"Import Tax" on comics from USA to Aus/NZ on ebay... 0

[Beige]

I have only just noticed that now, OUTSIDE ebays ludicrous 'Global Shipping' debacle, they are now applying "Import Tax" automatically on every comic purchase to Australia from USA, and I assume to other areas? (be nice to know if that's the case).

That's great, except in Australia, we don't pay 'Import Tax' or 'GST' on anything comic related under $1000.    We also don't seem to charge it to any other country via ebay.

EG:

SOLD 15 Sep 2018

Lot Of 4 Incredible Hulk Marvel Comic Books # 212 213 214 215 Avengers Thor NP7

Incredible Hulk

AU $27.84

Sep-15 15:35

10% GST will apply

From United States

Was: Previous priceAU $55.69

Is this new (I knew about the GSP 'tax' and like 99% of Aust/NZ buyers ignored those sellers that used it.) - if so, this will surely significantly reduce international sales to Australia for American sellers?

Are any countries exempt now from this mystical 'Import Tax' that Ebay just decided to add to sales from USA to the rest of the world?

It seems really odd to add an unilateral tax which will only drive down sales.

Do dealers now charge this tax as well?

Thanks for replies as i genuinely only noticed this tax outside of the Global Shipping Programme today!

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by Beige

[Octavius]

Yep, noticed this for a while, check out;

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/GST-on-all-imports-July-2018/td-p/2141509

[kav]

[HeyMoe]

1 hour ago, Beige said:

I have only just noticed that now, OUTSIDE ebays ludicrous 'Global Shipping' debacle, they are now applying "Import Tax" automatically on every comic purchase to Australia from USA, and I assume to other areas? (be nice to know if that's the case).

That's great, except in Australia, we don't pay 'Import Tax' or 'GST' on anything comic related under $1000.    We also don't seem to charge it to any other country via ebay.

EG:

SOLD 15 Sep 2018

Lot Of 4 Incredible Hulk Marvel Comic Books # 212 213 214 215 Avengers Thor NP7

Incredible Hulk

AU $27.84

Sep-15 15:35

10% GST will apply

From United States

Was: Previous priceAU $55.69

Is this new (I knew about the GSP 'tax' and like 99% of Aust/NZ buyers ignored those sellers that used it.) - if so, this will surely significantly reduce international sales to Australia for American sellers?

Are any countries exempt now from this mystical 'Import Tax' that Ebay just decided to add to sales from USA to the rest of the world?

It seems really odd to add an unilateral tax which will only drive down sales.

Do dealers now charge this tax as well?

Thanks for replies as i genuinely only noticed this tax outside of the Global Shipping Programme today!

 

Who exactly is applying the 10% tax?

I checked the ebay listing you included, and there is no mention of a 10% import tax. There is the standard "Goods and Services Tax (GST) may apply" disclaimer in the 'Postage and Payment' section, but that's always there.

(Hope you didn't pay US$57 postage!! 

[Beige]

1 hour ago, HeyMoe said:

Who exactly is applying the 10% tax?

I checked the ebay listing you included, and there is no mention of a 10% import tax. There is the standard "Goods and Services Tax (GST) may apply" disclaimer in the 'Postage and Payment' section, but that's always there.

(Hope you didn't pay US$57 postage!! 

You have to log on to ebay Australia to see the tax being applied. Log on, choose a random book, check the 'sold worldwide' boxes and up she pops.

 

This was just a random listing.

2 hours ago, Octavius said:

Yep, noticed this for a while, check out;

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/GST-on-all-imports-July-2018/td-p/2141509

Thanks for that. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by Beige
spelling

[Beige]

2 hours ago, Octavius said:

Yep, noticed this for a while, check out;

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/GST-on-all-imports-July-2018/td-p/2141509

Ok, that is one fascinating read.

Seems like the Australian Govt crumbled and ebay jumped on with the enthusiasm of a sailor in a brothel.

