New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[hayleyearth]

Anyone here ever bought a collapsible / foldable water bottle before? (vol anything over 500ml - 750ml)

[Kranswurm]

Anyone here ever bought a collapsible / foldable water bottle before? (vol anything over 500ml - 750ml)

The runners use them try a speciality running shop

[patches]

Thanks. You have helped a lot.  I have an opportunity to possibly come back to NZ so will see what happens. IN the process of buying myself an FX350 and my son a TX 65. Will definitely bring them over. Even bought a fold up trailer so that I can park it in the garage and still park the cars etc.

 

ooh very nice bikes the FX's.

 

A brand new 2020 FX350 is about R156k here and a TC65 is about R72k. Crazy money compared to SA.

[patches]

After having spent the last 2 weeks in the self proclaimed "greatest country in the world", I am sure glad to be back in NZ.

 

There's a lot of good, bad, and ugly to just about any place. Finding somewhere that works for you is simply figuring out what goods you'd trade for bads or uglies in order to get other goods.

[Ramrod]

After having spent the last 2 weeks in the self proclaimed "greatest country in the world", I am sure glad to be back in NZ.

 

There's a lot of good, bad, and ugly to just about any place. Finding somewhere that works for you is simply figuring out what goods you'd trade for bads or uglies in order to get other goods.

Its funny how our perception is all relative. I was out of JHB for two days in remote areas of SA. Driving back into JHB you can almost feel the anxiety and tension/stress building up. Its nuts!!

[patches]

Anyone here ever bought a collapsible / foldable water bottle before? (vol anything over 500ml - 750ml)

 

 

Here's some from a moto gear site

 

500ml - https://www.motomox.co.nz/shop/show_single_product.php?prod=827

 

1L - https://www.motomox.co.nz/shop/show_single_product.php?prod=753

[intern]

After having spent the last 2 weeks in the self proclaimed "greatest country in the world", I am sure glad to be back in NZ.

 

There's a lot of good, bad, and ugly to just about any place. Finding somewhere that works for you is simply figuring out what goods you'd trade for bads or uglies in order to get other goods.

 

Were you in the USA? I'm in Las Vegas at the moment. It's fun all right (but LV is not 'the regular' USA, of course).

[patches]

Were you in the USA? I'm in Las Vegas at the moment. It's fun all right (but LV is not 'the regular' USA, of course).

 

No way! I was in Las Vegas too!

 

Was there from 15-25 November.

 

I was attending a conference for work, and visiting family so a fair amount of my time was spent in the suburbs experiencing "everyday life".

 

I get that people go there to party, but to live there... the only attraction I see is the cost of things.

• No state income tax
• Housing is pretty cheap (dirt cheap compared to Auckland)
• Almost all the retail one could wish for.
• Reasonably close to parts of California and Arizona etc.

What are you in Vegas for?

[patches]

Here's some NZ bad and good...

 

Striking.

 

For starters I better add that striking/industrial action in NZ is very different from that in SA. It's peaceful, no destruction of property etc, and those striking genuinely try to maintain service to the end user, even though they are in a less than favourable position with their employer.
 

Today I was standing at the bus stop as per usual for my morning commute. My scheduled bus didn't turn up, so I waited 10min for the next one. When that didn't turn up it finally dawned on me that the bus drivers strike may be scheduled for that particular time. I checked the Auckland Transport website and indeed, the strike was set to go from 4am - 8am.

I started looking at what routes were affected and saw that I could walk another 500m down the road and catch an alternate bus. As I got to that bus stop I saw my usual bus number pull up. The driver waived all the passengers on saying "no charge". When all the passengers disembarked the bus at the main terminal, almost each one gave a more-audible-than-usual "thank you!" to the driver.

I get that it is the right of workers to strike when their voices aren't being heard. I get that this can greatly inconvenience those reliant on their services. The fat that a strike is needed means the situation is less than ideal.

What I appreciate is that the union scheduled their strike for a very limited window (4am - 8am), kept alternate routes operating (even if they were a little less convenient), and even provided limited service to the original affected routes at no cost to the users.

 

[DJR]

.........................The driver waived all the passengers on saying "no charge". ...................

What a brilliant idea.

 

In order to protest and hurt your employer, you carry their passengers for free. They still have to pay for fuel and the drivers' wages, because he worked after all. But they lose all the income from passengers who get a free trip and still got to work, so their employers didn't have to suffer damages. Nothing was burnt or destroyed, nobody got killed, no valuable police resources wasted. Everyone except the bus company owners wins.

