I got an email from Amazon. Because of Australian gov't wanting to get in on Amazon money, have changed the GST laws, and now Amazon had to change how it handles overseas customers.
I will be forced to shop on the Amazon AU site, even though the prices will more than likely (even factoring in the exchange rates) close to double the price of what the Amazon US site charges. (I have so many examples of this being true. A book, local to me $100. Ordered from Amazon, even with shipping and exchange rate, $45 for one). I can understand Australia wanting their 10% but not at the expense of close to doubling the price of the items listed.
Then there is the 'promise' of having access to ALL of Amazon US products on the Amazon AU site. Odd, because when I search for things on the Amazon AU site, I typically strike out. But find it quite easily on the Amazon US site.
The only way I see around this is to shop using a VPN. Transfer money to trusted people in the US and have them get me US gift cards. I already moved my credit card to Australia so I wouldn't be late paying a bill, and I can't reverse it unless I go BACK to the US and into the bank to do so.
On an aside, if the Australian Tax Offices and Aussie Gov't need revenues, how about stopping politicians from taking luxury vacays on the tax payers? Stop giving huge corporations huge tax breaks, instead of scraping a petty S1.50 from a book sale.
I will be forced to shop on the Amazon AU site, even though the prices will more than likely (even factoring in the exchange rates) close to double the price of what the Amazon US site charges. (I have so many examples of this being true. A book, local to me $100. Ordered from Amazon, even with shipping and exchange rate, $45 for one). I can understand Australia wanting their 10% but not at the expense of close to doubling the price of the items listed.
Then there is the 'promise' of having access to ALL of Amazon US products on the Amazon AU site. Odd, because when I search for things on the Amazon AU site, I typically strike out. But find it quite easily on the Amazon US site.
The only way I see around this is to shop using a VPN. Transfer money to trusted people in the US and have them get me US gift cards. I already moved my credit card to Australia so I wouldn't be late paying a bill, and I can't reverse it unless I go BACK to the US and into the bank to do so.
On an aside, if the Australian Tax Offices and Aussie Gov't need revenues, how about stopping politicians from taking luxury vacays on the tax payers? Stop giving huge corporations huge tax breaks, instead of scraping a petty S1.50 from a book sale.
