Amazon to Block AU buyers from purchasing from Amazon.com

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#2027062 1-Jun-2018 17:13

surfisup1000:

tdgeek:

Very! One said this "I'm just as annoyed as you all, but understand that Amazon are the ones taking the shortcut here. They had the option to do what they do in the UK - selective add VAT depending on the shipping location, but no, they decide to strip access to their stores and funnel all traffic to a crappy global site."

As I see it, the rational thing is to collect the GST and remit to that country's IRD. Not hard. Maybe Amazon want to play hardball and take on a Govt? Maybe they want to retain the 15% competitive advantage? Maybe they want to fastback online taking over local retail? End of the day the people blame the Govt, so support anti competitive business practices.

Do you think they care about NZ sales? It is a fraction of a fraction of a percent.

Clearly not. But for a small issue, they should. But I'd like to know the real issue as they are dropping Oz interest as well, by reducing what Oz people can buy online. My best guess is they would rather stand firm then have other smaller online sellers have a competitive advantage, and lose the advantage they have over local retailers.

Behodar

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#2027081 1-Jun-2018 17:38

sbiddle: But Amazon already collect NZ GST, duty and IETF fees on products that incur these charges. What are the added logistics you speak of?

Do you (or anyone else) know whether Amazon collects GST for Australians at present?

sbiddle

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#2027184 1-Jun-2018 19:49

Behodar:

sbiddle: But Amazon already collect NZ GST, duty and IETF fees on products that incur these charges. What are the added logistics you speak of?

Do you (or anyone else) know whether Amazon collects GST for Australians at present?

No they don't collect Australian GST. Amazon also warned last year that they would geoblock Australia if the Australian law was passed as it was. Clearly this has come to fruition.

I still think original Stuff story is nothing but scaremongering - and the comments by some people in here aren't really that different. Amazon already collect NZ GST, duty and EITF fees where they're applicable and have done for many years. There is absolutely nothing to suggest Amazon would want (or even need) to block NZ because they're already compliant with our laws.

Pumpedd

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#2027185 1-Jun-2018 19:56

Couriers will lose a huge amount of business as my courier says that Amazon is quite a large proportion of his deliveries.

Wiggum

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#2027204 1-Jun-2018 20:22

Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

sbiddle

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#2027212 1-Jun-2018 20:50

Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

Plenty of times.

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#2027214 1-Jun-2018 20:52

if they throw a hissy fit and block NZ it's not the end of the world, alternatives abound. I will confess that we rarely buy from offshore as we prefer to to buy local.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

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#2027215 1-Jun-2018 20:53

Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

You are of course aware of the de minimis threshold for GST / duty collection? Obviously any orders that doesn't exceed the $50 de minimis value won't have this charged nor the IETF.

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#2027217 1-Jun-2018 21:01

Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

Just a random example of the very first thing I looked at that exceeds NZ$400

Wiggum

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#2027218 1-Jun-2018 21:06

sbiddle:
Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

You are of course aware of the de minimis threshold for GST / duty collection? Obviously any orders that doesn't exceed the $50 de minimis value won't have this charged nor the IETF.

Checked invoices for a kindle, and one roku 4K player. Both over that threshold. Don’t recall ever paying GST on anything. Maybe I’m just lucky.

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#2027231 1-Jun-2018 21:10

Will people located in the USA still be able to send gifts to australia from amazon.com or will they be blocking shipping to there as well from the .com site?

What about people in AU wanting to buy gifts for family in the US? I seem to have a lot of family in portland...

Richard rich.ms

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#2027232 1-Jun-2018 21:11

Wiggum:
sbiddle:

Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

You are of course aware of the de minimis threshold for GST / duty collection? Obviously any orders that doesn't exceed the $50 de minimis value won't have this charged nor the IETF.

Checked invoices for a kindle, and one roku 4K player. Both over that threshold. Don’t recall ever paying GST on anything. Maybe I’m just lucky.

Assuming those products were purchased individually neither of those will be over NZ$400 though so you aren't required to pay GST as it doesn't reach the $50 de minimis with no duty.

lchiu7

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#2027234 1-Jun-2018 21:13

sbiddle:

Wiggum: Just checked some amazon invoices of mine. No GST or duty charged for my NZ orders to Nz address. Cant find a single one. Anybody else here been charged GST/duty by Amazon?

Just a random example of the very first thing I looked at that exceeds NZ$400

I just went through the same exercise for an item I bought and after doing the sums, it was cheaper to send it to Youshop (their shipping was cheaper than Amazon's) and the GST on the item + shipping will be lower than Amazon's.

But tax is still getting paid.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

surfisup1000

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#2027265 1-Jun-2018 21:25

sbiddle:

I still think original Stuff story is nothing but scaremongering - and the comments by some people in here aren't really that different. Amazon already collect NZ GST, duty and EITF fees where they're applicable and have done for many years. There is absolutely nothing to suggest Amazon would want (or even need) to block NZ because they're already compliant with our laws.

Yes, journalist want to sell papers. . . but...given the Australian scenario is pretty much the same as NZ then they could easily collect aussie gst. If the system is already in place why won't amazon use it?

I think there is more going on here than you think.

If I was an amazon executive, I'd be worrying that every minor and major country will start making non binding tax demands on amazon USA.

So, make an example out of one or two harmless countries to deter the rest.

I doubt NZ will be targeted as we don't have a local amazon store.

Incidentally, the amazon australia store is truly awful. Their prices are uncompetitive and product range rubbish. Only time will tell if that changes...

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#2027268 1-Jun-2018 21:28

surfisup1000:

sbiddle:

I still think original Stuff story is nothing but scaremongering - and the comments by some people in here aren't really that different. Amazon already collect NZ GST, duty and EITF fees where they're applicable and have done for many years. There is absolutely nothing to suggest Amazon would want (or even need) to block NZ because they're already compliant with our laws.

Yes, journalist want to sell papers. . . but...given the Australian scenario is pretty much the same as NZ then they could easily collect aussie gst. If the system is already in place why won't amazon use it?

I think there is more going on here than you think.

Oh there is a lot more going on here.. It's not just the issue of GST collection.

That in itself is my point.

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