TRS Claim Denied for Overseas eBay Purchase with GST

LThrawn on 11/12/2024 - 15:44
Last edited 11/12/2024 - 21:19 by 1 other user

Just tried to claim item for TRS purchased from eBay US. It's a usd $350 camera lens with GST charged by eBay and shipped from the US.

Invoice shows an overseas eBay company with ABN number listed. The amounts are in USD with exception of a line at the bottom which shows the GST amount in AUD.

TRS claim was denied on the basis that the item was purchased and shipped from overseas. Despite it having an ABN # and Australian GST shown as paid.

It's a bit of a grey area. I am assuming that if you are trying to claim the GST as business input credit that would work.

Just FYI in case anyone wants to try claiming TRS in the future

Travel Camera Lens Tourist Refund Scheme

Comments

  • woodg on 11/12/2024 - 15:49
    +34

    I don't think it is a grey area. The goods must be purchased in Australia.

    • pyramid on 11/12/2024 - 15:50
      +5

      Case closed…

  • TALL1one on 11/12/2024 - 15:59
    +8

    Very clearly stated.
    https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/touris…

    You can't
    claim
    goods purchased overseas and imported into Australia

    • Thrawn on 11/12/2024 - 16:01

      I've done TRS claim for Google Pixel phones purchased directly from Google in the past. Shipped directly from Singapore and the invoice was Google Singapore with GST amount shown. That was a long time ago

      Not exactly consistent

      • Baysew on 11/12/2024 - 16:17
        +4

        That was a long time ago

        Things can change over a period of time, always best to check current requirements.

  • Duckie2hh on 11/12/2024 - 16:16
    +3

    I think the invoice having USD ruined it to be honest.

    • Thrawn on 11/12/2024 - 20:20

      Agree, the staff was confused at some of the USD figures and escalated it to his boss. If it was all in AUD, I reckon it would have gone through. I did pay in AUD on ebay.com.au website. Even used Australian ebay codes.

  • Bunnyburger on 11/12/2024 - 16:29
    -2

    My condolences, government will do everything to stiff the people.

    • 2jzzzz on 11/12/2024 - 21:58
      +10

      Yeah like letting people who are obviously not tourists get refunds under the tourist refund scheme.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 11/12/2024 - 17:09
    +5

    TRS claim was denied on the basis that the item was purchased and shipped from overseas

    Just tried to claim item for TRS purchased from eBay US.

    lol

    • Thrawn on 11/12/2024 - 20:18

      To be more accurate the item was listed on eBay US. But was purchased on eBay.com.au website using AU account. Invoice though is from a Swiss eBay company with an ABN #

  • try2bhelpful on 11/12/2024 - 17:30

    https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/gst-exci…

    I think the relevant bit might be
    Importers of low value goods
    - You are the importer of low value goods if both of the following apply:
    - You have caused the goods to be brought to Australia for your own purposes.
    - You or your agent have completed the customs formalities or would be responsible for the customs formalities.

    Generally you will be regarded as the importer of goods when:
    - you order goods either via a website, phone, or in-store from an Australian retailer
    - you accept the retailer's terms and conditions to be responsible for any customs formalities
    - the goods are sent from overseas to you in Australia.

    I read this as you need to buy through an Australian store or website and then it is shipped in from overseas. I suspect the issue is the Australian website would pay the GST so any GST from the overseas importer would need to be refunded to you.

    Happy if someone else has a better explanation.

  • JimmyF on 11/12/2024 - 18:44
    +2

    It's a bit of a grey area

    How do you get that? The TRS have reviewed your claim and said no….. It's very black and white outcome.

    It's a usd $350 camera lense with GST charged by eBay and shipped from the US.

    So looking at $600-800 AUD inc GST after shipping, so a claim of no more than ~$70 AUD for the GST.

    You'll be ok. Lesson learned.

