This is not going to go down well with OzBargainers?
https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/amazon-to-block…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-31/amazon-to-block-us-sit…
Sign the Petition to SCRAP the GST on online goods sold online costing less than $1000
This is such a pain in the ass.
Why is the government getting all the flack on this? Seems like Amazon are the ones doing the dodgy, decided they didn't want to make the effort to setup GST (even though VAT for the UK market exists) and instead shunt us off to the second rate Aussie site.
Not much respect for their customer base in my view. The price differential between the international and Aussie sites is insulting too, people got pretty angry a while back when the same issue affected the iTunes store etc.
you trolling or what - loads of companies already refusing to ship to oz any longer because of this shit…
If you were running an Australian company and the US Government tried to tell you how to run your business you would tell them to …?
I don't think the Australian Government has any legal jurisdiction over a US company?
VAT for the UK market exists on the UK Amazon site. Not sure whether it is collected if you are from the UK and purchase on the US store for shipping to the UK though.
customs entry collection based on threshold
Thanks! Too logical for Australia to just change the threshold I guess.
No changing the threshold is a bad, bad idea. It's been written about before, but it'll potentially add months to shipping times and add very large extra "processing" fees.
The threshold is at $1000 because that's the amount that's economical for collection.
There was no problem originally with the $1000 threshold, this business with trying to make overseas business collect the GST and pay the ATO is kind of the "least bad" out of 3 bad options. None should have occurred, but it's the "least bad".
Customs or postal services collecting the GST on every item regardless of value are much much worse options. We don't want that.
@thord:
Except that I would still be able to purchase items that I now cannot purchase at all as they aren't available here.
As smoking rates plummet and less fuel is sold due to more efficient transportation (fewer Millenials driving too), the Government suddenly has a revenue crisis.
That revenue has to come from somewhere!
As for the retailers hurting?
Those within the CBD of most cities have been lobbying their local councils for years regarding the parking fee gouging and other means of discouraging people driving in. So, you know, they could transport a car-load of treasure home?
But no. Seems there's an agenda to strangle the life out of such places with the objective of creating ghost towns.
My local large shopping centre is slowly dying. More and more shop fronts boarded up, with entire wings now dead. Heck, even the McDonald's shut down in it. That's desperation.
What's wrong with Australian retail?
Rents. You want me to pay $200kpa for a small shop front in your centre? Just what sort of business do you think you can attract in an 80m2 space that generates that much profit?
Too many shops selling the same goods. How many women's clothes shops does one place need? Surely 15 is enough?
Stop building more empty shops. Local management keeps expanding the centre even when they have swathes of boarded up retail space.
Reward the Businesses by squeezing even more out of the common man. This government seriously needs to go. I think this law is here to stay no matter how much we hate it. The only thing that actually matters is how much love Harvey Norman or the money man has for it.
I am sure that this will inflate the prices of local low value goods even more as the businesses will feel less threatened by the cheap overseas goods that now no one can access anymore.
Not this government; All government needs to go.
Ah Australia, the land of 'a fair go', where the poor get robbed to give to the rich, where the emu bird on their Commonwealth Coat of Arms should be replaced by the more accurate Ostrich (where it should be depicted as burying its head in the ground) and where there is an abundance of whining, but no action.
Good on you 'mate'. You ask for everything you get.
Amazon prices are hardly good here. Who cares, I found stuff way cheaper at traditional Brick and Mortar retailer. Amazon's problem is Australia is as isolated as it gets and wages are high. Online retailing here is nothing like other countries or continents maybe even planets.Amazon wants to charge us full freight prices without collecting GST.Good luck.
So here's my HN story. It's a bit long.
10-15+ years ago, when I first got broadband cable modem, I realized to split the connection, we needed a router. Now, back then there weren't as many online retailers, and the ones that did exist were mostly overseas and wouldn't ship to Aus— this was pre Amazon. One of my really close friends lives in America, and is a techie, and has always helped me with tech advice if I needed anything. But back then the USD was very strong against the AUD, it was 50c to the dollar, so things cost roughly twice the US price even if I wanted to buy anything.