[RossW]

Here's some NZ bad and good...

 

Striking.

 

For starters I better add that striking/industrial action in NZ is very different from that in SA. It's peaceful, no destruction of property etc, and those striking genuinely try to maintain service to the end user, even though they are in a less than favourable position with their employer.

 

Today I was standing at the bus stop as per usual for my morning commute. My scheduled bus didn't turn up, so I waited 10min for the next one. When that didn't turn up it finally dawned on me that the bus drivers strike may be scheduled for that particular time. I checked the Auckland Transport website and indeed, the strike was set to go from 4am - 8am.

 

I started looking at what routes were affected and saw that I could walk another 500m down the road and catch an alternate bus. As I got to that bus stop I saw my usual bus number pull up. The driver waived all the passengers on saying "no charge". When all the passengers disembarked the bus at the main terminal, almost each one gave a more-audible-than-usual "thank you!" to the driver.

 

I get that it is the right of workers to strike when their voices aren't being heard. I get that this can greatly inconvenience those reliant on their services. The fat that a strike is needed means the situation is less than ideal.

 

What I appreciate is that the union scheduled their strike for a very limited window (4am - 8am), kept alternate routes operating (even if they were a little less convenient), and even provided limited service to the original affected routes at no cost to the users.

 

 

I remember benefiting from approximately two weeks of free bus trips in Brisbane last year when there was a failed wage negotiation. I've not seen the buses as busy since.

[patham]

 

I started looking at what routes were affected and saw that I could walk another 500m down the road and catch an alternate bus. As I got to that bus stop I saw my usual bus number pull up. The driver waived all the passengers on saying "no charge". When all the passengers disembarked the bus at the main terminal, almost each one gave a more-audible-than-usual "thank you!" to the driver.

 

 

 

I remember benefiting from approximately two weeks of free bus trips in Brisbane last year when there was a failed wage negotiation. I've not seen the buses as busy since.

 

You beat me to it Ross. It;s been reported a few times that when the bus drivers or ferry drivers go on strike in Brisbane they let you on for free.

 

I use public transport infrequently, but I have gotten on a bus here only to be told that the smartcard scanner was not working. Instead of being forced to pay for a cash ticket, I got the "Scanners not working mate, its free for everyone." line.

 

In the end, in Brissie it's the council's and ratepayer's dime. The incremental cost to each ratepayer for a free trip, vs the disruption if the service is pulled is an equation I can live with.

[patches]

The bad & ugly...

 

The new GST law on imported goods/online shopping.

 

Previously customs only paid attention if the value of the order exceeded $400. Anything under $400 meant no GST or Duty or fees etc.

 

As for 1 Dec 2019, GST is applied to all goods, even if under $400.

 

But that's not even the worst of it. It's the admin fees/levies that are the killer.

 

Here's an example straight from the YouShop Website:

 

How the charges are calculated – example

 

The calculation starts with the price you paid or the value of goods in New Zealand dollars. Then add in any duty (if it applies), insurance costs, plus freight or postage costs. GST is payable on the total of this amount. Add the duty (if any) and the GST amounts together for the total.

Example (provided for guidance only, amounts may vary):

Cost of the goods: $500 (price) + $50 (10% duty) + $25 (insurance) + $25 (freight) = $600

GST: $600 (cost of goods) x 15% = $90

Payable: $50 (duty) + $90 (GST) = $140

Total to pay: $140.00 (duty & GST) + $52.67 (import entry fee) + $63.25 (clearance fees) = $255.92

 

So in this case one pays 50% more to get their goods. I get that it's to increase revenue and encourage local retail. But there are SO many things not available in NZ that customers have to either suck up the exorbitant additional costs, or just go without.

Anyone had any experience with overseas online purchases in the last day or so?

 

EDIT: so this adds to the confusion.

 

This is from the customs.govt.nz duty estimator:

 

Customs will not collect GST, duty or charge an Import Entry Transaction Fee (IETF) on goods valued $1000 or less, unless the goods are part of a large consignment.

This does not apply to tobacco and alcohol products - duty and GST are collected regardless of the value.  

If you buy goods valued over $1000, you'll have to pay duty and GST plus the IETF and MPI levy when the goods arrive in NZ.

