[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know the value of the package, but I'm guessing it's above AUD$1000 (in which case you do have to pay additional customs tax)?

Yeah, we insured it for $1,500, which is still below the total cost of the package, but close enough.

I wouldn't mind paying an additional fee so much if it was a quick process.

 

[azarel]

yah that sucks man.. feel sorry for ya

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, we insured it for $1,500, which is still below the total cost of the package, but close enough. I wouldn't mind paying an additional fee so much if it was a quick process.

It won't be easy to make things go any quicker, esp. here in Australia. I assume you know that as well.

Also, with that kind of price level, how does it compare to the K1000? I'm totally clueless on the Ultrasones.

Cheers!

 

[fraseyboy]

My DT880's spent 3 hours in customs... I think New Zealand is generally pretty good.

Never bought anything over $1000 though...

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, with that kind of price level, how does it compare to the K1000? I'm totally clueless on the Ultrasones.

I personally would never buy K1000, regardless of how good it is. I just don't like the design.

But in terms of quality, I don't know, I haven't heard them yet

Part of the reason I'm so anxious to get them is i'm eager to begin burn-in and critical listening. The Pro 750 as my introduction to Ultrasone, and they convinced me the Ed9 may be worth the money.

And an update: I called customs directly today, and was informed that due to the declared cost of the item that I would have to fill out 3 or 4 different forms, which customs will send in the post to me, and then pay a processing fee for them to go over the forms, and then wait some more, and then if everything's correct they'll release the item. So the earliest I can expect to actually get them is late next week

They refused to give me an electronic copy of the forms too, just told me I had to wait for them to arrive in the mail. I'm thinking about going through a customs broker and getting them released that way. I looked up some of the forms on the customs' website, and they're not simple. Plus they want copies of invoices, paypal reciept, sender's details, the weight and exact contents of the package, 100 points of ID...

/sigh

 

[nsjong]

You think customs are bad where you are?

Try Canada.
Oh, did I mention UPS to Canada is far worse than customs?
Yep. They SUUUUURREEE are.

I bought something that was worth $200.
I was forced to pay $100 to UPS for "handling fee."

Time vs. money, I would take the time.
Unless you deal with customs at Canada Post, which is a combination of both.

 

[WittyzTH]

When I shipped the expensive stuff to other countries, I always mark the package and declare it as the return products or defective products.

and I guess I'm lucky that the recipients never had any problems with custom. ^^"

 

[rjp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought Australia and the US had a free trade agreement? What is this business of additional taxes?

Free trade agreements are for the corporations, not for us regular folk.

 

[juzmister]

Yah I've been busted once before...in the UK...300pounds of tax on L3000s! Sucked majorly...

Yeh, the free trade agreement is for items under $1000aud...I'm not sure what the tax rate will be though.

Good luck! Looking forward to hearing them at the meet!

 

[FishSauce]

Customs in my country usually takes a day or two for clearance.. but it would take another 3 days(5 if the package is cleared friday evening) before the package arrives my house.. and my house is no longer than 25 km far from the customs office.

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishSauce /img/forum/go_quote.gif Customs in my country usually takes a day or two for clearance.. but it would take another 3 days(5 if the package is cleared friday evening) before the package arrives my house.. and my house is no longer than 25 km far from the customs office.

I'm going to face similar delays methinks.

It took customs 4 days to assign a reference number to the article. I was supposedly getting a notification in the mail with the ref and the relevant forms, but believe it or not that *still* hasn't arrived.

Nonetheless, calling them daily I got the ref as soon as it was assigned and got them to point out the forms I would need to fill out on their website.

Good god. Are they even written in english? The individual words are recognisable, but they don't form any coherent whole to me. After a look at the forms and attempting to fill them out (and being informed maliciously by the customs rep on the phone that if they were incorrect I would be required to re-submit, after another few days delay and another fee) I decided to go through a customs broker.

Contacted the broker thursday afternoon, got the invoice this morning and paid it off. Now we see how long it will take for them to release and deliver the parcel

 

[Zorander]

Out of curiosity, how much custom tax were you charged for, i.e. % of item value?

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Out of curiosity, how much custom tax were you charged for, i.e. % of item value?

None. Customs wanted to charge me 5% of the item's value, but the broker negotiated me out of that. Turns out that hi-fi headphones are an item that is excluded from duties.

However, I still had to pay GST on the item, and it was inclusive of APureSound's recabling charges as well. And then there was the "processing fee", which still irritates the hell out of me - they detain my package, and then charge me for their effort?

 

[tk3]

Yes, that's pretty much the idea.

 

[Lil' Knight]

Do you guys know how long would it take to ship something from Asia to the States?
I've been waiting for it for 7 days