Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers

Monday, June 26th, 2017 7:26pm CDT

Categories: Toy News, Company News
Posted by: Va'al Views: 16,919

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In what could be considered an update to a previous story we reported (here) about changes to how online companies operate in Australia - and bound to impact the bigger retailers such as Apple, eBay, Amazon, etc - fellow Seibertronian Burn has brought an article from the New Daily to our attention.

It appears as though all the expected changes to tax will kick in a year later than expected for those larger online retailers, now starting in July 2018 instead.

The new tax, which was due to be implemented next month, would have forced Australian consumers to pay a 10 per cent GST on overseas low-cost goods.

The delay is a win for international online giants but has angered local retailers, who believe they are being put at a disadvantage.

Gerry Harvey, chairman of retail behemoth Harvey Norman, argued the change was the result of clever lobbying by overseas internet retailers, who talked Australian politicians into delaying the change.

[...]

“If a product is $100 or $1000 in a shop in Australia you put 10 per cent GST on it. If the product is the same price and is imported from overseas you don’t put any GST on it. So it’s just a subsidy straight away to an offshore retailer. How anyone can say that’s a good idea is beyond me.

“If they pay no GST why should anyone in Australia pay GST?”

The government agreed to implement the tax in last year’s budget, claiming the move would level the playing field for small businesses and generate an extra $300 million in revenue over four years.

This might appease the big companies, which had threatened a geo-lock on the Australian market, but how does it affect others? And how does it affect you as an Australian collector and consumer of imported items? Let us know in the discussion in the Energon Pub!

Credit(s): The New Daily

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Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892577)
Posted by WreckerJack on June 26th, 2017 @ 9:47pm CDT

I don't live in AU and this makes me mad.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892580)
Posted by Qwan on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:01pm CDT

WreckerJack wrote:I don't live in AU and this makes me mad.

I do live in AU and this makes me mad.

From what I can gather, it seems like a lot of this push (at least publicly) is coming from Gerry Harvey - whom, may I remind as stated in the quoted article, is

chairman of retail behemoth Harvey Norman

Yeah, I don't think his "behemoth" is in danger of collapsing just because overseas companies aren't paying the same taxes as he is (on top of whatever they are paying that he isn't, no, no need to worry about that if you want to 'level the playing field'). If shipping from outside Australia (which I must mention, is often exorbitantly expensive) on top of the cost of the item from overseas, still costs enough less than your same item that people choose to buy online and wait a week or so before they get it rather than buying it at your local chain, maybe you need to sell your stuff cheaper.

...What a world we live in, where people from outside our own nations don't even have to actually immigrate any more to be "taking our jobs!!1!"

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892581)
Posted by TankedThomas on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:02pm CDT

No one ever talks about New Zealand but we've actually had this same thing implemented recently (either earlier this year or last year - I don't remember), except that our tax (GST - Goods and Services Tax) is 15%, and right now, it's often cheaper to import stuff from Australia because of how expensive things are, even compared to our major neighbouring country. But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892584)
Posted by Qwan on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:07pm CDT

TCJJ wrote:No one ever talks about New Zealand but we've actually had this same thing implemented recently (either earlier this year or last year - I don't remember), except that our tax (GST - Goods and Services Tax) is 15%, and right now, it's often cheaper to import stuff from Australia because of how expensive things are, even compared to our major neighbouring country. But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Urgh, that sucks man! I'll admit that NZ doesn't often come to the front of my mind but rest assured, I'm distinctly upset on your behalf as well, now that I'm aware that it's an issue there too.

Out of curiosity since I didn't know this sort of thing had already happened somewhere: did any international companies stop dealing to NZ like they're threatening to with Aus? Much as I'm sure it sucks having your country serve as a case study for this, it could be interesting to compare the two situations - one already happened, the other still in progress.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892587)
Posted by TankedThomas on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:11pm CDT

Qwan wrote:
TCJJ wrote:No one ever talks about New Zealand but we've actually had this same thing implemented recently (either earlier this year or last year - I don't remember), except that our tax (GST - Goods and Services Tax) is 15%, and right now, it's often cheaper to import stuff from Australia because of how expensive things are, even compared to our major neighbouring country. But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Urgh, that sucks man! I'll admit that NZ doesn't often come to the front of my mind but rest assured, I'm distinctly upset on your behalf as well, now that I'm aware that it's an issue there too.

Out of curiosity since I didn't know this sort of thing had already happened somewhere: did any international companies stop dealing to NZ like they're threatening to with Aus? Much as I'm sure it sucks having your country serve as a case study, it could be interesting to compare the two situations - one already happened, the other still in progress.