 

This calculation is an estimation only and applies to goods imported for personal use.

So what is it? Do we pay a small fortune for anything we buy online from overseas, or do we now get up to $1000 GST and duty free?

Edited December 2, 2019 by patches

[intern]

No way! I was in Las Vegas too!

 

Was there from 15-25 November.

 

I was attending a conference for work, and visiting family so a fair amount of my time was spent in the suburbs experiencing "everyday life".

 

I get that people go there to party, but to live there... the only attraction I see is the cost of things.

• No state income tax
• Housing is pretty cheap (dirt cheap compared to Auckland)
• Almost all the retail one could wish for.
• Reasonably close to parts of California and Arizona etc.

What are you in Vegas for?

 

Yeah Vegas is a party town...well, the Strip is (and Fremont). The rest is usual kinda rundown USA. Would probably not live here, but would easily live in Phoenix, SoCal, Florida, etc. USA is so big and diverse you WILL find somewhere that works for you, if you can get used to walking on the right!

Here for the AWS conference, then going to Scottsdale for a week to hang out with my brother.

[patches]

Yeah Vegas is a party town...well, the Strip is (and Fremont). The rest is usual kinda rundown USA. Would probably not live here, but would easily live in Phoenix, SoCal, Florida, etc. USA is so big and diverse you WILL find somewhere that works for you, if you can get used to walking on the right!

Here for the AWS conference, then going to Scottsdale for a week to hang out with my brother.

 

Tech conference central! I was there for the big Autodesk one as well as visiting my sister who lives in Henderson.

 

So funny to see how they "silicon valley-ize" it all by having dog lounges (for therapy dogs), the big laser & light show and the CEO jumping out on stage like a rock star, and the general feel of the thing.

 

The Autodesk conference was big (approx 10,000 attendees) and held at the Venetian Sands Expo.

I can only imagine that the AWS one is even bigger, and more silicon-valley-ey

[RossW]

The bad & ugly...

 

The new GST law on imported goods/online shopping.

 

Previously customs only paid attention if the value of the order exceeded $400. Anything under $400 meant no GST or Duty or fees etc.

 

As for 1 Dec 2019, GST is applied to all goods, even if under $400.

 

But that's not even the worst of it. It's the admin fees/levies that are the killer.

 

Here's an example straight from the YouShop Website:

 

How the charges are calculated – example

 

The calculation starts with the price you paid or the value of goods in New Zealand dollars. Then add in any duty (if it applies), insurance costs, plus freight or postage costs. GST is payable on the total of this amount. Add the duty (if any) and the GST amounts together for the total.

Example (provided for guidance only, amounts may vary):

Cost of the goods: $500 (price) + $50 (10% duty) + $25 (insurance) + $25 (freight) = $600

GST: $600 (cost of goods) x 15% = $90

Payable: $50 (duty) + $90 (GST) = $140

Total to pay: $140.00 (duty & GST) + $52.67 (import entry fee) + $63.25 (clearance fees) = $255.92

 

So in this case one pays 50% more to get their goods. I get that it's to increase revenue and encourage local retail. But there are SO many things not available in NZ that customers have to either suck up the exorbitant additional costs, or just go without.

 

Anyone had any experience with overseas online purchases in the last day or so?

 

EDIT: so this adds to the confusion.

 

This is from the customs.govt.nz duty estimator:

 

Customs will not collect GST, duty or charge an Import Entry Transaction Fee (IETF) on goods valued $1000 or less, unless the goods are part of a large consignment.

This does not apply to tobacco and alcohol products - duty and GST are collected regardless of the value.  

If you buy goods valued over $1000, you'll have to pay duty and GST plus the IETF and MPI levy when the goods arrive in NZ.

 

This calculation is an estimation only and applies to goods imported for personal use.

So what is it? Do we pay a small fortune for anything we buy online from overseas, or do we now get up to $1000 GST and duty free?

Australia introduced the GST (10%) on imported goods sometime during this year. It has mostly been a painless adoption of process. There are no duties applied on what I've bought online and most online retailers based in Asia or Europe automatically add the GST so you don't end up paying on collection of goods.

 

The previous limit was $1,000 give or take. It was not strictly applied I understand.

 

Is the insurance compulsory? And why the addition of admin? I don't know of any clearance fees being applied on this side either. Sounds like you guys have been given the rough end of the stick.