Woman complaining about being charged duty and gst on gift

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surfisup1000

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Topic # 226107 20-Dec-2017 16:42

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963313

Was thinking maybe she is hard done by, until the end where it says the package was not marked as a gift in the customs declaration.

She is in the wrong , customs are in the right.

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Reply # 1922698 20-Dec-2017 17:18

Although the article also says that if the surnames match or it is christmas they usually let it slide. Common sense should apply IMO, and if they can show they are related, and they are xmas presents, they are obviously a gift. 'Assorted items' could still be a gift.

Why isn't common sense used that much in NZ?

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Reply # 1922700 20-Dec-2017 17:34

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mattwnz:

Why isn't common sense used that much in NZ?

$$$$$$$$$

Thats it.

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surfisup1000

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Reply # 1922715 20-Dec-2017 19:15

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mattwnz:

Although the article also says that if the surnames match or it is christmas they usually let it slide. Common sense should apply IMO, and if they can show they are related, and they are xmas presents, they are obviously a gift. 'Assorted items' could still be a gift.

Why isn't common sense used that much in NZ?

Nah, she is the one without commonsense.

If it is a gift, it should have been marked as a gift, i believe there is even a tick box. No one in their right mind would expect customs to investigate every vague description on the off chance it might mean something else.

And, it sounds like customs do exercise commonsense. Customs say where surnames match they will often let it slide . What is wrong with that?

Remember this is a best attempt and their workload must be hideous this close to xmas so it would be difficult to detect this all the time especially under pressure.

Customs even offered to look at her case and maybe issue a refund, but she scuttles off to the press for some kind of retribution.

Garbage in, garbage out in my view.

freitasm

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Reply # 1922717 20-Dec-2017 19:18

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Are gifts exempt of GST, Duty, fees, etc?

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gbwelly

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Reply # 1922718 20-Dec-2017 19:19

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The older I get, the more bizarre and medieval tax seems to me, especially at the border. Oh, you've moved something to somewhere else, give me some money! Why?? Coz!

sbiddle

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Reply # 1922722 20-Dec-2017 19:25

surfisup1000: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963313

Was thinking maybe she is hard done by, until the end where it says the package was not marked as a gift in the customs declaration.

She is in the wrong , customs are in the right.

Wouldn't matter regardless if it was declared as a gift - it obviously far exceeds the NZ$110 gift threshold.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1922723 20-Dec-2017 19:25

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freitasm: Are gifts exempt of GST, Duty, fees, etc?

Only up to a value of NZ$110

surfisup1000

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Reply # 1922724 20-Dec-2017 19:29

sbiddle:

surfisup1000: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963313

Was thinking maybe she is hard done by, until the end where it says the package was not marked as a gift in the customs declaration.

She is in the wrong , customs are in the right.

Wouldn't matter regardless if it was declared as a gift - it obviously far exceeds the NZ$110 gift threshold.

Ha ha of course, otherwise you could import some really expensive items in the guise of being a 'gift'.

But why do customs say this...

"A customs spokesperson said Benavides was charged because the label on the package said "assorted goods" rather than "gift".

"The gift concession was not applied and we will be contacting the customer to discuss."

What is the gift concession?

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Reply # 1922725 20-Dec-2017 19:30

surfisup1000:

If it is a gift, it should have been marked as a gift, i believe there is even a tick box.

Hard if you're not the one sending it, which you usually aren't if it's coming to you from overseas, and you don't even know it's coming.

Not her fault, unless she was actively involved in arranging it to be sent to her by others.

That said, way too much running straight to the press these days, rather than step through it with the other party.

Having to pay GST on duty makes no sense at all though.

surfisup1000

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Reply # 1922730 20-Dec-2017 19:34

gbwelly:

The older I get, the more bizarre and medieval tax seems to me, especially at the border. Oh, you've moved something to somewhere else, give me some money! Why?? Coz!

There are costs associated with customs processing. Remember, they do check for illegal and counterfeit goods too. Those scanning machines and drug testing kits and trained dogs don't come for free. I'm sure you would be the first to complain if you were tazed by a gangster.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1922733 20-Dec-2017 19:39

surfisup1000:

sbiddle:

surfisup1000: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963313

Was thinking maybe she is hard done by, until the end where it says the package was not marked as a gift in the customs declaration.

She is in the wrong , customs are in the right.

Wouldn't matter regardless if it was declared as a gift - it obviously far exceeds the NZ$110 gift threshold.

Ha ha of course, otherwise you could import some really expensive items in the guise of being a 'gift'.

But why do customs say this...

"A customs spokesperson said Benavides was charged because the label on the package said "assorted goods" rather than "gift".

"The gift concession was not applied and we will be contacting the customer to discuss."

What is the gift concession?

Gift concession is NZ$110 which I mentioned.

This sort of figure is pretty consistent globally - the US is US$100 for example so if she's sent the same products to her mother in the US the mother would have had to pay to receive them also.

surfisup1000

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Reply # 1922736 20-Dec-2017 19:43

sbiddle:

surfisup1000:

sbiddle:

surfisup1000: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963313

Was thinking maybe she is hard done by, until the end where it says the package was not marked as a gift in the customs declaration.

She is in the wrong , customs are in the right.

Wouldn't matter regardless if it was declared as a gift - it obviously far exceeds the NZ$110 gift threshold.

Ha ha of course, otherwise you could import some really expensive items in the guise of being a 'gift'.

But why do customs say this...

"A customs spokesperson said Benavides was charged because the label on the package said "assorted goods" rather than "gift".

"The gift concession was not applied and we will be contacting the customer to discuss."

What is the gift concession?

Gift concession is NZ$110 which I mentioned.

This sort of figure is pretty consistent globally - the US is US$100 for example so if she's sent the same products to her mother in the US the mother would have had to pay to receive them also.

Ahh, i thought it was a threshold, below which you pay nothing, above, full costs. Like the GST threshold.

mattwnz

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Reply # 1922743 20-Dec-2017 20:15

There isn’t too much info on that gift concession, and it seems there is a lot of descretion involved. So I am surprised that their conversation about it shouldn’t have resolved it. . But i see that part of the problem was the $200 shipping fee. Is that also calculated when it comes to gifts, or is she having this problem because of the sender not describing it as a gift and the shipping fee being very high, so it falls under the normal GST threshold rules? Eg so the goods and shipping were over 300-400 dollars depending on if there goods attract duty.

Wouldn’t it be better not to say it is a gift if the shipping was lower? Seems the gift amount is very low these days.

mattwnz

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Reply # 1922748 20-Dec-2017 20:22

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surfisup1000:

Nah, she is the one without commonsense.

If it is a gift, it should have been marked as a gift, i believe there is even a tick box. No one in their right mind would expect customs to investigate every vague description on the off chance it might mean something else.

But she wasn't the one who sent it , so she has no control over what someone else writes on the customs form.

I know of someone who has a youtube channel and gets gifts sent to them from around the world, and has had this sort of problem. They have had to pay in some cases to get the gifts, even though they have no idea what they are. I don't know what happens if they refuse, and whether they get returned to the sender or destroyed.

But IMO the whole thing does seem very draconian in this day and age.

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Reply # 1922753 20-Dec-2017 20:32

I've been waiting for an RA to arrive. There was no NZ stock, so the supplier decided to fast ship it direct from AU. Alas has got held up at customs. Supplier obviously covering fees etc., but I had to fill out forms due to being over $1000. Would have ultimately been quicker for them to ship to their NZ distributor, then forward on to me. Ah well, that will be an after Christmas job now.

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