Cheapest way to get an iPad back from Sydney

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jimbob79

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#174963 12-Jun-2015 11:17

So my boss accidentally left he iPad at a hotel in Sydney and naturally he would like to get it back. He is not traveling to Sydney for another 3 months.

What is the cheapest & easiest way to get he iPad back from Sydney without getting stung for import duty?

I was thinking of sending a self-address padded envelop to the Hotel so the staff can simple return the iPad back.

johnr

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#1323272 12-Jun-2015 11:20

It's second hand so how could they be stung for import duty?

BigPipeNZ

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#1323274 12-Jun-2015 11:23

I wouldn't be surprised if the hotel offered to send it back to him at no charge.

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xpd

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#1323275 12-Jun-2015 11:24

Is it brand new unopened ? Can try labeling as a "gift" and get it sent.....

If its already open/used, then wont be stung for it.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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jimbob79

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#1323276 12-Jun-2015 11:25

I been stung before. I had to send an emergancy 'used' BlackBerry once to one of our managers in Melbourne and I had to pay import tax on the Phone based upon its RRP despite it being nearly two years old.

johnr

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#1323278 12-Jun-2015 11:27

jimbob79: I been stung before. I had to send an emergancy 'used' BlackBerry once to one of our managers in Melbourne and I had to pay import tax on the Phone based upon its RRP despite it being nearly two years old.

That's nuts

trig42

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#1323282 12-Jun-2015 11:35

It has happened to us as well, someone from our Australian office brought over some (used) desk phones in a suitcase (about 10 of them). Customs took his bag and we had to jump through a heap of hoops with a customs agent to get it back - cost about $150 in fees etc.

jimbob79

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Ultimate Geek

#1323283 12-Jun-2015 11:37

johnr:
jimbob79: I been stung before. I had to send an emergancy 'used' BlackBerry once to one of our managers in Melbourne and I had to pay import tax on the Phone based upon its RRP despite it being nearly two years old.

That's nuts

I know. Another time sent a iPhone (unboxed) to another manager from NZ to Malaysia and I had to set up an import license of about $1,000 USD. I did not pay the $1,0000 and in the end the courier company send the phone back to NZ.

I generally find sending electronic (phones) items a pain in the ass.

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lucky015

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#1323300 12-Jun-2015 12:06

If you have anyone in the company or your boss has any friends travelling between NZ and AUS at all you could have them courier it to them where they live/stay in AUS and then bring it with them to NZ.

nathan

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#1323313 12-Jun-2015 12:32

if it hasn't be sighted by customs on the way out of the country, they could totally sting your for GST on the way back in

It doesn't matter if the iPad is used or not, that is irrelevant. It is the value that is relevant.

Quite often I travel overseas with maybe 10 or 20 mobile devices in my carry-on. I always get these sighted and signed by customs on the way out of Auckland Airport as often I leave some of these devices overseas, and they get couried back to me later.

That customs sighting document proves they were already in NZ in the first place etc

jimbob79

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#1323366 12-Jun-2015 13:31

So I have come up with some very interesting information that might be of use for anyone traveling out of NZ with electronic devices.

I spoken to Custom Office and if I can prove the item was purchased in NZ plus a serial number and you can prove that you were out of the country at the time of the item being lost with flight itinerary/tickets with scan copy of your passport. NZ customs will look at it at a case-by-case basis and you won't have to pay duty.

So basicly when traveling overseas make a note of all the serial numbers of your electronic devices and always keep the receipts.

Geektastic

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#1324065 13-Jun-2015 14:43

Last year my wife left her phone in the car when our house sitters dropped us off at the airport.

She needed it as she was in the middle of contract negotiations for a new consultancy gig and so the house sitters packed it up and couriered it to us in the UK.

We had the devil's own job persuading UK Customs that it was not a new phone, just something we owned that had been sent to us.

The world is mad - why it should it be so hard to send your own stuff around the world I have no idea. They are paranoid they might miss out on a few dollars they can waste on our behalf I guess.

geek4me

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#1324925 15-Jun-2015 12:33

We have had the same issues when returning from overseas business trips. One way to avoid GST arguments is to have customs note the details of a laptop etc when you leave the country. When you return you can then prove you are returning with a device you took with you. Otherwise bring invoices with serial numbers with you as others have mentioned.