Why is there import charges on secondhand items?

[stelpher]

My recent overseas item browsing show many items now attract huge import tax fees. This even applies to second hand clothes (jeans /jacket) coming from the US. A secondhand jacket listed at  US$23 attracts a $9.22 import tax levy. Thats ridiculous!

[daveysgame]

Just wondering if you ended up finding out about the import fee, I have recently brought a U.S.$40 item, shipping was U.S.$60 and it cost me U.S.$119 with a U.S.$19 import fee, I have rounded the amouunts off to the nearest dollar to save a brain strain haha.
Seperate and irrelevent to that, the dollar conversion meant it cost me about $180Aud.
I am happy with the item and total price because it is a rare item but the $19 import fee got me considering it is an item that is about 40 years old.

[lyndal1838]

Second hand goods are subject to GST.....they have always been subject to GST if an Australian seller is registered for GST and now that the GST is being charged on low value imports ebay is deemed to be the seller for the purpose of GST.

If the seller is using the GSP they also charge an "Import Fee" to cover their charges for collecting the GST.

[c_mount]

Mr Australian Government

[porcelain_dolls_by_me]

What a total waste of bandwith

[imastawka]

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@porcelain_dolls_by_me wrote:

What a total waste of bandwith

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The pic or the poster?

[lyndal1838]

What do you think Stawks?

[imastawka]

Probably both.

[christopher6871]

Today I bought an item on eBay that was second hand. It cost about $1600. And it was from the US. I was charged after I made my bid and couldn’t back out $700 “import tax”. This is 43.75% tax. It’s not right.

[tazzieterror]

It's always prudent to take a look at what import taxes and duties might apply to a purchase prior to making it. What sort of item was it?

[daveysgame]

christopher6871 that is so wrong no matter what the excuse or reason, there is no justification that stretches to virtually half the items price, it is all about us getting screwed,