Buying gear while overseas - Thailand, Vietnam?

[AussieBrent]

Hi Guys,

If i was looking at buying a Canon 5d miii and I'm traveling to places like Vietnam, Thailand would i be able to pick them up cheap and save some good $$$ than buying in Australia?

Cheers

[ameerat42]

Brent. This has been asked many times before. It's not that that matters, though, but the consensus of all the answers. They all point to:
NO, Don't! Get your stuff here, or, from here.
There are many reasons, so OK a couple.
First is warranty.
Close behind it is: You won't get much cheaper. (From own experience, this was the case in 2011. I can't imagine much change.)
Somewhere after that is: are you actually getting the gear you think it is?

And finally, lots of others will add or expand on these.
Am.

[Rattus79]

was in Cambodia in Christmas, and it didn't look any cheaper then me.

If you get it here, you can claim the GST back when you get to the airport.

[Epoc]

Thailand 2011, no cheaper than here.

[William]

My partner just came back from Thailand , The prices are no cheaper , She did'nt buy any electrical goods , EG : Cameras, Lappies, Tablets etc , She was with her son who is an IT guy , Was'nt worth it : RE: warranty etc

[Darey]

Thailand is good for cheaper clothes but computer and camera gear is no cheaper than here.
Buy your gear through one of the site sponsors here and practice using it before you go away.
That's a nice bit of kit you are thinking of getting. If it was me I couldn't wait anyway.

[Brian500au]

Brent I travel a lot and I am a real geek when it comes to the latest photography, electrical and computer equipment. I window shop every weekend comparing prices depending where i am working in Asia. Up to a month ago Australia was the cheapest by far with the strength of the AUD. In recent times internet companies like DWI have increased most of their prices by 10%, I would say because of the falling value of the AUD.

I recently travelled to Cambodia (only come home last weekend). Before I left I was in the market for a P&S. I compared prices on the Internet (DWI etc) so knew what the market prices were. Bare in mind when buying over the internet there is normally no GST included in the price so you cannot claim it back when leaving the country. I ended up buying the P&S from JB Hifi after showing them the internet price. They beat the price + GST which I claimed back on my way out of the country. I am glad i did this, as believe it or not, the P&S I picked up new in a box was DOA. It was just a matter of returning to the store the next day for a no hassle swap over (and check before i left the store this time).

I compared the same camera at a large retailer in Cambodia and it was close on 50% more expensive with no Australian warranty. Take into account the commission you pay when converting AUD to USD, THB, VND, SGD and you are paying considerably more. Some of these retailers may advice you to claim the tax back when leaving the country, but this is not always possible, and when you have been denied the refund there is really not much you can do.

Bottom line is my advice is buy your equipment before you go - either from a reputable internet dealer or from a competitive retailer. In both cases check the item before you leave - if buying inclusive of GST (Aussie retailer) you can purchase up to 30 days before you depart and still claim back the GST at the airport.

Last but not least do not consider buying at the airport - their prices are often inflated and although they are GST free, they are often more expensive than an Aussie retailer inclusive of GST.

[I @ M]

Bottom line is my advice is buy your equipment before you go - either from a reputable internet dealer or from a competitive retailer. In both cases check the item before you leave - if buying inclusive of GST (Aussie retailer) you can purchase up to 30 days before you depart and still claim back the GST at the airport.

Last but not least do not consider buying at the airport - their prices are often inflated and although they are GST free, they are often more expensive than an Aussie retailer inclusive of GST.

Perfect advice.

As an addition, some grey importers in Aus have an ABN because they operate from within this country so they are able to issue you a GST inclusive invoice which then allows the GST to be refunded when exiting Australia.

[Mark L]

So this claiming G.S.T. back when the camera is taken out of OZ? Does any document you sign say that it's for export and won't be bought back into OZ??

[Brian500au]

So this claiming G.S.T. back when the camera is taken out of OZ? Does any document you sign say that it's for export and won't be bought back into OZ??

In my own personal experience Mark you just present your receipt at the tax refund counter and they give you a refund directly into your bank account. Not sure if other forms of refunds are available (cash etc). You have to show the item you are getting the refund on, and the receipt must be more than $300. There might be other conditions, and if you really interested I am sure if you go to the customs or ATO website it will be explained in more detail.

I have always brought the item back in the country when I have returned.

[ameerat42]

Hi Guys,

...

Cheers

See!

[MarkChap]

[top]Bringing the goods back into Australia

If the goods are to be brought back into Australia, please be aware that they may be subject to GST. Normal passenger concessions apply and include any items for which a TRS claim has been approved. If the value of those goods together with overseas purchases exceeds the passenger concession, the goods must be declared to Customs on your return to Australia. Penalties apply to undeclared taxable goods.
If in doubt you should declare the goods to Customs and Border Protection on your return.
More information is contained in the brochure 'Know Before You Go' which is available from Customs and Border Protection.

