Buying Electronics overseas

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#630835 26-May-2012 20:07

kyhwana2:
keewee01:
You could be asked to produce the receipt for it to prove you bought it before you left... now what are you going to do?

What if you bought something second hand?

It makes no difference if goods are new or second hand.

sbiddle

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#630837 26-May-2012 20:12

gregmcc:the same could also be said for the undies you are wearing.... got a recipt??. Just dump the box/manuals/recipt etc, keet the charger/usb cable but take the twist ties off them and straighten them out, put your contacts in the phone, make sure you take your NZ sim card with you and put it in the phone. Make it look used

Undies are exempt, as are expensive watches.

At the end of the day you're signing an official declaration to say you dp/don't have goods in excess of the duty free allowance. If customs do search your bags and find goods they will ask for receipts and if you don't have them they will estimate values. It's up to the individual if they want to lie on this form, because if you do get caught you'll a) have to pay the GST and b) will be fined for making a false declaration.

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#630865 26-May-2012 21:32

Sticking it in your pocket changes nothing - you are still entering the country with something you need to pay GST or duty on!

What nonsense. You can purchase whatever you like for personal consumption without fear of gift duty. My wife and I travel annually to the US and buy all our stuff for the coming 12 months and never had a thing said about it in 15 years.

khull

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#630871 26-May-2012 22:08

Legalities aside, most electronics are fine, the worry comes with electrical items such as kitchen appliances which may not be dual voltage

Nety

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#630872 26-May-2012 22:08

Ah that is not nonsense. Suggest you maybe need to read the NZ customs site. Clothing yes.. most other things no.

http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/charges/dutyfree/Pages/default.aspx

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#630887 26-May-2012 23:09

kyhwana2:
keewee01:
You could be asked to produce the receipt for it to prove you bought it before you left... now what are you going to do?

What if you bought something second hand?

No difference. I was going to Sydney one time, I bought my stuff via eBay and had them in NZ. I had with me lenses and a digital SLR in a bag, 3 lenses, tripod etc ..

I had just a daypack so they picked me out for a check. So they said these look new ..... then they said are you a professional cos professionals needs to be pay tax on photography.

What professionals do and what nervous amateurs do - they go to the NZ Customs Office and bring their equipment and ask the officer to process a form for them which contains the item description and the serial numbers ... So this document can be showed to the officer you had the goods before you left NZ. They (I) also used it when I sent my dSLR to Japan for warranty so Japan didn't get taxed and when they ship it back to me, they put it back in so NZ didn't charge me tax.

scuwp

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#630888 26-May-2012 23:14

You can (should) sign the customs declaration form for any goods you have with you when you leave the country that may be valued at over the $700 limit. That way you have no issues bringing them back in as you have proof. You may be lucky 99% of the time, but one day some customs official is going to take exception to it and make a point.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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#630891 27-May-2012 00:15

scuwp: You can (should) sign the customs declaration form for any goods you have with you when you leave the country that may be valued at over the $700 limit. That way you have no issues bringing them back in as you have proof. You may be lucky 99% of the time, but one day some customs official is going to take exception to it and make a point.

I highly doubt a mobile phone would be questioned if it was carried on your person and not new in box - especially because the vast majority of people taking their $1000+ smartphones overseas (so anyone with the latest iphone) would not declare them as they leave.

Technically maybe they should, but in reality i doubt this happens.

beehappy

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#630903 27-May-2012 08:05

Hi
Thanks for all the replies but I dont want to know about duty or gst

my questions are about buying electronics in China or Hong Kong

1. Is it much cheaper (than buying in NZ)

2. any tips how to avoid fakes

3. Any advice of good reliable places to shop

Many thanks
pete

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#630909 27-May-2012 08:59

In terms of photography, HKG in our experience has been 20% cheaper but you had to bargain with cantonese. I have family there and I go to places that are recommended on photography sites. At a guess the tags might be 10% less if you know where to go. If you go to the tourist strip it may be more than NZ and it may be a import without the manufacturer's warranty. Part of the process is to bargain or you may be stung.

Fortress in HKG reputable it is a chain store may be more $$.

Most people I know buy in HKG than China.

Over the yrs NZ's prices has improved a lot. Esp that with also parallel imports here.

