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So, Im looking to upgrade my optics, and would like to bring a scope in from the states for obvious reasons ( I don't much like paying double).
I have a mate who is more than happy to forward stuff on to me. What is the deal at our end with this?
Remove the invoice and repackage obviously, does it need to be declared as a present to get past customs ect?
Cheers.
Well if you think customs have never thought of this clever idea before I suspect you're in for a surprise.
Agree with Kscott's comments. You had best cruise into the Customs website and study the bit about gifts and personal effects and the duties they can attract if they meet the criteria. It is all well covered in their document. All items need to be assigned a value and Customs are well onto artificially low values/bogus warranty repairs labels and so forth.
I now await all the postings about how mates/brothers/cousins have sent stuff from the States successfully to the mates/relatives in NZ without Customs catching on. You may occasionally fluke it but that is probably luck only same as not getting caught for gst sometimes. And the recommendations on forums that you have a mate break the law in USA on your behalf are laughable.
brought 2 leupolds in few months ago from Discount Rifle Scopes | Hunting Binoculars | Gun Accessories | The Optic Zone ended up saving around $600 after tax (which was about $300 total).
Completely legal to send optics from the US. not asking him to send ar mags or anything. The reason I ask is I often see people send talk about sedning stuff through a mate to get around the customs limit. I wont be sending a 2k scope but it will be over the appreciable limit. I had a good read through the customs website which is about as clear as mud regarding what you will have to pay and which levvies are applicableQuote:
Originally Posted by zimmer
I got mine sent to oz and then sent here. Aus has 1000 duty threshold ours is 400. Gift declared at less than 400nz will get in
Yeah had another read, and theoretically even a gift with a value over $110 is subject to some fees. Exactly what fees and how many $ is a complete mystery. Looks like I will just either wait till october when I am over there, or hope the US economy takes a dive bomb some time soon :wtfsmilie:
I have shipped lots of stuff from US including scopes etc and as long as your honest it is fine, you normally still have significant savings even if you do pay GST and if your not its not worth it and just buy it here, just be aware that the US has some new regulations on what can be shipped out of the country around firearms scopes etc without the proper paperwork so it might not even make it out of the US. Check that the items you want are not covered by ITAR or you will lose it on way out.
If there is less than $60 worth of GST and duty to pay the fee is waived. So for items with no duty, it's up to $400 (value of item + shipping) before you have to pay fees. The fee is GST on the item and shipping plus a $46.89 Import entry transaction fee.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick-D
For gifts you pay fees on the value of the item over that's $110. e.g. For a $600 scope you'd pay only pay GST on $490, so falsely declaring an item as a gift is only going to save you $16.50.
Ahh wicked. Cheers man. Might scrape through under the limit afterall.
So no duty on optics, just GST plus the import entry fee. Makes sense, and isn't to steep on what I want to get in, not worth the hassle of going through a mate then.
Still going to be about 300 cheaper than here.
No such thing as a free lunch as they say.
Just run your numbers thru the Custom's calculator Duty EstimatorQuote:
Originally Posted by Nick-D
I just use Golf Clubs for the goods if looking at a scope.
Generally you will not pay duty if the item has no manufacturers in NZ (ie scopes) so then there is only gst to contend with if value exceeds $400 incl. shipping.
Biggest enemy right now is the xchange rate.
Also remember if you have an issue with it, the local guys selling it most likely will tell you the story about the big black dog if you want to make a warranty claim through them :oh noes:
There is also the chance your US mate will get unlucky, a Stateside guy was sending me some brass as a goodwill gesture. Well the US customs intercepted and seized it and sent him a very nasty letter. It didn't come to anything apart from the fact that the brass was lost but it left a very nasty taste in both our mouths . . . .
Yeah, brass is a restricted item, most scopes however are not, so not illegal for him to send.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tentman
^ yup, brass is a no no.
Unfortunately though you've now publicly stated your intent to defraud Customs, and therefore the Govt in earnings. Lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick-D
If you want to buy something for less than what you pay in a shop in NZ, buy it, ship it over, and pay appropriate duty. If you want something nice and new but aren't prepared to pay for it try shoplifting it instead, you'll save even more money :thumbsup:
Haha well when you put it that way, now I feel bad about it. I had just heard people talking alot about it so thought I'd ask.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kscott
Thats why we have these marvelous forums where you can go and ask silly questions and clever people can dissuade you from your course of action.
Its driven around the frustration of the distributor model that we operate here. Just means everything has an extra 30-40% added on to the price as it goes through an extra set of hands.
Im a US citizen as well, and spend a bit of time there, which frustrates me even more.
Yup, that's the price you pay for living in paradise :thumbsup:
Get you mate to break it down in to little pieces and post in packages under $400 and reassemble it once you get it all here. That's how I buy my gear :ORLY:
And if we keep avoiding get all the mark ups that pay wages etc to all you moaning buggers it will soon be a third world online paradise, with no dole or benefits! PAY YOUR WAY, cause the avoidance pisses me off!
I have no issue with paying my way, and paying a fair price. I just don't think we are paying a fair price. We can never expect to pay us prices in a smaller market the size of our own, but the markups we do pay are rediculous.
The model is crappy, and the end consumer suffers for it. Markets evolve and change, and having a distributor model making things needlessly expensive doesnt put any more or less money into the economy. I will simply spend the money I have elsewhere in a different industry. In fact if the savings were less significent I would happily spend alot more money inside new zealand and hence the economy would benifit.
To justify exorbitint prices by saying it creates jobs is dis-ingenious and short sighted. The internet has globalised the market place and things are a changing, and the retailers need to keep up.
As a ex retailer, and more recently a ex sales manager for a distributor, I couldn't agree more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick-D
But we are in a situation where consumers are trying to have it both ways as well.
I'm working on a new company and its global in its focus with no bricks and mortar sales involvement.
But the downside of this is very little of the tax we will pay will be going to NZ, just a little paye and gst on sales onto NZ.
The new normal has its downsides along with cheaper stuff
The distributor model in NZ is slowly shutting down as bricks and mortar go under. They will either close their doors or become direct sellers online themselves.