Not as far as I know but I'm not entirely sure. Our government, so far, have done a poor job of enforcing it - I don't think most places are currently charging NZ GST for overseas purchases, but it's only a matter of time before it comes into full swing.

It's even more ridiculous because of how expensive things are here to begin with (and they're expensive enough as it is in Australia) - people are only importing because the cost of living has become exorbitantly high here, and even something like Transformers is basically a luxury now (Deluxes, for example, are now NZ$40 at retail, which is currently AU$38.42 or US$29.16).

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892588)
Posted by Burn on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:17pm CDT

TCJJ wrote:But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Actually we do, but in regards to things like this (and sightings) we rely on our member base to bring it to our attention.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892589)
Posted by TankedThomas on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:29pm CDT

Burn wrote:
TCJJ wrote:But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Actually we do, but in regards to things like this (and sightings) we rely on our member base to bring it to our attention.

Apologies, I'm just very cynical because people normally leave New Zealand out.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892598)
Posted by Va'al on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:49pm CDT

TankedThomas wrote:
Burn wrote:
TCJJ wrote:But no one cares about New Zealand, so I guess that's okay.

Actually we do, but in regards to things like this (and sightings) we rely on our member base to bring it to our attention.

Apologies, I'm just very cynical because people normally leave New Zealand out.

Oh that is entirely understandable! Had we known of the GST shenanigans when they happened for NZ, we would've reported - but as Burn points out, we have few vocal NZ users/contributors. Now that you've revealed yourself, expect pestering from news staff/me.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892601)
Posted by Burn on June 26th, 2017 @ 10:59pm CDT

I make no promises about limiting the sheep jokes though.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892630)
Posted by Deathsanras on June 27th, 2017 @ 4:59am CDT

It's very simple: local companies are trying to pretend it isn't a global market. They no longer offer any advantage whatsoever - and that's not just price, it includes service, turnaround time for delivery (I've had things delivered faster internationally than locally) and especially product choice.
This is nothing but an attempt to make it okay to be mediocre, for the sole reason that you're local.
As the debacle with Premium Collectables has shown, price isn't everything. If I have to, I will pay more to get what I want when I want. If they can't compete or differentiate, I'm perfectly okay with local companies going under. Look at Australian car manufacturing. They didn't or couldn't make the cars people wanted to buy. It started over a decade ago (visible starting with the demise of the Ford LTD, Falcon wagon and other variants as the market lost interest) and it was inevitable and obvious.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892633)
Posted by Burn on June 27th, 2017 @ 6:17am CDT

Gerry Harvey is just scrambling. Amazon is just around the corner and he knows it's going to hit him hard.

Instead of pumping money into the coffers of his political mates, he should have been taking a look at his business. Know how Harvey Norman can compete against online? Face to face service.

If I have to pay a few more dollars for a big ticket item locally, I'll do it. Because I know if I have a problem I can go back in and deal with them face to face.
(But I fucking swear Josh, you try to push Product Care on to me again despite me saying no multiple times, I will punch you in the face)

And that's a sentiment shared by many.

Gerry's attitude though is to blame not just the multi-nationals, but the consumer as well, he acts the victim.

This tax though, when you combine it with the "Earned here taxed here Google/Microsoft/Apple" Tax (which I honestly don't have a problem with) just screams of a Government that is so confused by this digital age we live in they just flail at it wildly in the hope of catching some money.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892650)
Posted by Rated X on June 27th, 2017 @ 8:46am CDT

While I understand this issue might affect a portion of the Transformers collecting community, I fail to see how it is considered "Transformers news". When my state (Florida) added an online sales tax requirement to corporations who make over a certain amount of profit, I had to switch from BBTS to TFSource to avoid the tax. It seems TFSource doesnt hit the minimum profit margin to require Florida online sales tax. And Florida was not the first state to do this, they followed several other states. We got no front page news story warnings. I found out the hard way when my card got charged. Taxes are a part of life. Deal with it.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892761)
Posted by Qwan on June 27th, 2017 @ 6:05pm CDT

Rated X wrote:While I understand this issue might affect a portion of the Transformers collecting community, I fail to see how it is considered "Transformers news". When my state (Florida) added an online sales tax requirement to corporations who make over a certain amount of profit, I had to switch from BBTS to TFSource to avoid the tax. It seems TFSource doesnt hit the minimum profit margin to require Florida online sales tax. And Florida was not the first state to do this, they followed several other states. We got no front page news story warnings. I found out the hard way when my card got charged. Taxes are a part of life. Deal with it.