So anyway, I needed a router. I was much less tech savvy back then so I asked my friend in the US for advice, and he did some research for me and gave me a short list, with the general prices of the routers in the US.
One of them, I forget the exact model, but it was an old Netgear, and it cost roughly $30 USD or so, in America. Because of the exchange rate, the price in Australia should have been twice that, so $60-70 AUD. I was willing to go up to $80-90 or so if I found it in store in Australia.
Well, I did find it. At Harvey Norman. And they wanted $230 AUD. Yep. When I confronted them about the same model costing $30 USD, HN whined about the weak AUD and how importing tech was expensive. And besides, HN was the only one with stock, so there was no place else to get it in Australia.
But this was way more than just a weak AUD, though. This was price-gouging, because they had a monopoly on the market. They knew they could charge whatever they wanted, so they did. At that point, I realized how shady HN really was. But it gets worse.
Some years after this, the AUD had a boom. I remember when the AUD actually hit level with the USD, and for perhaps a month, passed it (only for a few cents). Again, while there were more online stores, this was before buying online was as prolific as today, and tech stuff in particular was still pretty hard to import.
I can't remember what tech item I was buying, maybe a replacement router. As usual my techie friend in the US gave me some suggestions and prices. This time, the AUD and USD were even, so the routers that cost $30 USD should cost roughly $30-40 AUD, right?
Well, imagine my surprise (not really) when I realized that despite the fact the AUD was much much stronger than it used to be, HN had not lowered its prices on imports one whit, even though it was buying things much cheaper due to the strength of the AUD. The routers still were in the 200+ AUD range, except this time, they cost like 30 AUD for them to buy, so they were making something ridiculous on it on profit. It was something like 200-300% mark up for most of their stuff. Again, they bought into people not knowing any better, and fleecing Australians for everything they had.
Thanks for bearing with me on my long as story. TLDR; This is the kind of store HN is— greedy. They have never changed. When people finally caught on (probably within the past 5 years), thanks to the market opening up and the proliferation of the internet, Gerry Harvey has been having a systemic breakdown, and has thrown a tantrum because he could no longer turn a profit by fleecing ignorant Australians. Instead of becoming competitive, like many other retailers have become, he wants to re-write the rules to eliminate the very things that tried to force him to be competitive.
I have never bought from HN in years, I will never buy from them again, and I don't care that people working there will lose their jobs, etc— HN is a scourge, and deserves to be boycotted and go completely bankrupt.
HN isn't the only one that was dodgy like that, though— the now defunct bs store DStore tried to do this forever (good riddance), as did some other retailers, especially most brick and mortar type stores. They never passed their savings onto Australians. In fact, I don't recall prices getting cheaper on the whole here, despite the strength of the AUD. If anything, prices stayed the same, or went up when the AUD dropped to 80c of the USD.
I reward businesses that are competitive, like Chemist Warehouse, and there are others— so it's not like overseas is killing the AU market completely. Somehow JB gets by. So the thing is, HN, Myer et al are just dinosaurs. Don't get me started with Myer, I used to work for them ages ago. They are clueless and just throw brands into their store, not understanding how the Paradox of Choice works. Moreover, they aren't even competitive with other Australian retailers, like JB Hifi, Kmart, etc. In Myer's case, they sell the same crap house brands (Vue, etc) sourced from China that Kmart has, but at 5x the price. So I still won't be shopping at your stores, even with Amazon (and probably others) who pull out.
I wonder if there is something we can do (beyond boycotting HN). This is pissing a lot of us off; I would welcome some kind of plan, like contacting members of parliament? petitions? protests? There's probably nothing we can do to change this, but at least voicing our displeasure officially is something.
MSY has been around for a long time and probably had routers at decent prices.
So where the summary of impact? OP do you mind put in description.
Also what are good deals with $20 voucher? Just received one now. Any freebies?
Did you get the voucher in the email? Via your Amazon.com or amazon.com.au account? I have not got mine.
