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Hi everyone,

Anyone ever bought from Goldcoaststore on ebay? What do you think about this D300 auction? Obviously 'grey market' because it includes an 'Australian adaptor', but how do people think the 3 year warranty will work because they say you can simply take it to your local authorized dealer, I didn't think you were able to do this with grey gear?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :IT&ih=001

Cheers

At the stated buy it now price, why would you not buy from someone like ECS, who are known and reputable?

Hell, for not much more than the cost of shipping, you could buy an air ticket to Sydney to pick it up yourself.

I agree Gary, ECS is the other place I've been eying! I'm just looking at all options. I'm heading to NZ on 15th December so just trying to figure out that if I can get my hands on one, will it be worth buying one before I go - as I can obviously claim the tax back. I don't imagine they'll drop in price to approx. $2300, the tax free amount, too soon will they??

Also looking for a good zoom to buy for the trip, and for all other purposes in the future, possibly the 17-55, although not sure whether I should go a 17-35 and maybe a 50 prime. Any advice?

Thanks

JeffGlue wrote:I agree Gary, ECS is the other place I've been eying! I'm just looking at all options. I'm heading to NZ on 15th December so just trying to figure out that if I can get my hands on one, will it be worth buying one before I go - as I can obviously claim the tax back. I don't imagine they'll drop in price to approx. $2300, the tax free amount, too soon will they??

And John Howard will win the election too.

Also looking for a good zoom to buy for the trip, and for all other purposes in the future, possibly the 17-55, although not sure whether I should go a 17-35 and maybe a 50 prime. Any advice?

One of the 50 primes should be in your kit regardless. What's your budget? What do you shoot?

I am very happy with my Sigma 10-20 - it's the most fun one can have with polished glass, but yes, it's ultra wide.

My typical kit - and this is what I'll have tomorrow - will be the 85 1.4 and the Siggy, and I may bring either the 24-120VR, or I might bring the Tamron 18-250 that we have on review.

But in using that lens, I can tell you that I do miss the VR.

JeffGlue wrote:Hi everyone,

Anyone ever bought from Goldcoaststore on ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :IT&ih=001

Cheers

Hi Jeff

I bought my D2Xs (now sold and replaced with a D300 from Poon/Gary) and had no problems and honored the warranty balance to the new owner.

Cheers
Marc

I emailed the guy at Gold Coast Store last night and got a response within a couple of minutes. The warranty is a 3rd party 3 year warranty, goods come WITH a tax invoice and take 3 business days to order in from his supplier.

A tax invoice and a hint of a warranty and EBay buyer protection makes it a pretty good buy I would have thought

... Obsolete ...

VK4CP wrote:If you can get away with it, then great.

And if you don't, additional penalties (beyond the GST amount) can be applied. Not sure whether you also cop a criminal conviction or not. Better check the fine print on the exit declaration.

VK4CP wrote:It is incorrect to think you can claim the GST claim back when temporarily going O/S. It is for tourists leaving the country.

This statement is incorrect.

The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) applies just as much to Australian residents as it does to overseas visitors:

Advice for travellers wrote:The TRS is open to all overseas visitors and Australian residents, except operating air and sea crew.

Yes, you are subject to GST (and other duties, where applicable) when bringing the goods back in, but as there is a concession on imports, you will still save some of the GST.

The concession is $900. So, if you were to buy a D300 for $2530, through the TRS you would get $230 back. When you return and declare the camera, if they could be bothered processing it, you would have to pay $140 in GST. In my opinion it is worth saving $90. That assumes you are traveling alone. If you are traveling with one or more family members, you may be able to use their concession as well.

edit: Looks like I got it wrong with regards to a partial concession. I missed this part:

NOTE: However, if you exceed any of the concession limits set out above, Customs will charge you duty and tax on the entire importation or purchase within that group of items.

So, if you were traveling alone, you may still have to pay $230 in GST. If you were with a spouse and a couple of children, you'd be in the clear, as long as you didn't have other goods to declare.

See: quick guide to customs for travellers.

... Obsolete ...

VK4CP wrote:Why do you think it's called the Tourist Refund Scheme?

As pointed out to me by a TRS officer, it is not intended as a method for Australians going O/S on a holiday to get GST back. If you do, then you must declare the item(s) on the way back in, and be liable for any duty.

It is not a free-for-all to get GST back, and I would hazard a guess most people would "forget" the declare the item(s) they left with... hence good on you if you get away with it.

I disagree. Did you look at at the links at all? Both the TRS and the Duty Free Concession information explicitly states it is use by Australian residents. If you purchase goods to the value of less than $900 (per adult family member traveling together) you do not even have to declare them.

... Obsolete ...

Camea House at Loganholme have a D300 on the floor ready to go $2700.

I was having a look yesterday at 2.30pm they got allocated 2 and still have one left.

Australian stock Australian warranty.

As a former Customs officer and team leader in the Brisbane TRS office, I can assure you the scheme relates to everyone - tourists and residents alike. I have no idea why the TRS officer you spoke to Adam would lead you up the garden path but, then again, I'm amazed at some of the things I hear coming out of the mouths of officers on "Border Security" from all three agencies featured. Brain snaps or just imbeciles; I know not which.

I'm not disputing what you were told - merely confirming that the information you were given was wrong.

Oh and don't forget that depreciation can also be taken into account when ascertaining the value of the goods upon which to apply the GST calcualtion on your return. So you can make some savings, and potentially save the lot if you have enough concessions to pool.

Also - if you get busted 'smuggling' (ie importing with the intent to defraud the revenue; in other words, trying to get goods in without declaring them and paying the right amount of GST and/or duty) you WILL have a record with Customs. And that may flag you for future attention whenever you travel. (Plus you'll have to pay at least twice the applicable revenue, by way of penalty) Best not to make them angry....

Manta wrote: Best not to make them angry....

I'm getting steamed up here
Everything "Simon says" is correct
Gotta agree with him also in regards to some of the things I hear coming from the mouths of (fellow) Officers on BS.

....................yes, I work for ACS.............don't tell anyone

Cheers
Marc