Importing a Nokia Lumia 900

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Leyjee

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Wannabe Geek

Topic # 102949 26-May-2012 12:09

Hi there,
I just recently sold my Xperia Arc S and Samsung Focus and am in the market for a new smartphone. I would buy the Lumia 800 on Vodafone but that screen is just too small for me. I am considering buying a 900 off ebay for $420 NZD. Do any of you know if customs will charge me when I import this, or is the tax included in the purchase price/shipping ?
Thanks for your help, Nic.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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Reply # 630688 26-May-2012 12:24

Import duties are never included in purchases from overseas retailers, even less from eBay sellers. These taxes are calculated by the company bringing the goods into the country (NZ Post, couriers, etc). If there's any tax or GST to pay they contact you and send out an invoice for you to pay, including their brokerage fee.

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

billgates

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Reply # 630737 26-May-2012 14:22

NZD$420 for the Lumia 900? Too cheap to be true. Make sure it's network unlocked.

Do whatever you want to do man.

scuwp

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Reply # 630742 26-May-2012 14:36

billgates: NZD$420 for the Lumia 900? Too cheap to be true. Make sure it's network unlocked.

A knock-off perhaps?

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

Leyjee

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Reply # 630788 26-May-2012 18:05

Ahhh thankyou for pointing that out. Locked to AT&T is around $500NZD and an unlocked one is $700-800ish ! Has anyone ever imported a phone, if so how much approximately did they charge you ? I brought back my Focus from a trip to California so I have no idea !
Thanks Nic.

freitasm

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Reply # 630790 26-May-2012 18:07

If you ask then to post to you customs will charge the GST of 15% of the total value, including postage, if the amount to be paid is NZ$ 50 or more.

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

billgates

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Reply # 630792 26-May-2012 18:09

I bought the Samsung Focus from Amazon which was network locked to AT&T and my boss's wife brought it back to NZ for me while she was there on a short trip. Bought an unlock code from ebay for $35 and it's been working great since.

Personally I would buy the phone from a reputable shop like Amazon even if it is locked but ensure before hand that unlock codes are available on ebay and the seller has sold quite a few of them.

You can buy the unlocked version of Lumia 900 from the like of clove.co.uk and mobicity.co.nz as well.

Do whatever you want to do man.

Leyjee

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 630814 26-May-2012 18:46

Thankyou for your help! The S3 is looking tempting...

wudzi

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Wannabe Geek

Reply # 633611 31-May-2012 18:47

There is currently no way to unlock the AT&T version of the Nokia Lumia 900. (I recently purchased one and it is just a very expensive music/video player & camera because even the grey-market unlockers can't do anything with it). Hopefully one day soon AT&T will relent the same way they did for the iphone!!!
You can unlock the Rogers version of the Lumia 900 though.

1080p

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Reply # 645990 25-Jun-2012 16:57

freitasm: If you ask then to post to you customs will charge the GST of 15% of the total value, including postage, if the amount to be paid is NZ$ 50 or more.

Tax cutoff is $60 (total NZD purchase price is over $400) or more and it is not guaranteed that you will pay GST. I see it as a gamble, I usually purchase things that are cheaper from overseas including potential GST and nine times in ten I don't pay the GST. Just the experience of one person...