So is this a electronic geo block?? Or a shipping block. What's to stop me using a proxy or VPN to purchase from overseas retailers. It's not like they are going to block goods at the border
As long as you can access the website/eBay retailers and they don't give a toss they will just ship it.
Amazon US will not ship to an Australian address.
Haha they first show us the great price. Then says a big F you cause your Australian. The Liberals are saving them from having to tariff Australia. Now Trump is moving aim to EU and Canada instead.
If amazon allowed bitcoin payments from aussies, that would get interesting..
Its not about the source of payment - they are blocking any Australian shipping address - so bitcoin or whatever makes no difference
This will surely have an affect on Postal delivery services as well especially if eBay blocks us from international purchases.
I'm not that fussed with Amazon because I always found US shipping costs were crazy stupid. But my Kindle is based in the US for the online store. I wonder if it'll force me onto the AU store? :(
Crazy Stupid? I can get a movie delivered for $2.50US, comparable if not cheaper than having it shipped from here.
Oddly i spoke to Amazon US char last night and they had no idea what i was talking about. May have been a support person who had no idea of just simply not talking about it. Who knows. in the end if i have to pay GST, so be it, but like others have said, let that be my decision. Geoblocking shoppers is simply unfair and i cant see how its not considered anti competative by the ACCC. Sure Amazon are taking hard line but its the governments implementation that is making them take this hard line. The AU government should have either had a higher threshold and collected GST at the border or just left it as is. Putting this on international retailers was never going to work. Seriously, has any other country tried to enforce sales tax collection on off shore purchases like this?
Yes, it's been expensive when I've looked in the past to get books delivered to Australia.
This could spawn a new startup - the Uber of mail forwarding services, people in the US using their address to receive and forward parcels for OS people!
Maybe someone in NZ will provide a freight forwarding service to Oz? Amazon US can still ship to NZ?
As I said somewhere above… Sending packages between countries isn't illegal - yet - but I'm sure some poindexter pen-pusher in government is working on it.
I remember last year when the local media was losing their minds over Amazon officially coming to Australia. 'The death of retail!' 'Amazon to smash local retailers!' ran the headlines. What really happened? Amazon arriving in Australia has been a damp 'meh' with everyone I know. I have ordered a few items from Amazon USA during that time. The AU version either did not feature those specials or simply did not have the item at all.
Amazon AU has been a big yawn so far, so learning that within 30 days we'll be limited to the crippled second rate version of Amazon is very annoying.
"It is unfair that businesses outsource their jobs overseas because of cheaper wages, support local economy!!!" Ozbargain whingers
"It is unfair we cannot buy our goods from overseas because they are cheaper…down with local business" Ozbargain whingers
Yes - everyone should ascribe to 1984 'group-think'. ;-p
It's not about: 'cheaper', anyway. It's about: 'available to buy'.
I think ironically for Gerry this is actually going to backfire and make things harder for Harvey Norman and make Amazon.com.au roll out much faster in Australia making it so much tougher for Harvey Norman stores.
People will now flock from Amazon to Amazon Au and not Harvey rip-off Norman. I hope Amazon now rollout in a big way and import a zillion fridges and along with their actual real innovation, great prices and great customer service and true technology and innovation show Gerry how you actually run a business (innovation) rather than just gouging customers and relying on oceans and tax to help keep alive outdated business models to keep customers.
I’m no Harvey Norman fanboy but stuff is dearer here because our input costs are higher not because Gerry Harvey has worked a lifetime and stashed a few million in the bank himself. Running deficit budgets the Governments collectively already spend more than they collect, corporations pay out their profits in dividends so the money going in is coming back out to the typical Aussie pleb anyway.
Unless of course it goes to Amazon or 3rd party overseas merchants, where in this case the typical Aussie sees nothing at best or we collectively lose money at worst as Australia post through international postal agreements actually loses money delivering (effectively a cost to every Australian).
