toodle_pipsky
Minister of Silly Walks
First off, this is me just venting, because it's probably no one's fault but mine. However I thought I would mention it just in case it helps someone save a few bucks.
Late September I placed an order with Ray, $900 odd, on purpose to avoid duties plus I wasn't totally sure about how much more I needed (power supplies, plugs, etc). About a month later I did need to place a final order, so another $200 with Ray but still no sign of my original order. Once the second order was ready Ray kindly informed me that he'd ship everything out together. No problem, I thought well I've paid 2 lots of shipping, if anything the bigger parcel probably cost more to ship than 2 small ones, maybe not, didn't matter my lights were coming. However once the parcel hit our shores there was issue with the cost of the items, so I had to provide proof of purchase. I explained that they were 2 separate orders placed a month apart but for what ever delay happened they were coming together. Well the gov still thought that was worthy of GST and import duties. Over $200 later and I'm getting my parcel.
So what's to learn from this? 1 Don't wait until late in the year to order and 2 if you have 2 seperate orders insist that they are packaged separately because putting them together will incur further (unfair) charges even for something as dopey as Christmas lights for your own personal use.
Late September I placed an order with Ray, $900 odd, on purpose to avoid duties plus I wasn't totally sure about how much more I needed (power supplies, plugs, etc). About a month later I did need to place a final order, so another $200 with Ray but still no sign of my original order. Once the second order was ready Ray kindly informed me that he'd ship everything out together. No problem, I thought well I've paid 2 lots of shipping, if anything the bigger parcel probably cost more to ship than 2 small ones, maybe not, didn't matter my lights were coming. However once the parcel hit our shores there was issue with the cost of the items, so I had to provide proof of purchase. I explained that they were 2 separate orders placed a month apart but for what ever delay happened they were coming together. Well the gov still thought that was worthy of GST and import duties. Over $200 later and I'm getting my parcel.
So what's to learn from this? 1 Don't wait until late in the year to order and 2 if you have 2 seperate orders insist that they are packaged separately because putting them together will incur further (unfair) charges even for something as dopey as Christmas lights for your own personal use.
