collect $10 GST).

If it's a set collection fee, then it's going to affect small purchases more than large purchases:

If I buy something worth $20, that's an extra $2 + $5. Increasing the cost by almost a third.

If I buy something worth $200, that's an extra $20 + $5. A much smaller percentage of the overall cost.

 It's possible that people will buy MORE to offset any set collection fee. If it's a percentage collection fee, then it'll be the opposite.

Zzzz

[harley_babes_hoard]

this might just push a few more people onto the unemployment benefits as well. if you are outraged go to joe hockey's fackbook or twitter pages and have your say.

[everard6920]

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@harley_babes_hoard wrote:
this might just push a few more people onto the unemployment benefits as well. if you are outraged go to joe hockey's fackbook or twitter pages and have your say.

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I've written to Annastacia Palaszczuk (QLD Premier). I encourage anyone else who is unhappy with this decision to write to their Premier. Don't wait until it's implemented and then complain. Complain now.

[harley_babes_hoard]

https://www.facebook.com/JoeHockeyMP?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/joehockey

[lurehouse]

Yes the collection fee will be the killer and this is all to do with bowing down to the big retailers , look at ebay now they are taking over here as well and thats why I am getting out ASAP. I am disabled and do not have to work but I choose too but if this goes thorough it will just be too hard here with all ebays fees as well so I will concentrate on my website. 

[joethenuts]

what is wrong with some of you.

you are complaining its going to effect your business ,if you were buying from overseas now and spending over $1000  you would of already paying the gst ,now if you spend less you will have to pay gst , but so will a gst be added to overseas sellers ,thats what this is all about -overseas goods] so if your price will go up so will the chinese prices for them to sell.  

small shops large shops all businesses pay gst for goods , now custermers who want to buy from overseas will have to.

whats your problem.mmmm

[gec2002]

Everard6290 stated  "I question the ethicality of it."

How is it ethical that someone buying from a local small business buys an item for $11 which includes $1 GST and supports a local Australian small business, and provides taxes for the States, however if they buy it from some overseas seller its cheaper only $10 because there is no GST and does nothing to support Australia.  Now you can claim they probably bought it in a less than $1000 lot so didn't pay GST either, but a $1000 of stock is a little order for even a small business, and if they are buying in lots of $999 they too are working the system.  Sure this will help big business, but it will help a lot of small businesses become more competitive with the overseas sellers.

" I purchase an item from Japan (at retail), then I pay Japanese sales tax."

Sorry but Japanese Consumption Tax (their GST) is exempt if sales of goods are treated as an export transaction.  (5003 Consumption Tax Exemption on Exports) similiar to Australia.  Any tax paid can be claimed back.

[harley_babes_hoard]

what is wrong with you Joe. don't you darn well read. Man sometimes you are thick.

[joethenuts]

what are you talking about