BOYCOTT AMAZON They're Price Extorting Australian Consumers!

Lwhitedingo on 06/06/2019 - 11:55

BOYCOTT AMAZON They're Price Extorting Australian Consumers!

Recently, I’ve been deliberately obstructed from buying on Amazon US and shipping to Australia on a whole range of products from books, footwear, electronic goods, power tools and so on and so forth, whsilt being forced and directed by Amazon US to shop on their Australian site, being blocked at the point of payment, in bold red type.

The problem is, Amazon’s Australian site charges 2 to 5 times what I would normally pay on Amazon US including shipping, for the same items!

What a racket!

I’m extremely pissed; previously had no problems purchasing direct from the Amazon US site.

I am so irate in being prevented and directed, essentially forced, by Amazon US to buy at extorted and rip-off prices, at their Australian site.

Has anyone else had this problem?

If so, what can we as Australian consumers do about it?

Why won’t the ACCC step in on this price fixing and price gouging of Australian consumers?

Is the ACCC just a bunch of toothless, pen pushing, lazy pricks?

“Free Trade?” What a load of BS the politicians are serving the Australian public!

What are Australian politicians doing about this sort of fraud and racket against Australian consumers?

Has anyone a solution, or ideas how to change Amazon's rip-off activities?

Thanks.

General Discussion

Related Stores

Amazon AU
Amazon AU
Marketplace

Comments

  • funnysht on 07/06/2019 - 09:52
    +1

    Funny how ACCC do not want to step in. but the same gov is happy to tax these items

  • giventofly on 07/06/2019 - 10:17

    I knew what the confusion was before I saw an example.

  • Briefcase Mong on 07/06/2019 - 10:23
    +3

    Quiet you bellend

  • Dreamcast on 07/06/2019 - 11:33

    This is one good rant. +1

  • lltravel on 07/06/2019 - 11:40

    If you voted liberal you made your own bed. Sleep in it now.

    • Danstar on 11/06/2019 - 08:06

      If you voted for labor, lucky they didn't get in. Everything will be sent from off-shore and any Manufacturing and even warehousing jobs will be non-existent in Australia, in the near future.

      • lltravel on 11/06/2019 - 08:52
        +1

        Please tell me how most of the australian infrastructure is owned by foreign companies already?
        Remember when liberals sold Telstra and then ruined the nbn? Oh yeah must be labors fault

        • Danstar on 11/06/2019 - 09:31

          Please tell me how the majority of our manufacturing industry has moved overseas?

          • lltravel on 11/06/2019 - 10:09

            @Danstar: that's great, cheaper products for us

            Why would you pay 30 an hour for people to take smokos and waste time when you can pay 1/4 that and get better work done

            Why do you think most electronics are made in China and Asian countries?

            When you want to operate a company that makes a good profit margin you have to move it overseas

            I guess you like to be ripped off.
            Australia would have to be the hardest place to run a business. Ridiculous tax rates

            Once you become a larger business your employees look at loopholes to try and get WorkCover or sue the company for silly things.

            You clearly haven't ever experienced this so you just look at the outer shell brainwashed by politicians and the media

            • Danstar on 11/06/2019 - 10:31

              @lltravel: Cheaper products for people who have money. But what will happen when the money runs out and more and more people are on welfare? Who will pay for it then? We will be with our taxes, reducing the amount of money we spent.

              So have cheap products in the short term is all well and good, but in the long term, we're screwed.

              I agree a lot of unskilled labor jobs are over-paid, but that's the cause of a Labor Government controlled by unions.

              You clearly don't look at the bigger picture and only want to save a few bucks today.

  • Gronk on 07/06/2019 - 13:03
    +2

    Oh I do love a good BOYCOTT X post, OP's jimmies have been rustled good and proper by the sounds of it…

    How about this - if you don't like the prices then don't buy it, it's a simple yet effective approach.

  • henreyes on 07/06/2019 - 13:13
    +3

    Are you Gerry, Are you Gerry? ARE you Gerry in disguise? Are you GERRY in disguise!

  • whitedingo on 07/06/2019 - 13:21
    -5

    Haven't experienced such BS with eBay as some suggested, other than they kucked up a Gibson Les Paul purchase via their Global Shipping program claiming it's woods breached Australian Customs laws, which it did not!

    My core complaint about Amazon is not GST related, they now slug you the GST on sales, but that Amazon US is literally FORBIDDING sales and shipping into Australia, and FORCING Australian consumers to pay higher prices at Amazon Australia.

    Also bad for Amazon third party sellers, as these sellers are losing business.