Taken from here - http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4646.asp

- - - Updated - - -

[top]Bringing the goods back into Australia

If the goods are to be brought back into Australia, please be aware that they may be subject to GST. Normal passenger concessions apply and include any items for which a TRS claim has been approved. If the value of those goods together with overseas purchases exceeds the passenger concession, the goods must be declared to Customs on your return to Australia. Penalties apply to undeclared taxable goods.
If in doubt you should declare the goods to Customs and Border Protection on your return.
More information is contained in the brochure 'Know Before You Go' which is available from Customs and Border Protection.

Taken from here - http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4646.asp

[MrQ]

Getting the GST back on the TRS involves signing a declaration (or it did last time I did it) to say you were taking the goods out of the country and not bringing them back. If you do bring them back into Australia you are supposed to declare them on your customs form and may be asked to pay GST. Technically customs can charge you GST on anything you bring back into the country, whether or not you got the TRS refund or bought it overseas. Shiny, expensive, new looking camera gear may attract their attention.

[William W]

Bottom line is my advice is buy your equipment before you go - either from a reputable internet dealer or from a competitive retailer. In both cases check the item before you leave - if buying inclusive of GST (Aussie retailer) you can purchase up to 30 days before you depart and still claim back the GST at the airport.

My understanding is that GST (and WET) REFUNDS are in respect of travellers carrying goods which were purchased in AUS and the goods are then permanently exiting Australia. This is an application of the Tourist Refund Scheme.

So therefore NO, one cannot (should not) claim on TRS and then bring the goods back into Australia without declaring those goods: to do so is a breach of the law and may result in not only tax and duties being applied but also additional penalties and or seizure of the goods.

However one must make their own choices.

*

Perfect advice.

As an addition, some grey importers in Aus have an ABN because they operate from within this country so they are able to issue you a GST inclusive invoice which then allows the GST to be refunded when exiting Australia.

We each have our own opinion on these matters and mine is I do not interpret buying a 5DMkIII in AUS (clearly the value of a 5DMkIII will be well over the Duty Free Allowance), then claiming a GST refund under the TRS (a claim lodged with Customs and Boarder Protection) and then bringing the 5DMkIII back into AUS as being:
“perfect advice”.

*

However, the OP is asking a question in respect to goods which are purchased overseas and then carried into Australia on the person’s return.
On the total value of these goods there is a Duty Free Allowance.
Once that limit is exceeded any relevant taxes and also duty is applicable.
Failure to declare excess of that duty free allowance is an offence and can result in additional penalties and / or seizure of goods.
So therefore NO: Customs cannot charge GST ‘on anything’ you bring into Australia.

In respect to goods which are purchased overseas and brought into Australia unaccompanied, then the Duty Free Allowance is not relevant and those goods are subject to tax and also duty.

This is not legal advice, merely a layman’s interpretation of the question asked and an opinion based on the reading of Australian Law.

WW

[AussieBrent]

Thanks guys you have answered my question I didn't know if camera's and camera gear fell into the category of getting certain electronic items very cheap when in that part of the country, although doesn't seem to be any cheaper and I can just get it from DWI as I normally get my things from there.

Cheers

[MrQ]

It's worth taking a copy of your receipt with you if you do buy it in Australia not long before you travel. Customs can ask for GST on your gear when you come back into Australia and it saves any argument if you've got a receipt on hand to show that it was bought locally and GST was already paid.

[JM Tran]

This is only worthwhile on items over $300 and under $900 or a grand guys, cant remember the exact limit. Anything over that limit, say hello to paying GST when you get back to Aus again if you bring it back.

Believe me, last time I tried to claim TRS at the airport for a $4000 dollar Broncolor flash pack, the guy at the TRS said because its expensive, the money they give me for refund, I have to give back to them later when I come back to Aus, so dont bother as its a waste of time

But in the past I have claimed on products which are under the threshold, such as iPads and smaller cameras etc.

[vk2gwk]

In my experience the SE Asia market is not cheaper - especially when you have a look at the "tax free" shops in airports. Buying in Europe can be interesting. Because of the high sales tax (VAT/MWS/TVA/BTW in the range of 18 - 22%) and the large market, import/wholesale prices are better than in Australia. Last year we bought a laptop in the Netherlands, got the then 19% BTW back from the seller after having the invoice stamped at the airport and declared it when entering Australia - However, as the value was less than $1800 (the combined duty free allowance of my wife and myself) we did not need to pay GST. This way saved about $ 500.
Only drawback is that most warranties are "regional" - but for a laptop I don't mind that. For a camera like the 5DIII however I prefer to buy local - exceeds the duty free allowance anyway.

[Colinc1]

I bought my 7d in Thailand 2 yrs ago, and it was some $500 cheaper than here in Oz at the time, but when i was there last year, prices appeared to be about the same.

[mrrunx]

My parents just came back from Hong Kong and Mlalaysia. Price in Hong Kong was AUD$1506.00 and in Malaysia it was AUD$1643.00. They bought me Canon 6d battery pack, Sandisk extreme 32gb card and Canon 6d battery grip for AUD$200.00. I'm glad they miscalculated the price in Hong Kong even though I would of been happy paying AUD$1506.00 as they lost the bag at the airport containing the three items above!