Shipping to Australia

dezer

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Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone has had experience having a ukulele shipped to australia. I thinking about getting a Firefly banjo Uke at some point and want to know wether there has been troubles with customs or delivery companies.

I'm probably more concerned that I'm going be hit with a big bill when it goes through customs. It's frustrating when you see flukes for sale online for $200 but a local store is selling them for over $400.
 
I had no trouble having my Eleuke shipped from Mim. Took a while but no issues with customs. Just don't let the value of the goods go over $900 to avoid duties.
 
I've had a couple of "ukes" shipped out to Melbourne without any hassles - as Misty said make sure goods <$1000 threshold to avoid GST.
 
hi dezer

I've had probably 50 ukes shipped internationally . You're looking at a cost around $60-$90 mark depending on scale / weight, a delivery time of 10days -2 weeks, and no customs duties if your goods are valued at $1000 or below. You've got no probs with your firefly.

More often than not it's way cheaper to buy internationally, because of massive mark ups that many dealers put on their gear. Even with shipping, you're very likely to come out in front. Hope this helps. Cheers!
 
It really depends on who ships it.
I've had around 20+ ukes shipped to Australia. Most have come just fine, but some have come damaged.
It happens - and it's always due to poor packaging. Some sellers are outrageous, they just put it in a small cardboard box with hardly any padding and hope for the best.

At some times, I had to get a partial refund, or return it for a full refund. Make sure you're buying it from someone who offers full refund or a fully insured shipping (where if it breaks in shipment, the post office pays up). Unless of course it's a trustworthy member who guarantees they'll package it like an armoured tank.

I've never paid customs/taxes on anything I've bought from overseas so far. I think Australia is one of the more fortunate countries to have things delivered to.
 
I've imported once from US to Adelaide. Went like clockwork. No customs duties, no damage, no dramas at all. As Kissing says, it really depends who ships it and how good they are at packaging it up.
 
I shipped an uke to Australia a couple of weeks ago via USPS Express Mail. The mail delivery only took four days from Hawaii but it's been stuck in customs for more than a week. Apparently right now, the Australian customs is overwhelmed with work because of the sudden favorable currency exchange rate. Seems like there's been a mad dash to buy things from America.
 
I shipped an uke to Australia a couple of weeks ago via USPS Express Mail. The mail delivery only took four days from Hawaii but it's been stuck in customs for more than a week. Apparently right now, the Australian customs is overwhelmed with work because of the sudden favorable currency exchange rate. Seems like there's been a mad dash to buy things from America.

I think Australian postal service is a bit slower in general.
When I track it, it seems to leave the country of origin and arrive on Australian soil quite quickly.
It's once it arrives in Australia that the real wait begins..
 
It really depends on who ships it.
I've had around 20+ ukes shipped to Australia. Most have come just fine, but some have come damaged.
It happens - and it's always due to poor packaging. Some sellers are outrageous, they just put it in a small cardboard box with hardly any padding and hope for the best.

At some times, I had to get a partial refund, or return it for a full refund. Make sure you're buying it from someone who offers full refund or a fully insured shipping (where if it breaks in shipment, the post office pays up). Unless of course it's a trustworthy member who guarantees they'll package it like an armoured tank.

I've never paid customs/taxes on anything I've bought from overseas so far. I think Australia is one of the more fortunate countries to have things delivered to.

totally agree with what kissing has said.

We, in Australia are the lucky ones. I am very thankful to be here when I read of the devastating customs duties required of people importing from overseas.

The easiest solution to any problems with shipping is insurance. The extra $20 + to have your uke covered for damages in transit is a small price to pay, to have peace of mind and a safety net lest any damages occur.

Just a by the way, I've bought a couple of ukes from the Magic Fluke Co and they're awesome; shipping has never taken longer than 10 days. I'd recommend them for sure.
 
totally agree with what kissing has said.

We, in Australia are the lucky ones. I am very thankful to be here when I read of the devastating customs duties required of people importing from overseas.

The easiest solution to any problems with shipping is insurance. The extra $20 + to have your uke covered for damages in transit is a small price to pay, to have peace of mind and a safety net lest any damages occur.

Just a by the way, I've bought a couple of ukes from the Magic Fluke Co and they're awesome; shipping has never taken longer than 10 days. I'd recommend them for sure.

