Australia - Customs Charges

[Mike Shawe]

I'm about to mail a 45 to Australia and wondered whether or not the recipient would incur a customs charge if the said record was over a certain value on the customs declaration?

The problem lies with it being sent via an International Registered service, should i declare it's full value and so incur a bill for the recipient, or potentially forfit a loss should it go astray

and having to make a Post Office insurance claim after stating a low value?

Any help on this subject s appreciated.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Mike Shawe

[Guest john s]

Send it International Signed For (or Airsure), just put a low value on the customs sticker.

That way if it gets through OK, the customs in Australia won't flag it up and hammer the recipient, and if it gets lost, you're covered for the value.

Works for me!

(and your local post office won't mind... )

[Mike Shawe]

Send it International Signed For (or Airsure), just put a low value on the customs sticker.

That way if it gets through OK, the customs in Australia won't flag it up and hammer the recipient, and if it gets lost, you're covered for the value.

Works for me!

(and your local post office won't mind... )

But does that then mean I can only claim the value i declare on the customs declaration?

Edited June 3, 2010 by Mike Shawe

[Guest john s]

No.

The form you fill in for the value when you insure it doesn't get stuck to the outside of the parcel.

So, insure it for £500 or whatever, put a lesser amount on the sticker on the front of the mailer.

Come on, Mike, keep up....

[Mike Shawe]

It's past my bedtime - thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I'll give it a try - thanks!

[Missgoldie]

I'd not disclose the value, your buyer will get slugged 10% when they go to pick it up. Put a maxium of $100 on the box.

[Pete S]

I'd not disclose the value, your buyer will get slugged 10% when they go to pick it up. Put a maxium of $100 on the box.

I'd put a maximum of $20 on the box not $100, they will definitely get done for $100

[ImberBoy]

If your package goes missing or if it's damaged then you may find your self in a dispute over the value you are trying to claim if they have the packaging and can refer to your declaration.

[Wiggyflat]

Waiting for a John Bowie from the USA.........won it for $353 and now i get a letter from parcelforce asking for £32.36............told the seller at the outset i werent paying any more charges after my fiasco with a Betty Llloyd and a key to my hapiness where i had to fork out more cash aqt customs. Some of these dealers just don't get it!!

Edited June 3, 2010 by wiggyflat

[Eamesy]

Just received a parcel from USA, $37 value on customs form, £12.50 to pay at Post Office!!

Alan

[Wiggyflat]

Just received a parcel from USA, $37 value on customs form, £12.50 to pay at Post Office!!

Alan

I wouldnt bother picking it up unless its an amazing mega rarity and you got a bargain.Have i got so much of a bargain with John bowie £242 that i would be a fool not to pay the £32.36 if the seller refuses.

[ImberBoy]

Most people who send and receive goods over international borders evade the correct import/export charges.

To pay the correct import/export charges hardly makes it worth sending especially when a profit is expected.

Most make false declarations stating low values to avoid charges and some will even state that these commercial exchanges are "gifts".

On many occasions these items get through but every now and again customs and excise scrutinize a package and charge you tax, that's the risk you take.

When an item goes missing, lost damaged or stolen and you try to claim on goods that you have valued at X but you are trying to claim Y then you will be charged accordingly.

I no longer buy from international sellers now, I have been stung with import/export charges from customs and excise and I think they have purges every now and again.

If you are going to do it , do it properly or pay your money and take your chance.

[ImberBoy]

Some of the things the royal mail won't tell you.............

Just a note on what happens if the recipient (Sendee) doesn't receive the item:

Usually the sendee contacts the sender and informs him that the said item hasn't arrived.

Royal Mail say "If your item is lost or damaged in transit, we will pay compensation of up to the value of 100 First Class stamps per item upon production of a copy of the certificate of posting and proof of item value. Extra compensation of up to £250 or up to £500"

If you have used this service then you must be aware of a number of things, first of all you are not entitled to an instant pay out, there are some questions to answer a few hurdles to jump:

You will be asked to complete a form P58 and this then starts an enquiry as to what and where your item is. The form will follow the route of your item and every sub post master will investigate if it has passed correctly through the office, if your packaging is found to be insufficient to carry your item without damaging it then no responsibility will be taken and your claim will be void.