Big picture is if we pay more for anything but pay it locally, there are more jobs, more building, more infrastructure to support it and ultimately more local competition. I’m here daily for the bargains like everyone else but would our society be a better place without any local retail, retail jobs, physical shops, jobs that support retail such as builders, cleaners, packing suppliers, maintenance guys, marketing people, catalogue printers, etc, etc.
I think this move by Amazon stinks but its not really the governments fault and Gerry Harvey is just an actor of coincidence in a much bigger game.
Is 'jason101' your alter ego tag on this site, Gerry?
Harvey Norman: "Whine, pout, bottom-lip jut."
Government: "It will cost us more than we collect."
HN: "Make the other country collect it."
Government: "Hm… Won't bring much in, but screws the citizens some more, and we're always up for that. Ok."
They couldn't make money from it by doing it honestly, so they FOISTED responsibility of collection onto another country - who quite rightly says it's too complicated and pulls out. Of course it's the government's fault. Government isn't there to fill Harvey Norman's wishlist. The system already worked and made sense. They should have said, "No Harvey - pull your head in."
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Aussie business have to set up system of collecting gst or not do business at all.
Amazon US, and all internet retailers can also setup system of collecting gst to do business in Australia now.
Amazon can’t be fk doing so, so we all blame the government for this multi billion business for not bothering to do what a small business in Australia has to do?
When amazon wants to set up a headquarters somewhere they ask cities/councils to subsidise their operations. If you set up a cafe there you pay full sale/land/payroll taxes, no subsidies.
Why are we so pro monopoly (yes I know amazon isn’t a monopoly, but as a retailer there is no other multi billion business like it)?
I blame the government soley for the fact of how they have gone about implementing the collection of GST. If they had implemented border collection then we may not be in the situation of reduced choice. By forcing international retail entities to collect GST they have decided to not play nice and restrict our choice. I have said it a few times. I dont have an issue paying GST if thats the way it has to be. But let it be my choice. Reducing my choice is not fair.
Reduction of your choice is amazons decisions, not anyone elses. Them blaming the govt is just plain BS. How can a small business collect GST and a multi billion dollar company can not? There a thousands of website that will implement GST when this is in place and they will have far less resrouces than Amazon. Its solely their choice.
As for border protection collecting GST, why does amazon need a govt body doing their tax collection? Why doesn't the govt do my income tax return? or do it for small business'? on top of that, what if the govt body imposes tax on an item believes is excluded from GST? you clearly haven't thought of those issues.
Can you suggest a country that has imposed GST/Sales tax collection on imported items as Australia is doing? As far as i know all other countries do it as ive suggested, at the border. The Australian government is being lazy or has chosen that they want the revenue but dont want to spend the money to collect it. If the cost of collecting outweighs the revenue then just dont collect it at all until it becomes feasible to do so. I personally dont see if as being a responsibility of an overseas entity. Sure you can use Ebay of Amazon as examples here as they are large multi nationals. What about all the small traders that have no AU presence. Why on earth would they want to collect GST when they have nothing to gain. Its an overhead that gain nothing from. This isnt just about Amazon. Its about every entity who trades outside of AU who the AU government now requires to collect GST on their behalf. Would you do it if you were a smaller online trader? Most likely not. So your options are either to just not ship to AU if they are being forced to comply.
Aus government has made it so sellers have to register with them and collect the gst for them, and then send it to au.
End result many businesses have just withdrawn from selling to Australians from all over the world because they are forced to bear all the expense.
It was a means of reducing imports without added expense, and as a result our access to foreign retail has effectively disappeared.
This is the worst thing that has happened for over 20 years and both parties are a disgrace.
If they were worth jack shit they'd be embarrassed, but they ain't. Petition away but appealing to shits with 3 incomes ain't gonna get you anywhere.
Sorry, the argument that business have nothing to gain from paying taxes goes for anyone and everyone. You make pretty much no point.
As for the cost of taking in the revenue versus the gain of it, well the smart thing is to make international businesses bear the cost of collection. And remember, that same cost is imposed on all local businesses. It’s simply a cost of business, and one where citizens should be happy if you ever use a public hospital or school etc etc.
