Apple shopping duty free?

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chiefie

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Topic # 242441 28-Oct-2018 20:27

Hello, I'm going over to Sydney this week and looking to get Homepod while over there. Anyone know if Apple Store can do duty free pricing? Or otherwise, how do I claim back Australian GST? And namely, what to look out for in terms of "duty free" shopping?

Been a while doing abroad travelling and just looking for refresh shopping tips.

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Reply # 2115598 28-Oct-2018 20:27

Allow me to introduce you folks to our new travel community: TravelTalk NZ.

We hope to see you there!

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

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Reply # 2115600 28-Oct-2018 20:30

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Buy as per normal from Apple, get them to put your address on the receipt. After you clear through Sydney Airport security there's a room where you claim the tax back (Tourist Refund Scheme). They'll get your passport, credit card details, receipt and take a look at the goods and refund the tax to your card in a couple of days.

You'll need to show them the HomePod so don't put it in your checked bag.

Just came back from Sydney with a new Apple Watch this week and did the above :)

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Reply # 2115607 28-Oct-2018 20:44

Not that you can foresee this, but the first time we left Brisbane it must've been peak travel time for a lot of departures as the TRS queue was packed. It took 30 minutes to get through the "quick lane", even with people blatantly cutting the queue because they were more important than everyone else waiting. I managed to block one of them for awhile but I turned for a split second and they'd made their way past me and a few others. I couldn't really be bothered making a deal of it because it was already chaos.

The second time we left it was empty, and ironically we had nothing to get refunds on anyway.

So plan accordingly, download the app to fill out the details beforehand and use the dedicated queue. I don't know what the Sydney one is like but the Brisbane one is horrible.

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Reply # 2115642 28-Oct-2018 20:54

It's been a while since I've used TRS but queues have never been an issue at Sydney.

Next to TRS is also the quick path to avoid all the duty free stores and chaos to get to the gate quickly. Needless to say this isn't signposted!

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Reply # 2115643 28-Oct-2018 20:58

Peppery:
Buy as per normal from Apple, get them to put your address on the receipt. After you clear through Sydney Airport security there's a room where you claim the tax back (Tourist Refund Scheme). They'll get your passport, credit card details, receipt and take a look at the goods and refund the tax to your card in a couple of days.

You'll need to show them the HomePod so don't put it in your checked bag.

Just came back from Sydney with a new Apple Watch this week and did the above :)

How much did the watch end up costing?
44mm model?

Snap decision to go to the pan pacific masters games on the Gold Coast next week so might try pick one up.

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Reply # 2115660 28-Oct-2018 22:17

I saved nearly $100 on a 40mm Apple Watch - it cost just over $600NZD after tax refund. I tried the Apple store in Adelaide but they were all sold out of the gold one. I went to David Jones and found one there!

Susanna

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Reply # 2115662 28-Oct-2018 22:30

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Nek minute...you get unlucky and have to pay duty and GST once you land in NZ and all your savings were for nothing. Oh, and you have the receipt on you to prove you didn't buy it in NZ. Hope it works out.

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Reply # 2115696 28-Oct-2018 22:36

i think it's NZD700, that's pretty high for a non apple product ... not sure about half eaten apples made of pure gold ....

Swype on iOS is detrimental to accurate typing. Apologies in advance.

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Reply # 2115711 29-Oct-2018 01:43

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scuwp:
Nek minute...you get unlucky and have to pay duty and GST once you land in NZ and all your savings were for nothing. Oh, and you have the receipt on you to prove you didn't buy it in NZ. Hope it works out.

Leaving Oz you can claim back GST if you spent at least A$300 all in one store (or in each store).

Coming into NZ you only have to declare goods obtained overseas (and/or purchased duty-free in NZ) with a total value of more than NZ$700.

So there’s a window of opportunity there of about $400 that has no GST payable on it.

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Reply # 2115720 29-Oct-2018 07:12

eracode:
scuwp:

Nek minute...you get unlucky and have to pay duty and GST once you land in NZ and all your savings were for nothing. Oh, and you have the receipt on you to prove you didn't buy it in NZ. Hope it works out.

Leaving Oz you can claim back GST if you spent at least A$300 all in one store (or in each store).

Coming into NZ you only have to declare goods obtained overseas (and/or purchased duty-free in NZ) with a total value of more than NZ$700.

So there’s a window of opportunity there of about $400 that has no GST payable on it.

As discussed in here previously the big catch is goods worth more than NZ$700 sold duty free in New Zealand - ie iPhones. Buy one of these duty free at the airport either on departure or arrival and you are legally required to declare it and pay GST and IETF fee as well as having a supplier code as it is over $1000 to bring it back into the country. This means it will cost you more than buying it in a retail store.

chiefie

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Reply # 2115786 29-Oct-2018 09:17

Cheers guys, really handy travel tips.

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Reply # 2115806 29-Oct-2018 09:22

Slightly off topic, but congrats on the HomePod – still love mine so much!

Oh and make sure you don't buy anything before Wednesday morning NZ/AUS time as there's always the slimmest chance that Apple will refresh/re-price the HomePod at their event this week…

chiefie

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Reply # 2115813 29-Oct-2018 09:36

@Benjip nice! I'm not there until Wednesday evening, so most likely I'll have a bit of time to go shopping on Saturday morning or Sunday morning - returning Sunday late afternoon.

I'm also not sure if I should jump on getting Homepod now, or wait for 2nd gen - it's not a must to get one, just curious itchy.

Another question - more a request for help - without doing the calculation, will I be subjected to NZ duty fee with carrying Homepod back into NZ?

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eracode

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Reply # 2115816 29-Oct-2018 09:41

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sbiddle:
eracode:
scuwp:

Nek minute...you get unlucky and have to pay duty and GST once you land in NZ and all your savings were for nothing. Oh, and you have the receipt on you to prove you didn't buy it in NZ. Hope it works out.

Leaving Oz you can claim back GST if you spent at least A$300 all in one store (or in each store).

Coming into NZ you only have to declare goods obtained overseas (and/or purchased duty-free in NZ) with a total value of more than NZ$700.

So there’s a window of opportunity there of about $400 that has no GST payable on it.

As discussed in here previously the big catch is goods worth more than NZ$700 sold duty free in New Zealand - ie iPhones. Buy one of these duty free at the airport either on departure or arrival and you are legally required to declare it and pay GST and IETF fee as well as having a supplier code as it is over $1000 to bring it back into the country. This means it will cost you more than buying it in a retail store.

I think we all understand that - in this thread the OP is looking at buying a HomePod.

At around A$500 it’s right in the sweet-spot.

sbiddle

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Reply # 2115819 29-Oct-2018 09:46

chiefie:

@Benjip nice! I'm not there until Wednesday evening, so most likely I'll have a bit of time to go shopping on Saturday morning or Sunday morning - returning Sunday late afternoon.

I'm also not sure if I should jump on getting Homepod now, or wait for 2nd gen - it's not a must to get one, just curious itchy.

Another question - more a request for help - without doing the calculation, will I be subjected to NZ duty fee with carrying Homepod back into NZ?

Providing you don't exceed the allowance of NZ$700 worth of goods, no.

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