Import Tax?

Hi, spose i should start by introducing myself.. I've been a PC enthusiast for quite some time, have always built my own PCs (ill sig my rig soon), and am just getting into the world of laptops (have started travelling alot for work, enjoy gaming, DONT enjoy hauling my massive rig around).

Been an avid reader and fan of the site for quite some time, especially over the last few weeks where ive been researching laptops to buy. (Best reviews/benchmarks/discussions on the web tend to be here, kudos).

I should mention im from Australia, which you will surely be able to see soon anyway .

Anyway thats me, my question:

Im going to buy a Sager NP9261 from www.xoticpc.com, but this is basically my first ever purchase from the US that is >$1000 (which i hear is where you get taxed on your declared goods), I usually just buy seperate parts of lesser value when i build my PCs.

Ive been stressing myself out googling for like an hour trying to find a calculator or some more information on duty fees and import tax and all this but i just cant find enough sure information.

I was hoping someone on these boards might be able to help me out.

Basically my PC comes to $3650 or so USD (or maybe more, i cant decide if i wanna fork out anoter $200 on 2.66 quad isntead of 2.4 ), with xoticpc's estimated shipping being $223(which never seems to change no matter what country i pick, so its probably not 100% accurate, or they are overcharging to be sure of not adding extra fees)

In total with shipping and the purchase it reached $3875 or so USD, which is $4100-4200 AUD delivered.

What im not unsure of is if any other fees will be inccured, duty fees, import tax, etc. If anyone has knowwledge/experience in this it would be really great.


Oh and btw, sorry for an extremely long winded question which could of been a paragraph long, guess im in the mood to type/rant .

For anyone interested, basically I originally wanted to get something from australia to save postage/tax etc, but everything is so damn overpriced here.

Alienware charge ALOT more here for m9750s, and im not a giant aliewnare fan anyway, plus Im a big fan of clevos, quad core 4tw.

Dell are cheap but as much of a gamer as i am, 8700ms just arent worth it. i want 7950gtx's...(+no quad core)
Sure they allow you to use DX10, but at high res the card struggles on new games anyway, whats the point in Dx10 if i have to take my res down so low to keep up with the crappier bus + dx10 lags the performance.

Id prefer to play things like crysis/bioshock on hgiher res in dx9 then on an 8700m on low res in dx10. (And im upgrading to 8800s when they are out anyway).

Everything non Dell that is australian based is several thousand more then the US, even after covnersion and shipping. (Which is very sad ).



So yeah, anyone very knowledgable when it comes to customs and $4000 laptops? :S

 

I appreciate any replies, ill be back in like 1hour, off to get a long overdue haircut!

 

I didnt read the last 2 paragraphs of your post, but i got my 9260 shipped to me down under while i was there for my summer vacation, and YOU WILL NOT BE TAXED if you get it express mail (by air) with means no duty, and no tax, just shipping, and this cuts loads off the price...Good luck man

 

Sweet Air express is what xotic ships with too, I think I just got paranoid hearing about import tax, i should of figured people like xotic that ship internationally would put a buyer beware or something if there was going to be anything signifigant.

Thanks man

 

I do believe you still have to pay taxes for the laptop. USPS EMS might of helped people not getting taxed, but I highly doubt it (just my opinion).

 

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4368

According to that page, you have to pay on items imported by air, sea or post

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5549#e989

Figuring in the current Australian dollar, the above page would seem to indicate you would pay about $628 when all is said and done on the above laptop (not including the price of the laptop)

(I must be a better googler, but my math skills still stink--took me about 2 minutes to find the info--but about 10 minutes to add it all up!)

 

If the Tax revenues department in your country is not entirely incompetent you will at least be charged with V.A.T. (Value Added Tax). On top of that you may have to pay some import duties and a provision to the transport company for taking care of all that.

 

I'm interested in how much a Canadian paid (total cost) in taxes/duties for a laptop shipped from the US.