I’ve had a friend who started a online shirt business who did not once complain about registering for gst and he knows he has nothing to gain from it. It’s simply the law of the land like income tax. It did not stop him from starting his business.
Amazon are too lazy to implement gst period
I dunno how many business have withdrawn from selling to Australia because of this. Can you help me find out?
Well every time I go to buy something before it starts I'm seeing no longer shipping to OZ quite a lot.
After start date will tell you more…. but when your're a prisoner its a little late mate.
Mate, that’s not because of GST, it hasn’t even been imposed yet. Can’t blame everything on GST lol. If it’s profitable I’m sure it’ll still be on sale till the last day before GST implementation.
Amazon are too lazy to implement gst period
Try thinking in reverse. You are an Australian store occasionally shipping to the USA. Donald Trump has another brain fart and decides sales tax will be imposed on imports.
Don't forget each US state has different rates, and the rate may differ depending on what category the item is in.
What are you going to do?
@D C:
You are going to decide if you can competitively compete. If you can’t get the fk out.
But they are not getting out, they are pushing you to the AU site. So they can compete, they are choosing to push you there. It’s amazonswchoice
I dunno how many business have withdrawn from selling to Australia because of this. Can you help me find out?
Here's one: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/380244
I'd say just wait a few weeks and log into your favourite suppliers.
if you can competitively compete
Seriously?
A foreign government tells you to collect tax for them and you're like "Am I bending over far enough for you yet?"
So they can compete, they are choosing to push you there. It’s amazonswchoice
Wow, can't wait until you learn about distribution networks.
crap
I've got emails from companies I used to be able to use - uneconomic to bother with au government papaerwork and systems.
@D C:
A foreign government can implement consumption taxes however they like. It's up to all competitors in the field to suck it up. I can google a million websites that will continue to operate when this comes into effect. EVERY SINGLE ONE will be a smaller player with less resources than the mighty amazon, they are the biggest company in the world and they can't do what many others can?
I still see no reasonable reply from anyone in regards to this.
sure i dont know much about distribution networks, but I do know a little about IT systems and its not overly difficult for amazon to add 10% to each sale. I also know a lot about tax, and i know its not hard to remit said 10% to the government. And i also know, they already do so on the AU website. So to say its ok to do it on amazon.com.au but too hard on amazon.com is laughable.
@cloudy:
You keep saying there are many but you provide nothing.
Once again: Here's one: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/380244
but I do know a little about IT systems and its not overly difficult for amazon to add 10% to each sale. I also know a lot about tax, and i know its not hard to remit said 10% to the government.
Lol, yeah another "how hard it can be" person.
Once again, a foreign company is telling you to collect tax for them. What's in it for you? The customers can buy from the local store - welcome to "So what's a distribution network then?"
clap clap found one!
Yeah, from here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/6007809/redir. Ya do much reading at all?
Others have been mentioned.
24ish million people that live there.
Lol.
New York City has around 9 million. Like we matter.
As before, there is a local Amazon branch and we can buy from that site. That is how distribution networks function, the customer is blocked from buying outside the official channel. You're in IT and don't know that?
@D C:
Lol, yeah another "how hard it can be" person.
Better that than a keyboard warrior here sitting around with thousands of trash talk and no contribution to community.
Fact is, after this tax there will be a thousand business' operating selling to us.
Fact is, Amazon is thousand times better equiped than most business' to implement.
Who cares whats in it for a multi foreign national (are you a share holder?)
Who cares whats in it for a multi foreign national
Sigh.
Amazon could collect GST, they've chosen not to. As to why, it's either they don't like being told what to do by a foreign government or the revenue from US-based 3rd parties selling to Australia isn't enough to bother about.
Our market is rather rather insignificant.
Put it this way; Amazon did around $180 billion dollars in sales last year. By comparison the GDP of Australia is around $1200 billion ($US).
Their biggest foreign market is Germany at around 35 billion. Australia isn't even in the top 10.