If on your form differs in any way from the correct postal address of the sendee then again responsibility for the item being delivered to the wrong address lies at your door and compensation again will be refused.

If the Royal Mail decides that it they will take responsibility then they may ask for proof of value, this is happening more and more as scamsters use this system.

Royal Mail will not pay any compensation on items that are prohibited or restricted in the country of destination

Most of the time the Royal Mail is tops but if you have been a little bit naughty then they will find ways to not pay out.

The mail system was never designed for small businesses in mind.

Especially those who don\t want to pay tax.

[cementman]

If you can, email the buyer and ask. Personally, virtually everything I buy comes from UK, Europe, and the States. Usually at my request sellers put a minimal price on the package ($10-20) even for records in the hundreds of dollars range. Beauty of it is the Australian post office service is excellent, haven't had anything go missing yet and I can't recall having a record sent to me internationally being examined and repackaged by Aussie customs. However some buyers of really big ticket items insure highly and will pay duty accordingly

[ImberBoy]

Cementman, ask them what?

You're asking the wrong person mate honest, the only person to ask is the customs and excise of the countries originating and receiving.

You can't expect a seller or a buyer to be fully competent with the various import/export and duty charges or the rules and regulations on customs and excise?

It's all available on the internet; I can't see any room for grey areas less those who are trying to circumnavigate the correct charges?

You are either going to do it properly or you are not.

Sending items without doing your home work and expecting them to get through is a gamble.

It's like every thing in life; it's only a drama when things go wrong.

Loads and I mean loads slip through the net mate.

As far as having no problems with the Australian postal service you have to appreciate that their service is the last of many handlers depending on the origin of your item.

If your item starts in a overseas destination and is placed on a flight strait to your shores then there will be only the two mail handlers involved but if your mail goes from airport to airport you are then at the mercy of handlers who are usually paid minimum wage.

Customs and excise have purges, they don't open every thing because it's not cost effective but when they do they seam to zoom in on specific items and real go to town.

If you're sending or ordering really big money items then you are taking a risk financially if you don't do things correctly, there is no free lunch, you may nibble often at the great Buffett but you have no one to cry to if your given a bill.

[NEV]

Just received a parcel from USA, $37 value on customs form, £12.50 to pay at Post Office!!

Alan

Had exactly same Alan, so i contacted seller ,who to my amazement was British and preceded to tell me if i had asked for low value he would have done it.

I said as a common courtesy ,as an ex-pat he should have put it low ,knowing that i'd get hit,then i got reply giving me the ins-and outs of breaking the law!

I reminded him how a lot of his customers are from Uk and if he carries on doing it then he'll be the one suffering in the long run.

And askd if ,out of interest he declared all his ill gotten gains to USA IRS

Also told him i would never buy from him ever again or anyone else who persists on being a awkward cnut

[Eamesy]

Nev,

I sent him a polite message to let him know of the additional expense - no reply though!!!

Alan

[ImberBoy]

Nev are you saying that you want the sender to lie?

Nev are you expecting the seller to void any futre claim against a lost or damaged item just because you want him to de value your item in order for you to avoid paying the correct tax?

It sounds like you want more than two bites of the cherry?

This nudge, nudge, wink, wink operation works if you all agree to foot the losses as they happen, you can't all rush to Soul Source slating people when they try to do things properly.

Reminding him that all of his customers are from the UK is sounds like a gangster film, pay your tax like every one else does!

Doing things properly isn't being an awkward cnut, it is good business.

If you are to do your dealings with those who have scant regard for the rules then you can't possibly expect them to have any regard for their customers when some thing goes wrong?

I think this is sending out a wobbly message to any one hoping to buy and sell records when you're condemning those who do things properly yet we hear people bleating when things go missing?

I may have the wrong end of the stick here, are most of the record dealers dodgy? Do you all decide what rules you are going to break in advance or is it a fluid state based on what you have had for breakfast?

What are your policies on returns and complaints?

[Pete S]

Nev are you saying that you want the sender to lie?

Nev are you expecting the seller to void any futre claim against a lost or damaged item just because you want him to de value your item in order for you to avoid paying the correct tax?

It sounds like you want more than two bites of the cherry?

This nudge, nudge, wink, wink operation works if you all agree to foot the losses as they happen, you can't all rush to Soul Source slating people when they try to do things properly.

