tariff / duty

Rick Craig · « **on:** 15 Jun 2005, 08:38 pm »

What's the percentage of tariff/duty for importing from Australia to the USA?

SamL · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 09:51 pm »

Welcome to AKSA forum

Well, I though with the free trade agreement between OZ and US, it should be free - no duty...again, I might be wrong.

Sam

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 09:59 pm »

I don't know about from Australia to the USA but I do know from USA to Canada is about 10%. Example: $800.00 declared value equals $80.00 duty fees.

Cheers
Charlie

Gordy · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 12:40 am »

I'm not aware of having paid any tariff importing from Australia to the states, though it could have been built into Hugh's shipping???

stvnharr · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 02:42 am »

Customs and duty tend to depend on declared value and listed contents.
It's a game and anyone who has imported things knows the ins and outs.
Generally, a single unit purchase here will not get pinched for any customs fee.

AKSA · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 06:02 am »

Steve is right. Generally, there are no customs barriers at all coming into the States. Local taxes imposed by the different states might intervene in rare cases, but as a rule it all goes through untariffed.

Europe is another matter, where Customs tariffs are the norm, particularly in Scandinavia. Holland is pretty good, but Norway, Denmark and Sweden in that order are terrible to high, with 25% of declared value being typical. I've even had Customs officials go to the website and figure tarriffs on the basis of the posted price, NOT the declared value, which is not a game I like to play at all. Central and Eastern Europe are appalling, with up to 80% of declared value common, and some Asian countries are high (and unpredictable!).

OTOH, I have had people send me their AKSAs for repair and had the damaged goods up for Australian Customs and lengthy retrieval! In Australia they will want 10% of declared value plus an admin fee of just under $50 , but the real problem is retrieval. If you do it yourself to save money, it takes about four hours and involves driving about 50 kms. The documentation is arcane and complex, and the Customs people don't really want to help you as they want it all done through forwarding agents, who charge typically $100. So if you send me an AKSA for repair, say so, don't put a value on it of more than a couple hundred dollars!!

Cheers,

Hugh

fajimr · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 01:18 pm »

Rick

I just got my AKSA 55 N+ and GK-1 a few weeks ago and there was no tariff

. It comes surprisingly fast- it took less than 2 weeks. go for it!!!!

rosconey · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 01:27 pm »

ummmm-
isnt it your DUTY to pay the TARIFFS

fajimr · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 02:20 pm »

Quote from: rosconey

ummmm-
isnt it your DUTY to pay the TARIFFS

hmmm, that is a political question....

my response: I am moving to Canada -land of more tariffs but at least more $$$ go to education and medicare than to big business

or, following up on a recent age thread, at least I am still young enough to hold such idealist thoughts (and biological age doesn't matter in this respect)

ctviggen · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 02:37 pm »

I had a 5% tariff imposed on a used piece of gear I bought from someone in Hong Kong, even though it was marked as a "gift." They used the insurance value to determine the fee.

stvnharr · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Jun 2005, 02:20 am »

Rick,
Rest assured that if you get an Aksa product sent to you from Hugh you will only pay nothing more than the cost and the shipping cost. It will also come airmail and get to you in 5-10 days.

Steve

rmihai0 · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jun 2005, 08:34 pm »

I Canada is simple. 15% from the declared value + ANYTHING between 8 to $150 in "brokerage fees"!!! The brokerage fees are entirely up to the shipper. From this perspective is much better to "import" with national Posts then UPS or fedeEX. Because Australia Post is having as a local partner Canada Post - that means Canada Post will get the brokerage fees and they are, by far, the most reasonable in this. UPS and FedEx are just pirates.

AKSA · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jun 2005, 10:26 pm »

Amen to that....... I've been absolutely disgusted with the extortionate charges of the couriers, particularly the US-based ones. In deference, one must say their operating costs are denominated in US dollars, but a phone inquiry yields prices to make a grown man cry and the only way to get these prices down to something halfway reasonable is to join up and contract to carry a certain amount each month. Then, they send you the bill after the event and it's almost always a nasty shock.

I believe we are seeing some sort of loose corporate agreement between these companies. I've been quoted $AUD650 to carry a 5Kg package to Europe!! I might as well buy an airfare and deliver it myself!

Cheers,

Hugh

Rom · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Jun 2005, 06:24 am »

Hugh,

Quote

I believe we are seeing some sort of loose corporate agreement between these companies. I've been quoted $AUD650 to carry a 5Kg package to Europe!! I might as well buy an airfare and deliver it myself

!

Please pass by my place once you do and I will pay for the extra fees.

cheers
rom

AKSA · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 Jun 2005, 06:54 am »

Thanks Rom!!

Very decent of you, I have your address!

Hugh