camera doctor 25 Report post Posted January 11, 2011 I have just got a letter from NZ Customs about a parcel of camera parts from USA I know there has been a lot of questions on here regarding payment of GST and fees on imported goods, so I thought I'd post this scan of the letter from NZ Customs which explains it fairly clearly. Of course if you are GST registered, you claim the GST back, but you still are up for the transaction fee and Biosecurity Levy. So, as has been mentioned before, if you keep your purchases under NZ $400 they will go straight thru, as the GST is under the $60 level. Customs.pdf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camera doctor 25 Report post Posted January 11, 2011 Oh and the $400 INCLUDES postage costs, so watch out for that Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forrest 35 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks Greg for that very useful. Currently have a $350 package rolling past Hawaii, lucky I didn't buy anymore Been stung before and it sucks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaseNZ 53 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) Yup , Can you get busted if you try bringing anything in that's under the price you paid for it. Ie the declaration on said package that arrived at my door today was only for $100 where as it cost a lot more than the NZ $400 Edited January 12, 2011 by M-Spec Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 they can hold the item.. contact you and ask you to provide proof of payment for the stated amount. had it happen to me once. especially if the item(s) look more than $400 or the stated amount. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaseNZ 53 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks good to know, Only ever bought in 2 separate items and they were good enough not to put the full amount on the package. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phatputer 3 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 I had a package of $380 US + Postage, took it around the $450 US ... shouldn't have, but got through customs to me without having to pay GST, just got lucky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joshnz 2 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 I just had a near on 2grand camera package arrive from HK, marked as a gift and 'valued' at $380, didn't even realize the seller would put that on the box. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaseNZ 53 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 I heard or seen on tv the govt were looking at maybe scrapping this gst on product's you bring in or raising the level or something. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaz 1042 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 I heard or seen on tv the govt were looking at maybe scrapping this gst on product's you bring in or raising the level or something. Yip http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries...on-some-imports Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 damn em!! damn em!!! its already so expensive to buy stuff here.. then they go spoil the last hurrah we have!!..they already taxing me to death with their tax on tax on tax on petrol.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
318Touring 40 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 damn em!! damn em!!! its already so expensive to buy stuff here.. then they go spoil the last hurrah we have!!..they already taxing me to death with their tax on tax on tax on petrol.. It's the wish of the Retailers Association to have GST charged on all packages coming in, while the Government is not too keen to collect small change. Reading on a few more paragraphs the Retailers Association don't even know how to get GST collected on all purchases. "Mr Albertson said the association had not worked out how to collect the GST on online purchases would work, but he believed there "must be" a way to divert the tax to the Government when the purchases were made, with most of the transactions made on credit or debit cards." Yeah right, would Visa and MasterCard do this work for the government for free? Will there be a cut that the Government have to pay for the card issuers? So it's going to be GST + additional fee? Wishful thinking, and unlikely to happen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sick Puppy 1 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 For all the bitching and whining the retailers make about internet sales taking business away from them, they could just be more competitive... I'm buying stuff from legit businesses overseas, I'm not messing about with a mere one-ninth discount (yeah it's 15% now, but it's been a while), it's more like 30-40%... I can buy some[i/] hand tools and get them shipped to me from the UK for cheaper than what I can buy here... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 (edited) For all the bitching and whining the retailers make about internet sales taking business away from them, they could just be more competitive... I'm buying stuff from legit businesses overseas, I'm not messing about with a mere one-ninth discount (yeah it's 15% now, but it's been a while), it's more like 30-40%... I can buy some[i/] hand tools and get them shipped to me from the UK for cheaper than what I can buy here... Fair comment mate but in my particular situation it's very very hard to be competitive when you're competing with someone on the internet selling goods, (in some cases out of their own homes) that you can't afford to compete with by the time you take your overheads into account, overheads such as rent, insurance, wages, professional fees, taxes, GST, e.t.c e.t.c!!! I think the GST thing of items purchased overseas is just a perk for the government. Yes I think it should apply to businesses importing goods for domestic sale, however I believe it shouldn't in non-business related importations. For example, when I moved back from Australia 5 years ago, I had a TV, some furniture, other various household items in a large crate. They wanted the GST content of everything purchased two years ago over there which I thought was a wrought, even when I paid GST over there for the goods, they explained that I could claim the GST back from the ATO but it turned out I couldn't. Maybe people should have a one time per 12 months free waiver for example. Edited January 13, 2011 by The Diesel Guy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 i honestly think its fair.If a business has to pay gst and other charges to import an itme for sale in nz then those exact same charges should apply to every item bought in to the country,otherise its not just the retailer that mises out. If there are taxes and charges to be paid,everyone should pay em.I beleive customs are gonna get much more savvy on the false invoice side of things. With the government borowing 300 million a week just to make ends meet they gotta.Our balance of payments is 90 percent of gst which is the same sort of number as greece ireland and portugal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Avenged.SSE 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2011 For all the bitching and whining the retailers make about internet sales taking business away from them, they could just be more competitive... I'm buying stuff from legit businesses overseas, I'm not messing about with a mere one-ninth discount (yeah it's 15% now, but it's been a while), it's more like 30-40%... I can buy some[i/] hand tools and get them shipped to me from the UK for cheaper than what I can buy here... Sadly, I don't know how much more competitive they can get. I feel sorry for NZ retailers, if you want to provide goods/services on a local level, the population you're catering for is quite small, if you want to provide products/services on an international level, you've got the distance barrier, and, China's always going to do it cheaper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaz 1042 Report post Posted January 17, 2011 Does anyone know if I buy something second hand from a private sale, eg off ebay/overseas forums, will I still get charged GST? I had a quick look around the Customs website but couldn't find anything on it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