Reminding him that all of his customers are from the UK is sounds like a gangster film, pay your tax like every one else does!

Doing things properly isn't being an awkward cnut, it is good business.

If you are to do your dealings with those who have scant regard for the rules then you can't possibly expect them to have any regard for their customers when some thing goes wrong?

I think this is sending out a wobbly message to any one hoping to buy and sell records when you're condemning those who do things properly yet we hear people bleating when things go missing?

I may have the wrong end of the stick here, are most of the record dealers dodgy? Do you all decide what rules you are going to break in advance or is it a fluid state based on what you have had for breakfast?

What are your policies on returns and complaints?

You can easily send something by a method which keeps it tracked, and still put a low value on it.

Sellers who put the full value on - I won't deal with them. That record has already had tax paid on it.

I also state that if it is sent to me untracked and with a low value, I'll accept responsibility if it goes missing.

[Guest MBarrett]

VAT and Import Duty are payable on the sales value regardless of any previous tax paid. FACT

It is against the law to wrongly declare the sales value of an item. FACT

It is a bit rich to give people grief who know the above and wish to comply with it. MY OPINION.

If you have ever locked horns with HMRC (or C&E as was) as I have you will know the powers they have - greater than the police. I would never knowingly mess with them.

MB

Edited June 4, 2010 by MBarrett

[NEV]

VAT and Import Duty are payable on the sales value regardless of any previous tax paid. FACT

It is against the law to wrongly declare the sales value of an item. FACT

It is a bit rich to give people grief who know the above and wish to comply with it. MY OPINION.

If you have ever locked horns with HMRC (or C&E as was) as I have you will know the powers they have - greater than the police. I would never knowingly mess with them.

MB

FFS not another do gooder of society .....tell that to all the fat cat millionaires of society who hire good accountants to avoid paying thier taxes ,instead of warbling on to the lesser well off ,who work hard ,pay tax at source ,then some more on every bloody item we buy .

Oh and please don't try and tell us something we already know MB

[Guest MBarrett]

Oh and please don't try and tell us something we already know MB

Have you been on the receiving end of an HMRC investigation? I have. It's a life-changing experience.

They will put you out of business as soon as look at you.

I don't care what games people want to play as long as they know the rules of the game.

That's all.

MB

[cementman]

Cementman, ask them what?

You're asking the wrong person mate honest, the only person to ask is the customs and excise of the countries originating and receiving.

You can't expect a seller or a buyer to be fully competent with the various import/export and duty charges or the rules and regulations on customs and excise?

It's all available on the internet; I can't see any room for grey areas less those who are trying to circumnavigate the correct charges?

You are either going to do it properly or you are not.

Sending items without doing your home work and expecting them to get through is a gamble.

It's like every thing in life; it's only a drama when things go wrong.

Loads and I mean loads slip through the net mate.

As far as having no problems with the Australian postal service you have to appreciate that their service is the last of many handlers depending on the origin of your item.

If your item starts in a overseas destination and is placed on a flight strait to your shores then there will be only the two mail handlers involved but if your mail goes from airport to airport you are then at the mercy of handlers who are usually paid minimum wage.

Customs and excise have purges, they don't open every thing because it's not cost effective but when they do they seam to zoom in on specific items and real go to town.

If you're sending or ordering really big money items then you are taking a risk financially if you don't do things correctly, there is no free lunch, you may nibble often at the great Buffett but you have no one to cry to if your given a bill.

Sorry I wasn't clear, I meant ask the buyer what value they would like to be declared on the item, if they're prepared to pay the duty for a fully disclosed amount then it's up to them. Personally I'll always take the import duty avoidance route. If i get caught out then It's my responsibility. Most customs people in Australia wouldn't know anything about record values

[NEV]

Have you been on the receiving end of an HMRC investigation? I have. It's a life-changing experience.

They will put you out of business as soon as look at you.

I don't care what games people want to play as long as they know the rules of the game.

That's all.

MB

Sorry MB but the moralistic ethic of the government in charging UK buyers import duty on old records ,does'nt sit right with me.

IMHO this tax /duty is introduced to encourage us to spend our money within the EU rather than outside of it.Also to discourage people from buying cheap goods which again may put people in the EU out of work,cigarettes and alcohol being two prime examples.But can anyone tell me how this applies in the world of records that were made in USA ,30-40 yrs ago .