The difference, I think, is that some of the bigger international companies are threatening to geo-block their international websites to Australian residents because of this proposed tax. Yeah it sucks when you suddenly get an extra charge for buying TFs online and choose not to buy from certain sites anymore because of it, but the real news story comes in when protests against this tax from international companies suddenly result in the population of an entire country being literally not allowed to buy TFs from a bunch of really major online retailers. (Which hasn't happened yet, but that's the threat from eBay etc., so to my understanding that's why we're keeping up on it.)

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892777)
Posted by Va'al on June 27th, 2017 @ 7:23pm CDT

What Qwan said.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1892788)
Posted by Optimum Supreme on June 27th, 2017 @ 8:43pm CDT

Qwan wrote:
Rated X wrote:While I understand this issue might affect a portion of the Transformers collecting community, I fail to see how it is considered "Transformers news". When my state (Florida) added an online sales tax requirement to corporations who make over a certain amount of profit, I had to switch from BBTS to TFSource to avoid the tax. It seems TFSource doesnt hit the minimum profit margin to require Florida online sales tax. And Florida was not the first state to do this, they followed several other states. We got no front page news story warnings. I found out the hard way when my card got charged. Taxes are a part of life. Deal with it.

The difference, I think, is that some of the bigger international companies are threatening to geo-block their international websites to Australian residents because of this proposed tax. Yeah it sucks when you suddenly get an extra charge for buying TFs online and choose not to buy from certain sites anymore because of it, but the real news story comes in when protests against this tax from international companies suddenly result in the population of an entire country being literally not allowed to buy TFs from a bunch of really major online retailers. (Which hasn't happened yet, but that's the threat from eBay etc., so to my understanding that's why we're keeping up on it.)

Unless they're somehow located in the country, they should just tell them to F off when they come for taxes.

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1896080)
Posted by Qwan on July 11th, 2017 @ 10:34pm CDT

Found TLK Voyager Hound & Megs and RiD Crash Combiner Dragbreak, at Kmart and Big W respectively, on today's rounds. Are these new to Australia? I don't have time to check sightings right this moment, but if they're new down under that's cool! I grabbed Megatron and will check him out this afternoon, but he looks pretty stylish in his box! Having trouble getting over Hound's cold-pea-soup-green

, but I'm sure I'll be getting him some time in the next few days as well.

(Whyyyyy is Wildbreak the F1 racer)

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1901441)
Posted by Kurona on August 2nd, 2017 @ 1:39pm CDT

Thanks to a post on Ozformers by user griffin, we've got a confirmed sighting of Transformers: The Last Knight Allspark Tech toys at an Australian Toys R Us! Coming at about 35 Australian Dollars each and being the wave containing Drift, Hound, Bumblebee and Barricade; take a look below and tell us if you want to get any of this lot in the forums!

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1903255)
Posted by william-james88 on August 9th, 2017 @ 9:44pm CDT

We have some more sightings news for Australian Transformers fans (if you are out there reading this, come by and say hi). Thanks to Griffin of Ozformers we now know that the following new Rescue Bot toys are found in Australia:

Rescue Bot Flip Racersand Flip Racer Launchers at Super Toyworld

Rescue bots Knight Watch Bumblebee at Toysrus

If you are in Australia and found these or other cool new Transformers product, click the "view discussion" button and let us know!

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1904016)
Posted by william-james88 on August 12th, 2017 @ 9:02pm CDT

Australia scores the first sighting for Titans Return Sligslinger. He was found at Myer. There are indeed no other new toys aside from him in that wave and from what we see on the pegs, it coud be assumed that Hot Rod is one of the repackaged figures in wave 6. But don't be too envious of our Australian friends since they had yet to recieve the wave 5 deluxes, until just now. The wave 5 deluxes were found at Kmart (not the same as US Kmart). So yes, both waves first appeared in that country within a day apart from eachother.

Also, since we are in the Ausralian sightings thread, it is worth mentionning that the new Transformers: The Last Knight voice changer masks, such as Megatron, have also been found at Kmart.

The sightings and photos were all found on the Ozformers facebook page and are credited to members Paulbot and Justowen

Re: Update on Australia Tax Changes for Online Purchases - Another Year of Transformers (1904054)
Posted by Qwan on August 13th, 2017 @ 2:00am CDT

YESSS! Hopefully that means I'll be seeing them around me soon - fingers crossed.

I actually checked all my local stores just this morning and found nothing new, but my Kmart does seem pretty low on TR Deluxes (just a Twinferno and 3 Breakaways left) so with any luck they'll restock soon with the next wave/s. I do hope though, that this odd timing doesn't mean we'll see Wave 5 pushed to the wayside in favor of the "new" Wave 6 figures.