    Australian consumers are again the bunnies and being ripped-off and screwed by a global corporation.

    Surprised the media have not got hold of this and produced some outrage?

  • KangaBanga on 07/06/2019 - 13:26
    +2

    The gst is unfair. It is charged on both item price and shipping. By right shipping should not incur gst

    • petry on 07/06/2019 - 13:56
      -2

      its a regressive tax - well supported by the Australian voting populace - and soon George will be out as well. Makes you wonder when child sexual abuse will be ok when national security is involved, cuz murder and rape is already.

      • profar on 08/06/2019 - 09:18

        The good news is Pell unlikely to overturn the conviction based on successful appeals in history for that crime .

        • petry on 08/06/2019 - 14:20

          we'll soon see…

    • johnno07 on 08/06/2019 - 19:04
      +1

      Do you know what GST stands for? It's Goods and Services Tax. Guess what shipping is?

  • Taro Milk Tea on 07/06/2019 - 15:44

    The problem is, Amazon’s Australian site charges 2 to 5 times what I would normally pay on Amazon US including shipping, for the same items!

    are what every one, who is not rich, always say

    • tempura on 07/06/2019 - 15:51

      You may want to use quote; it is provided for a reason.

    • whitedingo on 07/06/2019 - 16:24
      -2

      In reality, your own comment is what people who are not rich, always say. Rich people know how to save a cent.

  • Okayy on 07/06/2019 - 16:29
    +1

    Any message from the OP where nobody neg him? Lol, make it easier for yourself and help other call ACCC and tell us what they think.

  • Garminrider on 07/06/2019 - 18:09
    +3

    In the past I have contacted the third parties directly via email

    You can get better prices and tax breaks doing it that way

  • timetoquit on 07/06/2019 - 18:10
    +3

    OP,

    Where do we start?

    We as Aussies have always been ripped off, have you looked at the prices world wide in Ikea? Zara? Costco? Apple? cost of over the counter medications? Everything is expensive here, what happend to Dymocks? and those book stores? practically non existent. We are lucky to have so many choices, and avenues as cosnumers we can take our had earn money elsewhere to save a few dollars. I thank Ozb and the community but often wonder if I have in fact saved… lol.

    No point complaining, why waste your energy. Its whoever does the best price on the day, that goes for products and services, loyalty is long gone!

    It's not just Amazon :)

    • petry on 07/06/2019 - 20:28
      +4

      'No point complaining' - effectively telling people to go away and be quiet about what they see is wrong is not democratic.

      and 'We are lucky to have so many choices, and avenues as cosnumers' is just wrong after the border tax was introduced.
      We all have less choices now.

    • MessyG on 08/06/2019 - 09:05
      +2

      Agree on all of those except medications. They are cheap here compared to the US where they run in the hundreds of dollars for things as simple as antibiotics. Cheaper still if PBS listed. Our government negotiates price of drugs with pharmas (as opposed to US model where insurers and big pharma collude). Obvs not the prices poorer countries can negotiate but that's good in itself, stops truckloads of medications being used badly (antibiotics!) and getting into the water supply.

      • petry on 08/06/2019 - 14:21
        -1

        they collude here in much the same way - its just not reported here..

        • MessyG on 09/06/2019 - 12:13
          +1

          That's not true, evidenced simply because we aren't out of pocket hundreds of dollars for basic medications, to say nothing of thousands needed for the more complex ones. The companies may make money in getting certain drugs listed on the PBS that probably shouldn't be there, but it's not a huge amount, and nothing like the blatant rorting that goes on in the US with the argument made that private enterprise is king and something everyone should aspire to, even if it means mortgaging yourself for your health.

  • serpserpserp on 07/06/2019 - 21:18

    Is this a troll thread that everyone bit on?

  • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/06/2019 - 21:29

    I'm a heavy Amazon US store user. (on Amazon.com.au). Usually the 2-5 times prices are from private sellers. Amazon AU's prices are generally pretty good, though not perfect.

    You need to realise that Amazon US is just a store on the AU site, same as any other private seller stores. Sometimes the US store can be ranked lower than 3rd party seller stores, I've seen that before, though not often. I see no problem with this.

    Maybe you didn't check available prices and just bought the first one that appeared to you. That'd be your fault.

    Again, Amazon is doing great because some of the local prices are just plain (profanity) ridiculous and they have over 50% margin. At least Amazon is offering competition so the local greedy bastards will think twice before they completely rip us off.

  • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/06/2019 - 21:34
    +1

    View Amazon as a buying option. If the item you want is offered by Amazon (first party), or Amazon US, then buy it, if not seek elsewhere. The third party sellers on there are a complete joke and no one should give them a single dime.

    Problem solved.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 07/06/2019 - 22:10
    +1

    I like Amazon and if they are cheaper then other retailers on the same products im going to shop with them and not you and your moronic thread will stop me from shopping with them…

  • spiffycashew on 08/06/2019 - 05:37
    +3

    I feel like everyone’s jumped down OP’s throat for the fun of it (and maybe because of OP’s tone) but consumers can still buy from eBay US for most products today (+GST of course). Amazon is clearly being manipulative here to push AU site usage, and comments like ‘shut up OP just shop somewhere else’ are only sweeping it under the rug…

  • MrBillions on 08/06/2019 - 07:08
    -4

    Last year Amazon shipped product into Australia from the Australian site and lost money on these sales so they are now bumping it up.

    Example I ordered 4 large suitcases from them with free shipping and they all came from the US and the price was almost the same as the US price on the US site.

    Guess what I returned them all and had to return them to Kentucky USA the Amazon returns center. The return cost * 2 of the suitcase value and I complained about it so Amazon paid the full returns bill of nearly $500. Serves them right. Their intentions are not good.

    The suitcases are still available to be bought from the AUbsite but now costs nearly twice as much with the shipping costs obviously built in.

    • gimme on 08/06/2019 - 10:18
      +1

      What are you on about? Really.

    • fatal on 09/06/2019 - 13:59

      They refunded you the item + shipping cost all the way to the US and apparently "their intentions are not good"? Wot m8?

  • profar on 08/06/2019 - 09:25

    For US products I find it cheaper to deal directly with the biz on bulkier orders in my categories . Buying the US products via Oz Amazon is not even close to being competitive .

  • GourmetFoodie on 08/06/2019 - 13:35
    -2

    Yep i still haven't purchased a thing from Amazon AU and i was SO excited when they said they were launching.
    Waste of time. Range and pricing is terrible.

    • Danstar on 11/06/2019 - 07:55

      Really? You must have all the Amazon deals filtered out from OzB. I've saved hundreds buying from Amazon…

      Although some might say I've wasted hundreds on items I didn't really need

  • GregMonarch on 08/06/2019 - 23:24
    -1

    If so, what can we as Australian consumers do about it?

    Go back in a time machine and invite Gerry Harvey to visit a certain mosque in NZ. I hope he enjoyed the extra 2 cents per month he got that cost the rest of us hundred$ - IF we could even buy what we wanted here anymore. I now purchase from anywhere else except Harvey Norman… even it means I pay more. Greedy scumbug he is!

  • Incendary on 08/06/2019 - 23:40
    +1

    they don't honor their deals either

    bought a Thermaltake View 31 case that was advertised on ozbargain from Amazon.
    day of expected delivery
    got delayed by 1 month
    got delayed by 1 month again
    Amazon cancelled order saying they have been advised discontinued item.
    the item was still on sale from Amazon just $100 more.

    • ProlapsedHeinous on 08/06/2019 - 23:46

      The only solution is to starve them of money. let them close down AU ops and fk off back to murrka

    • fatal on 09/06/2019 - 14:00

      Definitely wasn't due to anything malicious. Their systems are highly automated apart from the picking process. It's more likely that the warehouse didn't have the stock.

    • LukeB on 24/08/2019 - 10:43

      What a crappy case so many better options!

  • whitedingo on 08/06/2019 - 23:53
    -4

    After my experience with Amazon US and being directed to pay 2 to 5 times the US price locally, will never use Amazon Australia.

    Will find Amazon competitors.

    Buying from Amazon third party stores directly as someone suggested, could be an option, one I've not pursued?

    Suggestions?

    Thanks.

    PS - and yes Gerry Harvey can go forniacte himself, lousy piece of anti-consumer scum, lower than fish feces.

  • Cletus vandamme on 09/06/2019 - 00:00

    Imagine there was this thing called the internet that connected everyone around the world where we could shop from the comfort of our own home. but I guess for now we can only shop on Amazon.

  • Cave Fire on 09/06/2019 - 18:18

    Most US companies have a slow expansion in Australia. They are doing the same thing. There has been a history of big failures. So they are not price competitive yet. If they undercut everyone there would be a concerted push against Amazon. So they just hover around waiting for the right time. Costco is a similar example.

  • Danstar on 11/06/2019 - 07:53

    What are you buying that's so much cheaper to buy from the U.S. than it is from Amazon Au or an Australian retailer ?

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join