Believe me if i could find em in UK i'd gladly prefer to buy em here because some of the real tasty items on ebay at mo are'nt exactly going for a bargain

End of from me

[Maria O]

I agree to ask the buyer what value they want - that way they take the risk if they so wish. Otherwise, inform them what value you will put down and tell them that they run the risk of the 10% GST tax (if that's what it still is in Oz). I never had a problem with the postal service in Australia either and had bought hundreds of vinyl slices from abroad when I lived there (only one record never arrived and that seller was an eBay fraud 'suspect').

Customs are more clued up now and more electronically savy, being able to chase much more than they used to. There are even rumours that a certain government is investigating all PayPal and eBay purchases for back payment of customs charges, in order to raise revenue.

m

ps. The exchange is increasingly favourable for record shopping from Oz though. I remember when I lived there it cost up to $3 to buy a £1. A few months ago, I only got $1.60 for each pound I sold for that annual visit back home - and it's been a steady slide year on year.

[ImberBoy]

NEV

Sitting right or wrong on your moral compass is hardly the point is it?

When some one in the business of buying and selling records starts to decide what laws are ok to break and what aren't based on their own personal view of moralistic ethics then where does this leave the poor bugger who hasn't received their discs?

What happens in a dispute, do you suddenly become the champion of morals and pay for lost or damaged items?

It all sounds well dodgy!

[NEV]

NEV

Sitting right or wrong on your moral compass is hardly the point is it?

When some one in the business of buying and selling records starts to decide what laws are ok to break and what aren't based on their own personal view of moralistic ethics then where does this leave the poor bugger who hasn't received their discs?

What happens in a dispute, do you suddenly become the champion of morals and pay for lost or damaged items?

It all sounds well dodgy!

Simon ,i think you just like playing devils advocat and i personally aint interested in playing ball .

Bye

[Guest bazabod_downunder]

You are allowed to import $1000 worth of goods with NO import charges, more details can be sourced from https://www.customs.gov.au/site/page5549.asp

KTF

Baz

I'm about to mail a 45 to Australia and wondered whether or not the recipient would incur a customs charge if the said record was over a certain value on the customs declaration?

The problem lies with it being sent via an International Registered service, should i declare it's full value and so incur a bill for the recipient, or potentially forfit a loss should it go astray

and having to make a Post Office insurance claim after stating a low value?

Any help on this subject s appreciated.

[ImberBoy]

You are allowed to import $1000 worth of goods with NO import charges, more details can be sourced from https://www.customs.g...te/page5549.asp

KTF

Baz

prohibited and restricted imports

https://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp

Explosives, plastic

[Funky 4 Corners]

I buy stuff regularly from the US and for the first time since the 70s I recently had to pay VAT and import duty on a 45. I can live with that but what piss*d me off was that the Post Office fee for collecting it was higher than the fee itself. And here's the catch 22, there is no other way that you can pay the fee.

I phoned Customs and they said that the value of the item AND the shipping charges are all taxable. Also, second hand stuff attracts the same duty.

Re stating the value on the customs sticker - it's a risk IMO to undervalue the item if you paid by paypal. They want every possible anal detail of any claim that the sender might want to make. A couple of years ago I got more help out of Fort Lauderdale County Consumer Dept than Paypal or Ebay, simply because of the smallest detail they didn't approve of.

If it is none Ebay I know some folks state that it is a gift.

Re the frequency of packets been targeted. I know a guy who works at Mount Pleasant, the main import place for the Post Office and he said that it is 1000's to 1 that a 45 size packet will get picked upon. Big carriers such as DHL automatically get involved with the Customs guys as a matter of course.

[Soulgalore]

Just sold a 45 to a guy in Oz. He paid (naturally) by Paypal. I was surprised to find that eBay added Goods & Services Tax (10%) to the cost of the 45 + shipping.

The Paypal transaction details the cost of the 45 (£4.99) + VAT (GST) (£0.85) + shipping (£3.50) = total (£9.34) - Paypal Fee (£0.76) - Tax collected by eBay (£0.85) = Net amount £7.73.

Paypal Fee on £9.34 of £0.76 = 8%, thought Paypal Fees was approx 4% ????

Anyone else come across this?

Edited March 20, 2020 by Soulgalore