carnut222
OK, made a decent-sized order between a couple of people from FCP. They charged GST at FCP, but now just got a call from UPS saying I owe GST and an import charge. WTF? Anyone else had this problem? FCP order came to just over $1000AUD apparently. I’ve contacted FCP and awaiting reply.
jamesinc
Sounds like UPS have goofed, or FCP haven't listed the tax on the customs forms.
carnut222
jamesinc;c-146743 wroteSounds like UPS have goofed, or FCP haven't listed the tax on the customs forms.
Yeah, that seems to be what’s happened (FCP didn’t show the GST on the commercial invoice). On top of that, FCP split the order into 2 separate shipments, and the value of the total order has been applied to each shipment. So UPS is now saying I owe about $215 for each bloody box when the total value of the order is $1015AUD. F**K!
240
Australian Customs have extra fees for parcels over $1000aud entering the country, but if they're splitting it into 2 packages you shouldn't have to pay that.
egads
carnut222;d-9579 wroteOK, made a decent-sized order between a couple of people from FCP. They charged GST at FCP, but now just got a call from UPS saying I owe GST and an import charge. WTF? Anyone else had this problem? FCP order came to just over $1000AUD apparently. I’ve contacted FCP and awaiting reply.
I have had this exact problem. Customs and Border Protection have changed their rule back about a month or so apparently. So if you hit the border with something with declared value and shipping over $1000AUD you are liable to pay GST at the border like you always had to. You can then get a refund of your GST from the seller. This is a colossal headfuck, went through it with an FCP order too. FCP were helpful but confused and rightly so.
egads
Annoyingly UPS can then charge their "doing anything" fee of about 80 smackers for each package.
carnut222
egads;c-146773 wroteAnnoyingly UPS can then charge their "doing anything" fee of about 80 smackers for each package.
GREAT! :(
carnut222
UPDATE: Here’s what happened. Order from FCP was $772USD total, shipped in 2 boxes. FCP provided a commercial invoice for the total value $772USD in EACH box, so when it hit the border Customs calculated >$1000 value for each box and UPS invoiced me for GST $110 plus customs entry fee $83 plus security fee $10.95. After going back to FCP, they said their system could not create an invoice for each box since it was a single order. They did provide a breakdown of the bits in each box, so with the magic of Adobe Acrobat I was able to cut and shut the original invoice into 2 separate invoices with the correct value on each box. Gave that to UPS and they waived the GST, but still charged the $93.95 fees. On the other end, FCP refunded me the original GST I had paid on part of the order, plus $212 which would have been the GST+fees on one box. In the end, I came out about the same (maybe even got it all a bit cheaper due to the exchange rate.
So, the lessons learned are:
1) make sure each order goes in 1 box...confirm with FCP beforehand, otherwise break the order into smaller separate orders.
2) make sure total value of order is less than $1000AUD (about $720USD)
3) request shipping via USPS or FedEx instead of UPS as per other members’ suggestions UPS is the worst to deal with in regards to GST etc.
4) if order is >$1000AUD you are likely to be stopped at the border and charged GST + customs entry fees.
5) technically if the order is <$1000AUD then FCP should be charging the GST on their end, however I have been advised by FCP that they are no longer charging GST on their end because of people being double-charged. So it may be a loophole because that means the package should sneak in at the border under the $1000 limit and no GST will be payable at the border.
6) maybe buy local and pay 3x the price...save a local business! ;)
diecast
Yes, similar story, see my recent post about "XC90 Thudding/Wandering in front end". Spent $1100US from FCP Euro, but by the time it arrived to me it was just shy of $2000Aussie after exchange rate, customs, and UPS took their cut - still cheap compared to local prices, but i'll be more careful next time
Vee_Que
Wow. Definitely not buying bulk lots anymore if i can help it!