They have a presence in Australia (amazon.com.au, duh) that will distribute their own products like Alexa, plus those of locally-based 3rd parties.
Feel free to educate me on FMCG, I'm sure your knowledge equals that of taxation (& IT). Congrats on the very apt username, btw.
@D C:
Since when has Amazon cared about market size, they care about market share. Big or small. If size is all they cared about they wouldnt enter a place like Singapore.
You cant on one hand argue we are small and insignificant and on the other say they are establishing here just to sell us Alexa lol. Contradiction 101.
I need not educate you, you seem to know it all. Feel free moving else where and where you can buy from Amazon. I care not for educating you :)
You cant on one hand argue we are small and insignificant and on the other say they are establishing here just to sell us Alexa lol. Contradiction 101.
Yeah I can.
Amazon USA is not just flogging Alexa, they are a marketplace for 3rd party sellers. That's a major party of their business.
Amazon AU gives them an Australian presence, but as far as 3rd party sellers go they'll almost all Australian-based. So like eBay you'll get Officeworks, HN, JB-HiFi etc. But that's it, there won't be anything like the range of the US site.
If you want to sell on Amazon grab yourself an ABN and go for it.
Amazon know the numbers, they've decided collecting GST is not worth doing. And like all distributors, they restrict us to the local channel.
you nuts, collecting gst at the border of millions of packages daily. that's really going to work? blame who you want, but its amazon being lazy and playing hard ball.
that's really going to work?
Yeah, it does. That's how the UK collects VAT. Customs determine the value and you pay the postman. Items under ~$30 they don't bother with.
That was the original proposal here, drop the $1000 limit to $100 or so.
@D C:
Customs determine the value
how exactly does customs determine the value of every single item that gets sent in? lol, you're kidding right?
how exactly does customs determine the value of every single item that gets sent in? lol, you're kidding right?
Oh good Lord, do you need educating on everything?
How do you think it works now if you bring in an item worth over $1000?
I also know a lot about tax,
Yep, you really do.
@cloudy:
Um, the value is written directly in the "VALUE" box, on the customs label that you have to stick onto your parcel to post it overseas. Oz customs just need to look at the sticker, exactly like they do in the UK, and every other country that charges any kind of import duty (which is just about everywhere).
@Nom:
what about GST exempt items? Either seller knows the GST rules or customs would need to open item to ensure they are not taxing GST excluded items i presume.
what about GST exempt items? Either seller knows the GST rules
Congratulations, you're finally getting why asking foreign companies to collect an Australian tax just might be a dumb idea.
@D C:
Not at all, its the same process as a local companies need to collect tax.
I know its tough, leave the business of doing commerce to those who wish to conduct it. You can keep on commenting away on forums, want a lollipop for being so clever?
@cloudy: > its the same process
Ah yes, the expert on taxation is here.
Care you give us a run-down on how easy it will be for an Australian business selling to US customers to process sales tax when Trump decides "Hey that's a good idea, we should copy it!".
Congratulations, you're finally getting why
Maybe not. I guess I was being too optimistic.
@D C:
Why does a Aussie business selling to USA matter? You seem to go off on to meaningless topics.
I should expect that from you now. Lots of scarcasm and very little logic.
Why does a Aussie business selling to USA matter?
Because that's the crux of the issue. Pay attention. The Australia government is demanding foreign businesses collect tax for them.
What if the reverse occurred?
It's called a 'thought experiment'. Give it a try.
Oh and: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/382887. That'll keep happening.
@D C:
lol, why dont you think of every permutation and put it out there, we could go on forever.
As for the cost of servicing this tax, every business already charges australians for it. It's embedded in the cost of business. Where a business charges a admin fee seperately or imbeds in the price of goods its really no different.
I also note its clearly not "too hard" to collect and remitt gst, your example proves how wrong you are. Additionally, given amazons size, and resources available, its no excuse whatsoever for them to pull out of the australian market.
every permutation
There is exactly one scenario: Should a company collect tax on the behest of a foreign government. Amazon said no.
every business already charges australians for it.