    • Thrawn on 11/12/2024 - 20:35

      Lots of funny business with GST. The other item I claimed was one of the Black Friday eBay $200 Moto 50 Neo phones. The invoice amount was $698. Resulting in a GST refund of $65-ish on a $200 phone.

      You win some, you lose some.

      I didn’t factor in the GST refund when I purchases the lense. Just thought when I saw the invoice with ABN number and AUD GST amount, it would be an interesting test as I haven’t see a report online from anyone else trying it.

      • JimmyF on 11/12/2024 - 20:52

        You win some, you lose some.

        That you do, at least it was under $70 in this case.

  • brendanm on 11/12/2024 - 20:02

    Oi, Andy!

  • Drakesy on 11/12/2024 - 22:16

    I mean if its in USD it wasn't really purchased in Australia unfortunately.

    • pandadude on 12/12/2024 - 10:50

      You can buy product in Australia in any currency. The main foreign currency other than AUD is USD. However, they must include the exchange rate to work out the GST value in AUD.

      If what you say is correct then companies like BHP wouldn't be able to claim GST.

  • BobLim on 12/12/2024 - 00:26
    -1

    How is it that welfare payments get indexed bur the duty-free allowance stays the same? Hardly seems fair

    • try2bhelpful on 12/12/2024 - 00:27

      Seriously?

      • BobLim on 12/12/2024 - 00:30
        +1

        I think over 19 years is a bit long personally, do you not? CPI increases would make it about $1460 now.

        • try2bhelpful on 12/12/2024 - 00:51

          You complain that TRS doesn’t keep up with Welfare payments? You think your tax teturn for buying a camera when travelling overseas should be given the same consideration as the money needed to ensure welfare recipients don’t starve?

          • BobLim on 12/12/2024 - 01:03
            -3

            @try2bhelpful: Well that was quite a stretch - did it hurt? I could've used a examples of registration fees, public transport fares, or standard penalty units if that shocks you less. I simply noted the discrepancy in treatment.

            If some government-set prices and provisions are adjusted for inflation, I don't really see why they shouldn't all be treated the same IMO. Was maintaining revenue from parking fines given equal priority as preventing starvation?

            Do you have an argument in favour of adjusting welfare, transport fares, council rates, tolls, passports, PBS medications, procurement contracts, infringement amounts, licences etc, but not income tax brackets or the duty-free limit?

            • try2bhelpful on 12/12/2024 - 06:27
              -1

              @BobLim: But the other options weren’t the example you gave, you specifically said welfare. The range you gave me are all different beasts. There are different reasons why each of them might be considered in a different light. Indexing welfare payments makes sense to avoid further hurting people already disadvantaged. Adjusting the group that brings in Government revenue is a balancing act of ensuring there is enough money to provide services against the effect the increases have on society. To say they should all be treated equally is too simplistic. Each of the options you’ve given have different effects on various groups in society.

              From the tax bracket situation a better argument would to increase the tax free threshold so the poor get the benefit as well. With the duty free we would need to analyse what goods are being brought in by whom. Is it just a tax avoidance scheme in another guise? Unless you are dealing with a situation where a tax is applied twice why should there be a duty free component at all? I suspect the current level is a balancing act of cost of gathering the tax against the amount gathered.

  • wmic on 12/12/2024 - 07:59

    Surprised your GST claim got knocked back since I’ve claimed TRS from Amazon US via AU before without any issues. The only snag was proving the nickname on the invoice was mine, but once I did, it was all good. Maybe it’s because your invoice showed the US amount, like others have mentioned.
    Or perhaps it’s just at the discretion of the officer.

  • GOCAT9 on 12/12/2024 - 16:56

    My friend bought a MacBook Air and a new iPhone from the local Apple Store about two weeks ago. They had all the correct information on the invoices as required by TRS, name etc.

    When they went to claim the GST at the airport, they were denied the refund because they were told “you are not going to be overseas for long enough”! They queried the response and were given the same answer.

    They were travelling for two months in Europe! And of course they would need to declare it if they returned to Australia with those items.

    How can this happen?

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