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Thread: Those from US, what do you buy from Amazon and ship to NZ? What is worth ir and what is not?

  1. #21
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    Jan 2008
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    Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
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    I have had books from Amazon and The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping) but now use kindle and Ipad for books but the electronics and electrical goods they won't ship to NZ. Buying clothes from abroad be careful because customs and GST charges can kill the value you thought you were getting if you buy lots and they come in in a big parcel. Buy little make sure you leave a week between each i got stung for a $300NZ charge because i ordered the day after one order and the company then put them together to ship causing a huge charge this end. I find that if the value of goods order is around $120NZ in total they seem to slip through ok. I usually pay about $18NZ for the shipping costs per parcel but its definitely worth it for me.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    New Zealand
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    If it is books you are after here in NZ the Library is awesome. A wonderful system of ordering and delivery, fees are super low, and the whole electronic check out and return is easy to use. I used to buy books all the time int he US but now I am a library junkie.

  3. #23
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    Sep 2012
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    Nelson, New Zealand
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    Quote Originally Posted by jawnbc View Post
    I've been using the US version of Youshop since it launched. Combined with Amazon Prime, I get most things within 2 weeks of placing an order.

    Price varies by both weight and dimensions of the parcel to NZ. You get slammed for irregular shaped things. Sometimes shipping directly from Amazon to NZ is cheaper, however--if it's an item that Amazon USA will ship to NZ.
    jawnbc,

    thanks.

  4. #24
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    Sep 2012
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    Nelson, New Zealand
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    Quote Originally Posted by catt View Post
    I have had books from Amazon and The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping) but now use kindle and Ipad for books but the electronics and electrical goods they won't ship to NZ. Buying clothes from abroad be careful because customs and GST charges can kill the value you thought you were getting if you buy lots and they come in in a big parcel. Buy little make sure you leave a week between each i got stung for a $300NZ charge because i ordered the day after one order and the company then put them together to ship causing a huge charge this end. I find that if the value of goods order is around $120NZ in total they seem to slip through ok. I usually pay about $18NZ for the shipping costs per parcel but its definitely worth it for me.
    catt,

    thanks.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Wellington
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    83

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    I do not trust YouShop. Would you let the government repack things you bought?

  6. #26
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    NZ (Auckland; via Canada)
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    1,350

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    Well I placed dozens of orders with them, including many that have been repacked. Never any problems; most packages are delivered to me in Auckland within 2 weeks of placing my order.

    Which isn't done by "the government": it's done by the private company in Oregon that is contracted by NZ Post. I think you can relax...

    Quote Originally Posted by Lazysnapper View Post
    I do not trust YouShop. Would you let the government repack things you bought?

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Nelson, New Zealand
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    130

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    Quote Originally Posted by catt View Post
    I have had books from Amazon and The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping) but now use kindle and Ipad for books but the electronics and electrical goods they won't ship to NZ. Buying clothes from abroad be careful because customs and GST charges can kill the value you thought you were getting if you buy lots and they come in in a big parcel. Buy little make sure you leave a week between each i got stung for a $300NZ charge because i ordered the day after one order and the company then put them together to ship causing a huge charge this end. I find that if the value of goods order is around $120NZ in total they seem to slip through ok. I usually pay about $18NZ for the shipping costs per parcel but its definitely worth it for me.
    From recent experience, shipping cost per parcel about $14NZ. The NZ Customs website also has a tool/template to check if other charges are applicable if you input the category of the item, cost and freight. I think the value of goods is tracked until shipped out of the US, so if your first order has not shipped after a week and you order another, your orders will be put together and total order value could determine if other charges are applicable.

  8. #28
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    May 2012
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    NZ (Auckland; via Canada)
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    Well if this is their intention they're doing a bad job of it. For Christmas I was often processing 3 or 4 shipments a week out of the US Youshop. Never once had the total aggregated across shipments (unless I processed them together). Never charged any duty either.

    The only time I got charged duty was when I ordered like US$325 in clothes, but the NZ government added the shipping costs to the value, which made it more than NZ$400--but that was before Youshop.

    Quote Originally Posted by Civil Engineer View Post
    I think the value of goods is tracked until shipped out of the US, so if your first order has not shipped after a week and you order another, your orders will be put together and total order value could determine if other charges are applicable.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Auckland
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    Quote Originally Posted by jawnbc View Post
    The only time I got charged duty was when I ordered like US$325 in clothes, but the NZ government added the shipping costs to the value, which made it more than NZ$400--but that was before Youshop.
    Had very bad experience with this recently, personally I don't think adding shipping costs to product value is justified - the product value still remains same unless its used for commercial (reselling/stocking) purpose.

    I have been researching on buying one of the electronic equipment (for audio) from UK which costs around US$400, seller charges additional US$180 for postage and paying GST adds further 15% of the total amount, the equivalent of same product available here is $800 but trust me when it comes to quality these stuff sold locally are so much inferior in quality.

    Considering this, if I want to get express shipping which would add additional $$ to postage, how would it be adding to value of the product...how how how!

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    NZ
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    Nice tip on the YouShop service! That will help with the sticker shock...our hobbies are books, comics, and dance (for me) and board games/video games (him). The price hikes are insaaaane... In one respect it will probably slow down our purchases to actually match our consumption rate, so that could actually be a good thing...and we do want to have the physical stores in NZ to browse in, so we can't divert all our business online. But, when there's something truly must have at an outrageous price (one graphic novel I wanted was over $60 in Wellington!! More than twice the USD number!) then this could save our bacon, so we can still take a little home and fry it up in a pan

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