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I finally bit the bullet and purchased a new 3 blade folding propeller. As it was coming from Denmark, I fully expected the 5% duty and the 10% gst. It still worked out a bit under what I would have paid for a VP 3 blade folder buying locally, and I preferred the Flexofold anyway. UPS contacted me today requesting a payment for the above in order to release it from customs. On inspecting the invoice, as well as the duty and gst, there is a $10 Security Fee charge from UPS, and an additional $83 "Customs Entry Fee" levied by Aus Customs. So essentially Customs are charging me to charge me...what a joke! A good bit of Clarke and Dawe material there!
[Whinge Over]
Yeah I copped the same just recently when I got the same 3 blade prop from Flexofold, bit harsh. To add insult to injury went to install it last week and found out the hard way I have a non standard thread on my prop shaft! Flexofold were great, thankfully had another nut with the right thread and got it in the mail that day with no extra charge so my new nut plus a blank pilot just in case should be arriving tomorrow. Fingers crossed the next attempt works better.
Looking forward to seeing what sort of difference it makes when back in the water, maybe then I can forget about the extra money customs got.
It's a somewhat tricky one. Often on this forum we are exhorted to buy Australian with dire warnings of loss of jobs and skills if we don't.
However, there are also comments on how forum members have achieved better deals overseas.
In this case, I believe that the amount charged is the processing fee for making an import declaration. If the individual making the import doesn't pay the administration fee then it would be borne by the state - and thus general taxpayers would be effectively subsidising foreign imports.
So, if we lower import costs we, individually, get a better deal but at the cost of making Australian businesses less competitive.
Hard call, but I'd be interested in other's thoughts.
Cheers
Bristol
Are you sure it wasn't the customs broker or agent charging a fee to lodge an entry on your behalf??
Yep happens all over the world. My personal worst was paying vat on a warranty replacement watermaker that came from Italy into Turkey. I had already paid the vat on the original one in Italy even though I shouldn't have as an oz flag boat ( but unless you lawyer up you have to just accept customs decisions eh)
Then the icing was an extra 400 euro fee for customs to escort the watermaker to my boat to ensure that's where it went.
Gotta laugh or you cry.
Mind you when I sold my French bought vat paid boat back to a Frenchman french customs hit him up for another 20% vat on the purchase price when he sailed it back to France. He did lawyer up but it didn't help.
Count yourself lucky mate.
That is a standard customs processing charge, whether it is a $500 item or $50,000.
These charges are one of the reasons I find importing spare parts in small quantities leads to very high prices. This is the modern user pays system, but it is also a reason why it is better to support a local distributor.
the $83 fee is a $50 "Customs Import Processing Charge" plus a $33 "Quarantine Import Declaration Charge". the current fees came into force on 1 Jan 2016...
Just to clarify for possible future purchases: When do you have to pay the above mentioned Aust Customs fees ?
Does it kick in based on goods value or goods type or transport carrier ?
A couple of years ago I bought usd300 rigging parts from the USA, delivered by UPS and did not have to pay specific customs fees (unless it was built into the shipping fee, but don't recall the shipping fee being a shock).
It used to be that for goods valued under $1000 they just waved them through. Recently, maybe last budget, that value was dropped substantially, Maybe someone here can advise the latest value. If the import has to be assesed for customs duty, that fee goes on, like I said in my previous post, whatever the value. If you use a customs agent, then their fees are extra.
$83 if it comes by air or post. $93 for sea. Standard fee on every shipment with a value above $1000. Also subject to duty and gst. All shipments, even those below the threshold subject to gst.
I didn't notice anything like that on my blades, I would just email them back and ask their advice. They were very helpful with me and I imagine they would be pretty straight up if it is an issue. They sent my replacement part fast and free of charge. Btw thankfully the replacement nut they sent fitted fine and mine is on now. It doesn't look too smooth in the pic but that's just the propspeed.