 

Canadians must pay PST and GST/HST, as well as brokerage fees if they apply (I believe the type of shipping used will determine whether you have to pay them-some shipping options have the cost already rolled in)

There is no customs duty on laptops from the US. A employee of the border services agency told me that specifically.

I ordered a Sager 2090, with shipping it came to 1431USD.
After taxes (6% GST and 8% PST in my case) it should come to around 1590CAD

 

Ah thanks for finding that customs page and doing the math, I would of rang them to double check before ordering such a pricey thing of course but you have saved me the trouble....ouch at the hit i take...cant decide what to do now, basically:

- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz w/ 8MB L2 Cache - 1066MHz FSB
- SLI ENABLED DUAL (2) 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 7950GTX w/GDDR3 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory (w/ Vista 64-Bit Only)
- Standard Finish
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~160GB Seagate Momentus 3GB/S SATA 300 7200RPM Hard Drive (9260)
- ~160GB Seagate Momentus 3GB/S SATA 300 7200RPM Hard Drive (9260)
- None Standard - 9260
- Raid 0-Stripe (Combines primary and secondary hard drive)( (Requires 2 Identical Sized Hard Drives)
- None Standard
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Built in 1.3Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card
- Integrated System Speakers - Included
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- None Standard
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- 110/220V 120W Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime Toll Free Tech Support (Extra 2 Year Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)


Is what i was gonna order from xotic, $3631 USD (3972 AUD), $223 shipping (243 AUD).

So 3972 + 5% then +shipping, then total +GST (10%)

3972x1.05 = 4170
(4170+243)*1.1 = $4854

so $4854 AUD for that thing from the US to here total (4435USD).


For a very similar 901c (but a base sound card, and only 100gx2 7200rpm HDDs from http://www.pioneercomputers.com.au, it would be about $5400 AUD delivered (for a worse PC). Its so sad that its still cheaper even after $600+ custom fees to buy from the US.


The only cheap alternative in australia is dell, but im a big 901c fan, i dont know what i even would want from dell, i want a quad core, and I want 7950s.

 

would it be cheaper for you to fly there and get it....just a suggestion..

 

Ended up getting a Dell m1730;

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T7700
2x 160gig 7,200 Rpm hd's in raid0
Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with dual layer write capabilities
2GB (2 X 1024MB) 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
8700m x2

etc

$2999 AUD delivered, (like 2800 or so USD)

Whenever I feel the need for 4gig ram ill just buy some 800mhz sticks and throw em in, dell offered 4gig of 667mhz for like 300 bucks extra, what a joke lol.

My dell sales rep told me 10 working days delivery though, and they just sent me muy confirmation saying estimated delivery was the 23rd, gonna ask them what is up (if its anything except delayed parts then something is up).

 

I should note i have a dekstop with dual 880gtx's etc that I will keep since im getting a cheaper laptop, im happy to play crsyis etc on max there, and keep my laptop for travel/less hardcore gaming.

 

Hi Sepitorth,

did you end up getting the dell from the US and did you pay the 10% GST.

i have just ordered a NP 9261, and waiting to see if i have to pay the GST.

funny things is a mate of mine bought a dell M1710 from the US and he didnt pay any GST on it coz it was express air freigted in.

 

Can anyone from Oz help on this GST and customs duty matter..?

 

There is already a tread about import tax, and i've already offered my help in tax questions. I've got a accountant and law degree, so if you have questions, feel free to ask.

 

hmm i thought this is the import tax thread?? is there another one..??

well anyways suneee i have ordered my lappy from xotic pc and im from australia. when it gets into the country will i have to pay the GST on it and any other customs fees??

i have heard from other peoples that they didnt pay any custom fees or GST since it is a registered air freight parcel..?

 

Everything you import from another country has to go trough the import tax system. Thats the way you balance economy. Otherwise it would all go crazy. So ofcourse you will have to report to the tax system that you bought one.
Am i going to report it as soon as i get mine? Nope. Just money out in the air.
Is it illegal? yes.