Australia has no importing duties???????? Not even over a thousand?????? ??????? im confused :p
 
Australia has no importing duties???????? Not even over a thousand?????? ??????? im confused :p

yes we do mate. But it only kicks in when you purchase something $1001 +.

To give you an example...a uke for $1050 would attract a very small duty, $1250 you're looking at 100+, I bought a $1500 uke that set me back a touch over $300. Worse thing about that was, i never saw it coming and it ruined the experience a bit. On the other hand, I also bought a couple of ukes around that price that slipped through the net: they neither got held up in customs, nor did I have to pay a cent.
 
yes we do mate. But it only kicks in when you purchase something $1001 +.

To give you an example...a uke for $1050 would attract a very small duty, $1250 you're looking at 100+, I bought a $1500 uke that set me back a touch over $300. Worse thing about that was, i never saw it coming and it ruined the experience a bit. On the other hand, I also bought a couple of ukes around that price that slipped through the net: they neither got held up in customs, nor did I have to pay a cent.

Aw man. I wonder what would happen if a $2500 custom came in..would it slip through the net? :p
 
Aw man. I wonder what would happen if a $2500 custom came in..would it slip through the net? :p

If you can get the person who shipped it to quote its value as under 1k on the packaging it will ;)
 
If you can get the person who shipped it to quote its value as under 1k on the packaging it will ;)

It's never a good idea to lie on the customs forms. I've dealt with these guys for over 30 years. It's not like lying to your mom or your boss. These guys are a legal entity unto their own and don't answer to anyone. You really don't want to mess with these guys. If they think your declared value is less than it should be they have a right to put their own value on it, which may be more than it actually is. These agents aren't stupid, they are highly trained and know all the scams. If you can't afford the duty don't buy the uke. The whole idea of import tax is to encourage people to buy locally. That's always a good idea anyway, especially since you've got some very good luthiers down there.
Asking a retailer to lower the declared value is asking them to assist you in a crime and at the very least is embarrassing to both parties. I don't know of a legitimate retailer that would put their business in jeopardy.
 
It's never a good idea to lie on the customs forms... These guys are a legal entity unto their own and don't answer to anyone.

Listen to Chuck. Not a 'ukulele, but I imported a Vespa a couple years back and the seller, thinking he was doing me a favor, put a value of half what I was paying on the customs paperwork. This cost me a 6 week wait and hundreds in extra fees for things like the Contraband Enforcement Team required internal x-rays (no lie). Pay the man and smile a lot. Then enjoy your 'ukulele!
 
It's never a good idea to lie on the customs forms. I've dealt with these guys for over 30 years. It's not like lying to your mom or your boss. These guys are a legal entity unto their own and don't answer to anyone. You really don't want to mess with these guys. If they think your declared value is less than it should be they have a right to put their own value on it, which may be more than it actually is. These agents aren't stupid, they are highly trained and know all the scams. If you can't afford the duty don't buy the uke. The whole idea of import tax is to encourage people to buy locally. That's always a good idea anyway, especially since you've got some very good luthiers down there.
Asking a retailer to lower the declared value is asking them to assist you in a crime and at the very least is embarrassing to both parties. I don't know of a legitimate retailer that would put their business in jeopardy.

This is being a bit dramatic but your point is no doubt valid - lie to customs at your own risk.
 
Everything sent here over a value of €45, gift or not, is subject to customs duty and VAT. They don't care about fibbing on the form (not for small packages from private persons), they don't care if something is incorrect, they only care about the money they can get from it. That's all. If the form is incorrect, for personal shipments, they're not going to bother going after anyone about it. They'll just ask you for the proper invoice, declare the value and that's that. They got their money, all's well.

It's a crime, but a crime in the way jaywalking is a crime. Everyone fibs a little, it's not moral, ethical, correct, but in the real world where we live, everyone fibs on these forms. If you're a business sending large shipments, that matters, if not, they don't care because they get the money anyway.

It's always a nice bonus when you get a shipment and it slipped through customs thanks to the sender. I DO NOT ask that they do that, and I budget the customs cost every time.

Still though, to speak frankly about importation crimes, I've taken logistics law courses, and I can tell you it's a small one. I'm not endorsing it, just stating how it is in reality.
 
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