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TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.
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The Netflix tax

Sat 03 Jun, 2017 9:32 am

So it looks like from June 01 we will be paying the GST 10% on all imported goods, regardless of cost; perhaps a good time to making that last sub$1k purchase from OS.
I really wish I had thought about this last month when REI had their huge end of winter sale on tents at 25% off
The same fee will also be charged on eBay sellers fees etc so I'll not be selling on eBay again

Re: The Netflix tax

Sat 03 Jun, 2017 9:57 am

Not this financial year.
Maybe next.
Possibly not at all.

The Netflix tax

Sat 03 Jun, 2017 10:08 am

A bunch of the major online sites - eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Alibaba etc. have told the Senate Economics Committee that are marketing platforms, not retailers and will not collect GST.

Since many/most merchants using the sites would turn over less than the $75,000 GST threshold very little would be collected.

Furthmore eBay has suggested that if the government tries to make them collect they will exclude Australian customers from their sites.

So implementation is likely to be delayed for a year while the government goes back to square one.

Eventually I suspect Turnbull will have it will quietly disappear like most of the Abbott/Hockey imposts.

You can read the submissions here.

Senate Standing Committee on Economics

Re: The Netflix tax

Fri 09 Jun, 2017 11:38 am

Hmmm, maybe paypal is on board, despite ebay, a eager early adopter?
Or Rockywoods? (doubtful).
Been a while since iv'e used paypal to make a private purchase from OS:

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Re: The Netflix tax

Fri 09 Jun, 2017 2:05 pm

I would assume that Paypal is a payment processor and has no business collecting GST, and Rockywoods would have no interest in paying it, I'd email rockywoods and ask for an explanation.

Re: The Netflix tax

Fri 09 Jun, 2017 2:28 pm

Maybe its sales tax on the US end. My maths is pretty bad but it doesnt seem that GST $9.11 adds up to 10%

Re: The Netflix tax

Fri 09 Jun, 2017 3:32 pm

Agreed, it's obviously not 10% but then the parcel is going from CO (2.9%) to Oregon (0%) so even the state taxes (if this retailer charged them) don't account and point to the charge being in the payment transaction rather than from RW collecting taxes not indicated on their invoice. Not overly fussed but have asked and will follow up.

Re: The Netflix tax

Fri 09 Jun, 2017 4:54 pm

In the US, if a sale is made to an interstate/international destination no sales tax is payable.

Re: The Netflix tax

Sat 10 Jun, 2017 12:53 pm

hmmm, yeah, I recall a tax charge once to California but it was a one-off among many transactions.
So the important tidbit (here) is that Paypal say it's not them, the tax was indicated by Rockywoods.
I didn't expect this as the charge wasn't shown on the RW invoice.

(not looking good for RW, a random 'tax' considered with the $27 interstate postage)

Re: The Netflix tax

Tue 13 Jun, 2017 8:20 am

$9 is clearly not 10% of $120 of goods. 7.5% sounded like some forms of US State Tax. If Rockywoods has registered operations in the state of delivery, then it will charge the state tax.

Re: The Netflix tax

Tue 13 Jun, 2017 12:43 pm

Unicorn Tax. They shipped it yesterday without explanation.. and that postage was $37. Has anyone used Crookywoods? Don't.

Re: The Netflix tax

Tue 13 Jun, 2017 5:18 pm

What showed up on your credit card bill? Was the 'GST' included?

Re: The Netflix tax

Wed 14 Jun, 2017 12:39 pm

Paypal GPS, from the balance. The full amount was taken. It's only a little thing (so far), though $ don't mean so much when fair play is involved.

Re: The Netflix tax

Wed 14 Jun, 2017 10:06 pm

Too complicated without knowing the trail.


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Re: The Netflix tax

Thu 15 Jun, 2017 10:22 am

In the US sales tax is payable depending on the state it is shipped to/ ordered and paid from or if purchased outright at POS on the rate of tax at the Point of Sale.
Don't buy anything in NYCity if it can be avoided for this reason NYC has a higher tax rate than New York State for instance

Re: The Netflix tax

Thu 15 Jun, 2017 12:02 pm

Thanks m'dog. What comprises their tax or postage is not clear, doesn't figure in any way, and so I asked again.

Re: The Netflix tax

Sat 17 Jun, 2017 4:32 pm

This was indeed an unusual transaction- Nobody seems to have charged the GST shown. Nobody is claiming to know why it's there (inc Paypal).

(the excess charged, confusing the total, ended up being from RW. They posted the order as two packets)

Re: The Netflix tax

Mon 19 Jun, 2017 5:56 pm

Postponed for 12 months to July 2018 - may well disappear up Gerry and friends fundamental O.
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