American dealers - be prepared for a heap of extra trade I would imagine.

Americans with foreign friends can expect a few "please could I send this book to your house" requests.

Australian dealers can expect a massive increase in Australian orders.

 

Octavius - thanks for the link, really appreciate it. 

 

Can I ask - are there ANY countries now exempt from this tax?  

 

[Octavius]

The funny thing about this is this little line "It technically applies to everything purchased from a seller who has an Australian turnover of $75k+ per year." What this means is that the government has determined that eBay is the seller in question, regardless of the username or details of the actual person selling the item. This basically means that any purchase you make from here in Oz will be charged the 10%.

[1Cool]

I seem to be getting a few messages about a high import tax on orders I recently shipped to the UK.  They thought I had stuffed them on postage since they needed to pay extra to pick up their books.  International orders are down and looks like they will fall further.  

[theCapraAegagrus]

While I'm trying to sell off some of my playing card collection, I have stated that I'm not selling internationally right now. I made a trade with someone in the UK, claimed $50/deck, and he for some reason had to pay $25 in taxes to receive the package. It's just a real hassle to sell internationally.

[miraclemet]

When I lived in Belgium I avoided shipping my books to Belgium cause I had to pay import tax in the range of 35-40%. Everything went to my parents in the US who held the books until I visited.

 

One time my mother sent a gift to my daughter, a handmade quilt. She listed the value on the shipping insurance as $1000 (I guess since it was handmade and one of a kind)... I had to pay $350 to the post office for import fees to get it!

 

some gift!

[theCapraAegagrus]

3 minutes ago, miraclemet said:

When I lived in Belgium I avoided shipping my books to Belgium cause I had to pay import tax in the range of 35-40%. Everything went to my parents in the US who held the books until I visited.

 

One time my mother sent a gift to my daughter, a handmade quilt. She listed the value on the shipping insurance as $1000 (I guess since it was handmade and one of a kind)... I had to pay $350 to the post office for import fees to get it!

 

some gift!

Well... That was a really, really, bad idea...

[miraclemet]

9 minutes ago, TwoPiece said:

Well... That was a really, really, bad idea...

yeah, even if she had listed it as zero it probably would have gotten flagged and I would have had to go in a declare a value and pay.... granted I would have declared something reasonable like... $100... but what are you going to do? Shipping it back would have cost a ton. 

[PunisherPunisherPunisher]

Seen the 10% slug on eBay, not happy at all

[FN-2199]

I guess it's good to live in the U.S. where we don't even tax (or check) Chinese precursors to manufactured narcotics shipped through the mail to dead people at abandoned buildings. 

[HeyMoe]

14 hours ago, PunisherPunisherPunisher said:

Seen the 10% slug on eBay, not happy at all

I'll ask again: WHO is imposing this 10% tax? 

I don't see it anywhere.

Ebay? PayPal? 

Where is it shown?

 

[Beige]

19 hours ago, HeyMoe said:

I'll ask again: WHO is imposing this 10% tax? 

I don't see it anywhere.

Ebay? PayPal? 

Where is it shown?

 

Asked and answered mate - see above

The tax is imposed by Aust Govt - ebay collect and pass on the tax (minus their 'admin' I'd guess).

Everything into OZ now attracts 10% GST.

Ebay collect at POS - as for Dealers,Heritage, your Aunt Bessies Xmas gift - that is still to be determined.

I have 50 books in the CGC process - be very interesting to see how tax is collected as i use a 3rd party service.

[quicksilver]

On 9/19/2018 at 10:21 PM, 1Cool said:

I seem to be getting a few messages about a high import tax on orders I recently shipped to the UK.  They thought I had stuffed them on postage since they needed to pay extra to pick up their books.  International orders are down and looks like they will fall further.  

Once again...we do not have import taxes on comic books brought into the UK.

People are being falsely charged by UK customs or the mail carriers, and this is all recoverable.