May be worthwhile to ask a question on Lonely Planet or such with people in the know how...

http://www.fortress.com.hk/fortress/jsp/sys/Sf_render.jsp?hf_s_id=FT11&hf_srv_id=Pv_fcu_home&hf_locale_id=ch&hs_action_id=chg_locale

Fortress don't do bargaining. It is what it is.

surfisup1000

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#630932 27-May-2012 10:59

sbiddle: You have to pay GST if you bring more than $750 worth of goods back into the country, both of these products will exceed that individually so you'll have to factor that in.

Perhaps.

I've been over the threshold in past years. I always declare as maybe they will confiscate your goods and issue a fine. Yet they have never asked me to pay GST so far.

Avoid fakes by checking packaging, spelling, and quality of the goods before you leave the shop.

And, too cheap to be true might be an indicator to raise suspicions.

keewee01

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#630933 27-May-2012 10:59

networkn:

Sticking it in your pocket changes nothing - you are still entering the country with something you need to pay GST or duty on!

What nonsense. You can purchase whatever you like for personal consumption without fear of gift duty. My wife and I travel annually to the US and buy all our stuff for the coming 12 months and never had a thing said about it in 15 years.

[Sorry this is OT, but just need to correct the inaccuracy of networkn's statement so that people are not put wrong.]

networkn - you are so wrong!!! Read the link that Nety posted and understand all the points you are wrong on.

You're OK with things covered by the Wearing apparel and personal effects concession, but everything else comes under the Personal goods concession which only has a total combined value of NZ$700 - over that and you must declare it - otherwise you are breaking the customs laws.

I look forward to your apology once you have read this. ;)

beehappy

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#630936 27-May-2012 11:04

rayonline: In terms of photography, HKG in our experience has been 20% cheaper but you had to bargain with cantonese. I have family there and I go to places that are recommended on photography sites. At a guess the tags might be 10% less if you know where to go. If you go to the tourist strip it may be more than NZ and it may be a import without the manufacturer's warranty. Part of the process is to bargain or you may be stung.

Fortress in HKG reputable it is a chain store may be more $$.

Most people I know buy in HKG than China.

Over the yrs NZ's prices has improved a lot. Esp that with also parallel imports here.

May be worthwhile to ask a question on Lonely Planet or such with people in the know how...

http://www.fortress.com.hk/fortress/jsp/sys/Sf_render.jsp?hf_s_id=FT11&hf_srv_id=Pv_fcu_home&hf_locale_id=ch&hs_action_id=chg_locale

Fortress don't do bargaining. It is what it is.

Thanks Great info tried the link the price is on a par with here in NZ so I will buy here as no problems with warranty etc.
keen to go to Shenzhen after talking to young chap in Harvey Norman he said we would love it as both boys and girls shopping.
Many thanks Pete

keewee01

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#630937 27-May-2012 11:08

beehappy:
rayonline: In terms of photography, HKG in our experience has been 20% cheaper but you had to bargain with cantonese. I have family there and I go to places that are recommended on photography sites. At a guess the tags might be 10% less if you know where to go. If you go to the tourist strip it may be more than NZ and it may be a import without the manufacturer's warranty. Part of the process is to bargain or you may be stung.

Fortress in HKG reputable it is a chain store may be more $$.

Most people I know buy in HKG than China.

Over the yrs NZ's prices has improved a lot. Esp that with also parallel imports here.

May be worthwhile to ask a question on Lonely Planet or such with people in the know how...

http://www.fortress.com.hk/fortress/jsp/sys/Sf_render.jsp?hf_s_id=FT11&hf_srv_id=Pv_fcu_home&hf_locale_id=ch&hs_action_id=chg_locale

Fortress don't do bargaining. It is what it is.

Thanks Great info tried the link the price is on a par with here in NZ so I will buy here as no problems with warranty etc.
keen to go to Shenzhen after talking to young chap in Harvey Norman he said we would love it as both boys and girls shopping.
Many thanks Pete

And if you manage to haggle a great price in NZ then it's a real bonus!! :)

Enjoy your trip!

kyhwana2

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#631073 27-May-2012 17:37

sbiddle:
kyhwana2:
keewee01:
You could be asked to produce the receipt for it to prove you bought it before you left... now what are you going to do?

What if you bought something second hand?

It makes no difference if goods are new or second hand.

I mean, if you bought something second hand in NZ and thus don't have a receipt for it? (Of course, you wouldn't be bringing it into the country with all the boxes/manuals/etc)

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