Retailers Association renews calls for tax on online purchases

[ChlorHex]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-2...-table/5115140

Ridiculous suggestion by the Australian Retailers' Association to reduce the threshold for GST on overseas online purchases down to $30.

Rather than forcing consumers to shop locally by taxing even low cost overseas purchases, they should work on assisting local retailers in offering competitive pricing of goods here.

We're frustrated with higher prices charged here when buying online such as from the US AND including shipping is still cheaper than buying locally!

[Trent]

Being honest with the very rare exception, TFs are the only thing I buy from overseas. Not to mention the fact that nearly all the TFs I buy aren't available in Australia

That doesn't change the fact that this is a pointless exercise. Buy a T-shirt from a surf shop in Aus, for example, then buy the same shirt from the US and even with shipping, it is significantly more than 10% cheaper.

[UltraMarginal]

That doesn't change the fact that this is a pointless exercise. Buy a T-shirt from a surf shop in Aus, for example, then buy the same shirt from the US and even with shipping, it is significantly more than 10% cheaper.

That is exactly how I feel.

If the difference was only 10% I'd probably shop locally more often. I buy a lot of Transformers and CD's internationally because they're not available here sometimes they turn up later but it's a crapshoot. I buy a lot of my baseball gear from the states. It's waaay cheaper.

Part of the problem I think (apart from the apparently higher profit margins here) is that legitimate importers have to pay import duties and customs duties together which are very significant.

but we're not going to solve the issue here. as much as we'd like to

[Hursticon]

The Retailers Association...

The architects and propagators of the "Australia Tax", the enforcers of absurd profit margins from the lowliest of products right through to the big ticket, the suppressors of wider consumer knowledge of Big Business' raping of retail in Australia, the under-miners of National Public Holidays and the destroyers of the 5 day working week...

These are the people responsible for placing the Shareholder before the Consumer and the Employee.

It shits me to no end how politicians continue to swallow the lies this mob perpetrate; we pay out the arse for absolutely everything in Australia because the Woolworths, Coles, Myers, David Jones, Harvey Normans etc. of this country get to dictate and cement their broken & archaic business practices throughout Australian life.

I'm not surprised in the slightest that they're pushing this crap once again, now that conservative politics is once again at the helm of running the country and there's every reason to believe they'll now get their way again as this mob are the primary financiers of the Federal Coalition.

You thought life was expensive now? - It's likely to get a lot more expensive for the average pleb.

[CBratron]

Retailers Association: Business practices by Harvey Norman.

But to be fair. Aussie working conditions (namely how good we have it) are to blame. Great union representation has meant better pay and better conditions. And all of this costs money that needs to be recouped by dearer local goods and services.

[Sinnertwin]

I can't invest in Australian retail if there's nothing there.

[Golden Phoenix]

Sure why not. Bring it on.

10% on what I buy overseas and after shipping I would STILL save money. That and the fact that they stock next to no Transformers at the best of times would mean I wouldn't buy from stores.

I was importing stacks of Transformers back when the dollar was 60-70 US cents.

Then they will have to quit their complaining when they see next to no change in sales and have to look at how they run their businesses instead.

[griffin]

I don't like seeing this idea raising its head again, but it was expected with the change of government. Especially with them looking for new ways to raise money.

It's sad that even a 10% tax on private imports would still be cheaper than bying stock that came here through corporate importers (who charge the "Australia Tax").
So instead of supporting consumers who are just competing against the companies that are making excessive profits by over-pricing the items they are importing, the consumers are being forced to pay more so that these businesses can keep charging their "Australia Tax" on items... leaving consumers having to pay more with either option.
Businesses already succeeded in having duties scrapped on most things in the last 20 years, especially with several free-trade-agreements now in effect... but they didn't pass on the savings.
Consumers still import privately because it is still cheaper. So now the Businesses are demanding "personal/consumer" Duty tax (the proposed GST) to force more people to buy their inflated priced items. As noted by GP and others, it won't work unless the tax/Duty matches the profit margin imposed by Businesses on items here. So even if the 10% is instigated, Businesses will still demand a higher tax on private importers (Consumers) to force people to buy their over-priced products, and maintain their own excessive profit margins.

Capitalism before Competition may well be the priority of individuals and businesses - but the reverse should be the priority of the politicians/government, to keep it in balance.

Now that the Liberals are in power, who are funded by Business and Retailer associations, expect more (direct and indirect) expense on the consumers, as that's the ideology of their "Right Wing" fundamentalism - "survival of the fittest".
They won't care how much extra it will cost the rest of us who are struggling, as long as they get their share of the money in the end (the implementation & enforcement of a $30-minimum import GST is said to be about 65 cents in every dollar raised, and if the Government wants that full dollar, you can bet that the extra 65 cents will be a cost passed onto consumers somewhere else).

One thing I don't like about these contemporary capitalist politicians - they are oblivious of what the rest of us have to endure because they get everything paid for WHILE being paid a wage... and if they feel they don't have enough money, they get a pay-rise. Plus, they get their pockets lined and retirements covered by minority interest groups, who don't have the interests of the majority in mind (that a democracy is supposed to be focused on).
(and it's both major parties that have interest groups or wealthy friends in their wallets... and our "saviour" the United party is run by a Billionaire - who probably doesn't even know what tough, week-to-week, survival budgeting even means.... and he used to BE one of those minority interest groups funding and steering the Liberal Party)

People who have the determination to change the system, don't have the money or power to go up against the system... and people who do have the money and power aren't interested in changing the system, only profiting off it like the existing politicians.

[Deonasis]

Then they will have to quit their complaining when they see next to no change in sales and have to look at how they run their businesses instead.

Nope. If they saw little change they would just continue to push for tax increases until overseas shopping is dead. Only then would they be forced to change tact to those bloody unions that who won't allow 'poor' chain retailers to pay staff $2/hr.

A fair chance this will go ahead in some form with our government money-search and party-backing situation.

[SMHFConvoy]

Wasn't this idea viewed as impossible? With the current Govt cutting left, right and centre I could see them try and implement but I think the consumer backlash would be incredible.

I remember Gerry Harvey grumbling that retailers are paying staff $40 an hour which is ludicrous. I work in retail and it can be miserable, the hours are cut and there's no one to cover breaks. I constantly have to apologise that I can't use a register (I'm back of house) and I work 5 hours a day (but it feels like we're all still putting in 8 hours.)

Life for the sales staff is worse they have to push a card that no one wants to get commission and then get threatened with unemployment if they can't make their kpi for the damn card!