I need to order some parts from the US that will be well over the $1000 threshold for GST and import duty, and will end up paying a fair bit.
I'm wondering if I should get the stuff sent to a friend in the US who could then send it over to me declaring a lower value. Has anyone done this? Are there issues with customs opening boxes at the border and deciding it's worth more than the declared value etc?
Lot of the sellers put gst on orders of any size anyway…..
Can you split the one big parts order into a couple of smaller orders which total under $610 USD each? That's how I get around the Sweaty Corrupt Fat Pig Treasurer For Sale Hockey's Gerry Harvey Failed Business Model Protection Tax, which hits online purchases made overseas of $1K excluding shipping with GST.
Ex850R Lot of the sellers put gst on orders of any size anyway…..
Only if they do over 75k of sales to Australia which is not the case here.
Major Ledfoot Can you split the one big parts order into a couple of smaller orders which total under $610 USD each?
Unfortunately no. If I go ahead, the bulk of the order will be a 1 item worth $4000 ish AUD
At the very least you'd want your friend to unbox it and make it not seem obviously new or expensive.
The freight forwarding companies like shipito might work something out for you.
Late to the party here but just for reference in future, splitting the orders does not change the customs fee. Customs picked up an order that I had of Ford parts that was split and marked parcel 1 of 2 on the label. My order came to $1200 in total. They slugged me duty and sales tax on both parcels. Fucked me off big time as US Postal had returned items twice to sender for different reasons, ended up costing me and sender a poltus for 3 lots of shipping and then slugged by customs when it got here.