Philia_Bear
The rule is to either make sure it's under 1k landed or over 5k
My last order with them was 7k and the freight fees became a rounding figure into the import costs
egads
Good to hear that they have stopped trying to collect the GST, ausgov really botched this up by continuing the old rule along with this rule.
carnut222
The saga continues. Opened the boxes last night and come to find out some parts are missing. Bottom 5 parts on the packing list...boxes had not been opened at border, so obviously they ended up on a bench somewhere at FCP...
DW42
You could try Skandix next time, although the Aussie dollar to Euro exchange rate is almost as unfavourable as the Aussie to US dollar rate... Maybe a UK-based parts source would be worth a punt? At least Skandix don't use UPS.
jrhendo
I'll toss in a better luck story. On 25 September, I ordered headers for a B20 from KG Trimning in Sweden. It was delivered to our place, 20kms out of Bathurst, today. No problems with Customs or anything. Pretty quick, I thought.
Vee_Que
carnut222;c-147304 wroteThe saga continues. Opened the boxes last night and come to find out some parts are missing. Bottom 5 parts on the packing list...boxes had not been opened at border, so obviously they ended up on a bench somewhere at FCP...
I find when you contact them they are pretty good at fixing that stuff up.
carnut222
Vee_Que;c-147318 wrotecarnut222;c-147304 wroteThe saga continues. Opened the boxes last night and come to find out some parts are missing. Bottom 5 parts on the packing list...boxes had not been opened at border, so obviously they ended up on a bench somewhere at FCP...
I find when you contact them they are pretty good at fixing that stuff up.
Yeah, so far so good with the customs stuff and money they refunded me for that part of the saga. Just awaiting reply on the missing parts.
ToomanyVolvos
IPD are not charging GST. I assume they trade less than the 70K per year to Australia. I'll be supporting them wherever possible. Unfortunately their stock range contains less OEM product than FCP.
In any case I don't understand why any (OS) company would collect GST on behalf of the Australian Govt, whether they trade more or less than 70K with Australian customers that is not data they should be obliged to advise the ATO.
Disappointed FCP have been willing to co-operate with collection of GST and I truly struggle to see how they are really obliged to. It's stopped me from making several orders and will reduce future orders. In truth I don't mind paying the GST, but it's the Aus Govt problem and I strongly resent the demand being placed on foreign companies to collect it: they are not under any scrutiny as to what they've collected and whether it's ever paid.
carnut222
ToomanyVolvos;c-147325 wroteIPD are not charging GST. I assume they trade less than the 70K per year to Australia. I'll be supporting them wherever possible. Unfortunately their stock range contains less OEM product than FCP.
In any case I don't understand why any (OS) company would collect GST on behalf of the Australian Govt, whether they trade more or less than 70K with Australian customers that is not data they should be obliged to advise the ATO.
Disappointed FCP have been willing to co-operate with collection of GST and I truly struggle to see how they are really obliged to. It's stopped me from making several orders and will reduce future orders. In truth I don't mind paying the GST, but it's the Aus Govt problem and I strongly resent the demand being placed on foreign companies to collect it: they are not under any scrutiny as to what they've collected and whether it's ever paid.
FCP have stopped collecting GST as of about a month ago...
jamesinc
carnut222;c-147334 wroteToomanyVolvos;c-147325 wroteIPD are not charging GST. I assume they trade less than the 70K per year to Australia. I'll be supporting them wherever possible. Unfortunately their stock range contains less OEM product than FCP.
In any case I don't understand why any (OS) company would collect GST on behalf of the Australian Govt, whether they trade more or less than 70K with Australian customers that is not data they should be obliged to advise the ATO.
Disappointed FCP have been willing to co-operate with collection of GST and I truly struggle to see how they are really obliged to. It's stopped me from making several orders and will reduce future orders. In truth I don't mind paying the GST, but it's the Aus Govt problem and I strongly resent the demand being placed on foreign companies to collect it: they are not under any scrutiny as to what they've collected and whether it's ever paid.
FCP have stopped collecting GST as of about a month ago...
Really! I wonder what happened, maybe they got ticked off by all these reports of double-charging?