import charges

[family_gj_aj_dd]

Hello All,  Have noticed lately there are import charges on international purchases. Payable in the currency of the country you are buying from.  This is in addition to the Global shipping program charges.  

Australia does not have import charges for items under 1000$.  Have been having to pay these charges for items under

200$.  Thought it was the GST  under the guise of Import Charges.  But this works out far more than the 10% GST Australia now has on international purchases. 

Vouchers/ coupons are also not available for the length of time stated. Had one that was supposed to be available until the 8th of July.

It disappeared today, the 6th July.  

[papermoon.lady]

The postage charge is GBP 11.13, but sorry, when I said it is not a small item I was wrong, The item they sell is actually very small, but it was on something big in the photo, so even GBP 11.13 is a lot for something that fits into a small padded envelope.

I don't know if the GST is separate. Usually it is at checkout (I bought a small item from Germany, and other people said the same), but considering the amount of this import charge it might be included. You would hope so at least.

Someone who has actually gone through the checkout might be able to let us know.

[brerrabbit585]

I put something in my cart and then went to checkout and the charges show exactly the same as on the listing, ie. no EXTRA amounts have been added.  It was a GSP item.  I didn't complete checkout as I had no intention of buying it.  

Item cost:  $9.95 US

Postage:  $17.95 US

Import charges:  $6.76 US

GST would be $2.79 US so PB is charging an extra $3.97 US on this item.  I can't be bothered trying it on another item so see if they're charging a standard fee.  Someone else can do that.  It's easy enough to find GSP items to experiment.

[davewil1964]

I don't know likely it is, but, maybe PB are sdimply scaling down the charges they use for above $1k items.

ie Those all attract customs duties as well as GST, in the main, so PB have algorithmed it for items under $1k.

We are talking about a 'modern' company, so they would automate as much as they could. Especially if the alternative was to pay a person or persons to accurately calculate charges. Or a cadet programmer for 2 days to rejig the algorithm. As opposed to being guaranteed a larger profit due to knowing they are overcharging, but being untouchable by Australian law.

[papermoon.lady]

This is for an item that is about 20-25 grams. Absolutely ridiculous! Yes, the item is expensive too, that's why with the GST and GSP and their import charges it costs almost AUD150 to send it to Australia.

[padi*0409]

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@papermoon.lady wrote:

This is for an item that is about 20-25 grams. Absolutely ridiculous! Yes, the item is expensive too, that's why with the GST and GSP and their import charges it costs almost AUD150 to send it to Australia.

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If you're actually wanting to buy it then you should contact the seller as with my first tip on the "perspective" thread.

If however you're just picking a listing with high postage using the GSP, then maybe you're in the same boat as another GSP hater that rarely gives alternative avenues.............................

[papermoon.lady]

Actually I did buy from this seller, and they did offer First Class if it was better for me.

However, you can still miss out.

On another occasion an item sold while I was waiting for a reply, and on top of that the seller said if I found someething else it was OK for them to use normal mail. Unfortunately they didn't have anything else I liked though.

[c_mount]

Yeah we all know about that.....that is not what the OP is talking about...

[c_mount]

That is disgusting. Perhaps we need to lobby the idiot who pushed this whole saga to look at this.

[papermoon.lady]

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@papermoon.lady wrote:

Actually I did buy from this seller, and they did offer First Class if it was better for me.

 

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It was not this item, it was something similar (same size) a few months ago.

They made me pay only $20 for First Class.

The item arrived in just one week and the tracking even worked on the Australia Post website.

[family_gj_aj_dd]

Agreed.  It does stink.  What can one do though, apart from refrain from purchasing internationally. 

😞