Importing from Bodybuilding.com

[White_Knight_Ways]

Hi Team - Just brought $350NZD worth of supplements from BB.COM and have had a call from Customs NZ saying that i have to pay import tax & GST on the lot.  I always thought this skipped through if it was under $450?

 

Can anyone shed some light on what i can do?  Obviously i dont want to pay the extra but will if i have to.

 

Cheers!@

[jimmybro1]

I also thought it was 450+ NZD.

I wonder if you can get around it by doing several smaller orders around the same time? 

[fly0142]

how much was your order in nzd including shipping? they hit you with 15% gst, 5% duty, and the processing fee of around $39 if your order is over $400

[White_Knight_Ways]

Total Order was $371.63NZD Shipped.  Im definitely going to look into it as they're trying to make me pay an additional $120!

 

Anyone got some ideas to get around it?

 

 

 

 

[drizzt]

We've done this thread here a few times.  The "threshold" isn't as high as $400, that used to be a general rule of thumb, but is no longer the case, and hasn't been for some time (yet people still believe it, and it spreads from there...).

Remember, they charge you if they can collect $60+ of fees from you (this includes any duties, and GST on the freight + goods + duty).  If the amount they can collect does exceed $60, you also get stung with a $30-40 fee (IETF I think it is - Import Entry Transaction Fee) on top.  So if you get charged, you will be charged at least $90ish.

Supplements attract a 5% duty AFAIK.  So lets say your amount included $320 NZD worth of supplements, and the freight cost was the remaining $51.63.  By my rough calculations on these numbers ($16 in duty on the goods, $58.14 on GST including freight + goods), you'd be looking at $74.15 in fees, in which case you have exceeded the chargeable threshold.  They then chuck the fee on top - which is somewhere around $35 IIRC.  It should come out at about $110 unless that IETF fee has increased (I'm not sure precisely how it is added or if it is a flat fee).

As a clearer example - if you somehow got free shipping from the states, you will get charged on supplements if the amount is $290 or more ($14.50 duty + $45.67 GST = $60.17).  There is no "set threshold" to which you will definitely be charged if you order over, it will always depend on freight.  But my advice is: if it is greater than $250NZD worth of supplements, I'd be cautious.

You won't get out of it through ignorance of the rules mate, take it as a lesson, pay the amount if you want your stuff, and move on *biggrin*

If in doubt in future, try the whatsmyduty.org.nz calculator *nea*

[White_Knight_Ways]

Thankyou for the reply - Ok to clear things up, i was merely looking for away i could slide it through the sidelines and bypass the cost.  If you dont look into alternative ways when recieving an unknown cost your an idiot. 

I'm picking apart the website now trying to fault some wording or find something that conradicts itself on the site and will keep everyone updated.  If i cant ill take it on the head and pay the money=].

DrizzT - I honestly had no idea how NZ customs work to calculate there import fee's and when to charge people before this incident,  I dont import much at all but decided i would this time because the order was rather large.

Thanks for the write up, its cleared everything up for me and i definitely wont be making that mistake again.

Cheers*good*

 

 

[drizzt]

Sweet bro, glad it clears things up, and I hope we can begin to dispel the myth that seems to float around about the "$400ish" threshold.  

If everyone is more informed, there will be less people being caught out *good*