Overseas trip GST refund

[sky]

Hi guys,
It's been almost 12 months since I was last active on the site, asking for info about buying my first camera - a D70 no less!
Well, have got the savings together and now I'm shopping around, but would love advice from anyone who has gotten the customs refund for GST on a camera purchased 30 days before international travel.
Have talked to the Downtown Duty Free people, they'll do a d70 for $159.

BUT, a local retailer will do it for $1749 and say I can claim the GST back when going thru customs, as long as I take the camera (duh!) and receipts with me. Also the option for getting it cheap from an online retailer...
Am travelling with my boyfriend, so we can pool our taxable allowance no worries. The idea of buying beforehand is good coz then I can have a little play before I go, get batteries charged etc.

So has anyone had experience with this before? I sent an email to Tony, who had a similar thread with a flash, but he suggested I check with the forum.

[Glen]

Sky, these two threads by Sheila will be handy

http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php? ... light=duty


http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php? ... light=duty




Just did a search of 'duty'

[Pa]

sky heres a site that does a d70s with kit lens for $1399 they are grey market check it out.he says you can claim back gst as well.
cheers pa.
http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/nikond70s.htm

[sky]

Gee, it is sounding complex! Thanks for the link to Sheila's duty free experience.
When I quizzed the lady at the tax office (number given to me by the Duty Free store), she didn't mention anything about having to pay any money back!
I assumed it was like the duty-free alcohol. If you brought a bottle of rum on your way our of Oz, opened bottle whilst overseas and took a swig before coming back thru the country, you were free to then get another few bottles on your way back into Australia. Has worked for me in the past!

[sky]

Thanks for your help Pa, will definately have a look at the site.
Now, at risk of sounding like a complete novice in the photography world, can you please tell me what 'grey market' is...?
I've seen it on a number of posts (yep, I'm one of those lurkers, but I'm becoming more active!) but have been left wondering. I'm assuming it's code for 'camera without bonafide warranty...?

[Glen]

Sky, just keep on sipping the rum through all this Grey market is not imported through Maxwell (Nikon Aus) channels so is warranted by the retailer or from overseas

[Oscar]

Sky, a few years ago I purchased some items for the family before I left and was able to claim the tax back. Yes, you need to take the goods and the receipts with you.
You need to go through customs with sufficient time to visit the office and make your claim prior to departure. My refund was credited to my credit card a/c and off I went.
I beleive you may need to pay duty when you return on any items you purchase on your trip if you then go over the allowable limits and they will take into account the goods you take with you.
Perhaps the rules have changed since I went. I think it used to be called the TRS (scheme) or something like that.
Cheers,
Mick

[sky]

He he he!Thanks for clarifying that Glen!
What is the difference in the warranties offered from the retailer direct. I guess they'd have the standard one year warranty, would they also offer larger warranties to cater to the nervous camera owners like myself that are scared the camera would have a fault at the 15 month mark, just out of warranty?

[Glen]

Sky, some offer MACK warranties for an extra cost which offer a 3 yr warranty

[Guroos]

Sky, could you please post who you choose to buy from if that is not a personal matter? I am going through the same decisions at the moment with a Nikon D200. It is very difficult to know who to buy from, either Ebay, Trading Post, Web site or an old style shop. Ebay or Trading Post seem to be the cheapest but I am unsure of the backup.

Thanks


Neil

[sky]

Hi Guroos, i know, it's a little bit of a mine-field out there for us novices eh!
It's great to have all the advice from the d70 members, stick with the site and I'm sure you'll find some useful advice.
Will keep you posted when I make my decision, luckily I've got a bit of time between now and my o/s trip, so shopping around will help!
Cheers

[sky]

Have just gotten off the phone from customs, they confirmed that if there is two of us travelling through to NZ, and we bring them a camera and receipt to value of $1800, we will get refunded about $170.
Customs said we will NOT need to declare the camera or pay anything back on our return back into the country, as long as we don't buy any further equipment (laptops etc) while we are overseas, which would then put us over the duty free limit.
Sounds good to me! Hope this helps

[Ree]

I got my D70 as a xmas present (last one just past) from my hubby, we flew to NZ two weeks later and I claimed back 250 from the refund at customs. It took ten mins (no q's). They refunded it onto my credit card which took ten days for me to see... All I had to do was show the goods and the tax invoice...they told us that as long as the invoice was over $300AUD in total we could get back the GST.

And that travel was within 30days

[sky]

$250 refund... how did that work? Did your other half pay $2500 for the camera?

[Ree]

$250 refund... how did that work? Did your other half pay $2500 for the camera?

includes all the extras he brought as well...extra battery, few cf cards, and an extra cheapie lens, and camera bag. All on one invoice so it was all included in the total amount