Every AUSTRALIAN business does. The correct way is to have Customs collect the GST, like they already do for items over $1000.
no excuse whatsoever for them to pull out of the australian market.
Amazon have not pulled out of the Australian market.
I'm assuming you will be sticking to your day job, I just hope it doesn't impact me.
@D C:
If a company wishes to sell to their people it should pay the tax of the land. Simples, tonnes of aussie companies sell to the US and pay US tax and state taxes. I dont care what Amazon says ok
Who are you to say what is the correct way? Customs currently collect GST over $1000 mostly becuase there are next to no GST exempt items at the $1000 threshold. This will likely change, hence what worked in the past wont work well in the future.
You know which Amazon im talking about when i say they have pulled out of the market. But since you're struggling to keep up, I'll remind you, amazon.com.
You like to assume a lot don't you? hehe, wrong as usual
tonnes of aussie companies sell to the US and pay US tax and state taxes.
Yeah nah. You're telling me that if I ship something to the USA I need to pull out my chequebook and write Donald Trump a cheque for the taxes? I know you're a 'tax expert', but it doesn't work like that.
You're still avoiding the question of how this happens.
This will likely change,
Oh, do tell.
But since you're struggling to keep up, I'll remind you, amazon.com.
…who have a local distributor. As mentioned.
You like to assume a lot don't you? hehe, wrong as usual
At one point I assumed you were starting to get a clue, but yes, I was wrong. So very very wrong.
If we buy stuff from sellers within Australia who apparently imported their stuff from china, do we still get to pay GST per se? Say we buy a xiaomi robot vac from gearbite?
yea, if a business imported something like xiaomi and sold it in store here it'll have GST. The business selling to the customer would need to collect if approipiate
we should start a boycott of gerry harvey
Should start a thread somewhere anyway…
Date: 1st July 2018
User: Greg
Bought: Fridge model xxxxxx today from Betta E for same as Harvey Norman because: Amazon
Date: 2nd July 2018
User: John
Bought: Freezer model yyyyyy from TGG after asking 5% off Harvey Norman price
(So Harvey can regularly tabulate lost profits his whining cost.)
I wish when you clicked reply it would actually post under the comment.
I have lived in Australia for 12 years and have never shopped at HN - ever
Gerry will never see a cent of my money
Please spread the hashtag #boycottHarveyNorman as much as possible. If you don't have a twitter account, please create one (takes half a minute) and tweet your opinion with the hashtag.
We should petition the Russia Gov for their bots to fight against this injustice!
*** HELLO ALL ***
I've started a petition to send to Scott Morrison's office to reconsider the GST on goods costing less than $1000.
Please sign it and spread the word about it.
Once we get at least 10,000 petitions I will send it.
https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-remove-gst-from-onli…
happy to sign, but the petition should not be limited to amazon
I have signed. However, I feel 10,000 petitions won't be enough. We need it to be in excess of 100,000 signatures!
Not only amazon but others seller as well please :)
I simply want to repeal the latest bill. :P
Is this really about the 10% tax for Amazon or are they just using it as an excuse to charge Australian customers more on the au site.
It's not the first time a company has introduced an Australian site with much higher prices and geoblocked us from their overseas site and it had nothing to do with GST.
Amazon has already the capability to collect GST on AU site, now it says too hard to implement on US site. I call BS. But Ozbargainers seem fooled into believing this is all Gerry harvy or the liberals lol.
That
Yeah dont they collect VAT for the EU?
Why do you care what they collect for other countries. We live in australia, if you do business here you play by the rules here. I dont see anyone here living here paying taxes to the EU for their labour. so stupid this comparison
By know what I just remembered. Audible is owned by Amazon and a few months back, they started tacking on the 10% GST on the American site to my purchases. My entire library with them, over 1600 audiobooks and I've been a platinum member for over 10 years.
Amazon can and does collect GST for Aus.
I've always said HN is only for old people and idiots.