[CjChris]

Argh! I really missed some of my favorite clothing brands, so I placed an order online with a US company that ships around the world. I just got a call from Auckland that my shipment is in NZ but won't be released until I pay GST--a hefty amount for what I ordered!!!! I guess I either forgot or misremembered that this would be an issue! Live and learn! :wah

[JandM]

Oh, sympathies. That can happen when getting things shipped into the UK, too.

[Sam B]

Oh that happened to me the first time I tried to order the kids some clothes from the UK. Lesson learned.

By the way CjChris, how is life treating you in Tauranga?

[Georgebulldog]

Out of interest how much was it?
I was quoted 12.5% from Customs recently plus I think it was $22 for nappies from the USA, is that about right?

[The Hodges]

For those that are interested in importing goods into NZ, you might want to read the NZ Customs page here (http://www.customs.govt.nz/importers/Private+Importers/Customs+Charges.htm).

These additional costs will have to weighed up with buying the product in NZ.

[CjChris]

Out of interest how much was it?
I was quoted 12.5% from Customs recently plus I think it was $22 for nappies from the USA, is that about right?

I just did a quick calculation, and it appears that they have charged me 40%. Yes, you read that right. I'm in shock!!!!!!! I had no idea it wouldn't merely be the 12.5 (if that...was stupidly hoping the package would slip through without notice...ha! :o )

Oh that happened to me the first time I tried to order the kids some clothes from the UK. Lesson learned.

By the way CjChris, how is life treating you in Tauranga?

Hey, Sam. Sorry I've fallen out of touch (as I have with so many during the move). We love Tauranga/Papamoa Beach/Mt. Maunganui. It's fabulous here! I love the people, the weather, the beach...we feel so welcome and comfortable here.

The biggest issue we're facing is the job market. While I have a part time job with Uni here in Tauranga, it doesn't pay the bills (not by a long shot). We're pulling everything out of savings (and crossing fingers that property in the States sells!!)...but Nathan and I have both been frustrated and empty handed on the full-time job thing...he's had interviews, gone through this whole drawn-out process of song and dance, then nothing. Same for me. Then sometimes we just get a letter that reads, "We're sorry, but your application was not successful..." blah blah blah. It's really frustrating. If I were an accountant or forklift driver, I'd have a full time job already! :p

I do have a couple things in the works right now (interviewed for one last week and interview for another next week) but they are short term contracts (less than a year). I'm probably going to end up teaching secondary again, which is what I hoped to avoid, but the bills have to be paid. It's a lot harder finding work than we'd anticipated.

On a good note, we've made several friends in the nearly 3 mo. we've been here from Welly. We threw our own house party after we moved and invited all the immediate neighbors, and they all came (along with a few other people we didn't know). It was so cool and interesting! I helped form a book club through an online message board, and we've met 3x now (taking turns at a diff. house ea. month) and the ladies are all so nice! We joined a small walking group that walks the Mount each week--again, very fun and everyone is so friendly. It feels great to be here...and the girls are happy and settling in nicely in Welly for the most part; we use "grabaseat" deals to see each other either in BOP or in Welly every few weeks. So far that has been a real help. :clap

We just need to figure out the job thing...with 50 people moving into BOP a week, I guess that may get worse before it gets better! Fingers crossed! :uhoh

[James 1077]

My cousins get things sent to them from around the world all the time - they generally avoid the GST and Duties issue by putting their address down as "Gift for: NAME NAME, ADDRESS, ADDRESS, NZ".

Always an option if you have friends sending you things; but I wouldn't suggest that you do it on mail order things as that would be wrong! :)

[granger]

Provided the total value of the imports plus postage is less than about $400 there's no fee to pay. The page linked to on the Customs site by The Hodges has wording that can easily catch out the unwary. It says 'No revenue collection will be made if the total amount owing on the goods imported is less than $50.' At first I thought that meant you could only import $50 worth of stuff without paying GST. What it means is they don't collect GST if the GST (or import duties) owing is less than $50. We buy stuff from Amazon sometimes and our orders are usually a lot more than $50 but we are never charged any GST.

