[chbot] GST on AliExpress orders

[Volker Kuhlmann]

On Thu 09 Jan 2020 18:40:59 NZDT +1300, Robin Gilks wrote:

> Found out that my US$17.74 is going to cost me US$20.40 as AliExpress are
> putting GST onto orders now.
> 
> Not sure when this started - beginning of the year? Last week had the tax
> applied, last September didn't!

It started 1 Dec 2019, not unexpected. It was like that by 12 Dec.

It's less to do with ripping off the poor and more with levelling the
playing field for local businesses against overseas corporations.

That aliexpress would pull out of the NZ market I put into the urban
myth / wishful thinking basket. They already had to do something similar
for a number of other countries. Given the loads they're raking in from
NZ they're far better off to do a little programming. Amazon just didn't
have their act together in time; I didn't get any impression they'd quit
the NZ market. As long as they can squeeze us because we want something
from them, they'll be here.

Volker

-- 
Volker Kuhlmann
http://volker.top.geek.nz/	Please do not CC list postings to me.