[Georgebulldog]

Provided the total value of the imports plus postage is less than about $400 there's no fee to pay. The page linked to on the Customs site by The Hodges has wording that can easily catch out the unwary. It says 'No revenue collection will be made if the total amount owing on the goods imported is less than $50.' At first I thought that meant you could only import $50 worth of stuff without paying GST. What it means is they don't collect GST if the GST (or import duties) owing is less than $50. We buy stuff from Amazon sometimes and our orders are usually a lot more than $50 but we are never charged any GST.

I would check that, I e mailed "feedback@customs.govt.nz" to ask how much it would cost me to import cloth nappies from USA at a total cost inc P&P of $300 NZ & was told
"Cloth nappies attract GST (Goods and Service Tax) of 12.5% only. GST is levied on the sum of the purchase price paid/payable plus the costs of freight and insurance to transport the goods to New Zealand. The only other charge by Customs is an Import Transaction Fee of $22 (GST incl)"
Wish I knew for sure then I'd know where to buy :confused:

[RedKev]

From what I hear. Not even customs know's what the hell they are doing.

A friend of mine here ordered golf clubs from the US, which were stopped by customs. Customs wanted to check if they infringed on copyright so would have to get Taylor Made (i.e. Adidas) to verify they were real as they hadn't been bought from an authorized dealer.

My mate didn't mind this as he knew they were real, after a week tho he grew impatient. He then read up on the website and discovered this only applies when you plan to make a profit on the purhase i.e. Sell them yourself. He got back onto customs & they actually told him he was wrong. On numerous occcasions he had to walk the person on the phone through their own website and point out where it said this. Generally stupid acknowledgment in the form of "Wow, I never knew that".

So although I've never dealt with customs, I've already made my mind up they're idiots. :nice1

Why would you want to buy cloth nappies?????

[dilanium]

I'm going to buy cloth nappies when I have children as they are reusable and I'd rather not have all that trash going out the door (as well as money to have to keep buying disposable ones).

[Nathan]

NB, you really need to go to the Hodges link to get the right answer. Do the calculation yourself and see what answer you get. Also, see the section on gifts.

Additionally, based on my experience, some packages get through without scrutiny, and some don't. For example, Customs contacted me for GST on one guitar, but didn't for another shipping the same day in the same kind of box. In this case, I didn't have to pay when I explained that I am a new migrant and the guitars are part of my personal possessions.

[JandM]

Why would you want to buy cloth nappies?????

A lot of people have a matter of principle on this - reusability versus generation of waste, for instance. A lot of people (even the same ones) then find that, among the sometimes extreme pressures of new parenting, washing and drying nappies (with the attendant use of extra resources, and your own time and energy, of course) is one thing they can happily do without.

To anyone who finds themself, when faced with the reality of keeping up with babies' backsides, changing what they THOUGHT they'd do, I would say, 'Don't beat yourself up over this.' I had two children with an age gap of 1 year 17 days, used terry nappies as there was not then an affordable (by us) kind of disposable around, a twin-tub washing machine and no drier (again, automatics and tumble driers were coming in but were VERY expensive and beyond our means) and can remember nightmare days when I was holding nappies in front of the gas fire to get them dry before I could put them on the next waiting child. This is not any kind of life.

[Georgebulldog]

Well I never did for my daughter but they are expensive here, also have to pay for bin bags so imagine the amount we would use or have to pay for a wheelie bin each week also I've been recommended one that looks quite easy (I hope) no soaking or anything like that just bung them in the machine, anyone interested there are 2 types HoneyChild & Fuzzi Bunz, there also is the land fill issue
The out lay is a lot but you get it back in a few months, once we have them though that's it no going back, wish me luck

[granger]

There is definitely a $400 limit on mail order imports below which GST isn't charged. That's what the government website says. If GST has been charged you should request a refund. I've bought DVDs by mail order up to around $200 without GST charges.

[barryp]

People often confuse DUTY and GST. One, the other, or both may apply to your shipment... depends on what you're trying to bring in.

I've had zero problems with mail order from the USA and have never paid GST. Then again, I've never bought huge amounts at once, and I've never bought booze or tobacco. (Even after paying GST, duty, and shipping costs... most premium alcohol is still cheaper to ship directly rather than buy in NZ.)

My experiences with Customs suggest that there is a wide variability in knowledge and competence. There is no common body of knowledge that's shared throughout the organisation, so you could ask simple questions to three different people and receive three different and mutually contradictory answers. (Same for Immigration - but that's for another post.)