Any cons for importing guitar?

[jubbathehog]

I imported a néw guitar through my US.com, and they hit me with an extra $150 US for a license because the guitar had mother of pearl inlays. Apparently because iMOP is endangered they are not allowed to export it from the US without some license. Didn’t make sense to me cause the guitar was made in Korea, so the MOP had already come into the US. They also collected GST, which I was expecting, but because the guitar was in a big box (a case within a box within another big box) the shipping was way more expensive than their shipping calculator. NZ customs also charged $45 for something, and I had to get an import license number, which was pretty straight forward. Because the guitar was on a big sale it still worked out OK though. I wouldn’t use my US.com again.

[murky]

I’ve been using shipito now for a while. No complaints other than it’s now taking a little longer to process and send.

[werdna]

I bought a partscaster on Reverb and had the seller send the neck and body separately. No GST. No damage. Obviously wouldn't recommend this method for a Les Paul.

Always trawling Reverb for appealing partscasters. Hard part is persuading sellers to ship to NZ.

[goldtop0]

Customs will charge GST on anything over NZ$400(including freight cost into NZ) in my experience........last one was May 2020.
The $400 figure was quoted to me by the Fedex Customs agent.
What's the $1k limit quoted in previous posts?

[MikeC]

Customs will charge GST on anything over NZ$400(including freight cost into NZ) in my experience........last one was May 2020.
The $400 figure was quoted to me by the Fedex Customs agent.
What's the $1k limit quoted in previous posts?

From IRD: As of 1st December 2019, most online sales will attract GST! The aim for smaller cost items is for the offshore sellers to charge & collect the GST and pay to the NZ IRD, and local customs will collect on items costing over $1,000.

But overseas sellers only have to comply if they sell in total more than $60k to NZ customers per annum. This suggests there is a potential tax collection gap for non-regular offshore sellers and goods up to $1,000.

[goldtop0]

Customs will charge GST on anything over NZ$400(including freight cost into NZ) in my experience........last one was May 2020.
The $400 figure was quoted to me by the Fedex Customs agent.
What's the $1k limit quoted in previous posts?

From IRD: As of 1st December 2019, most online sales will attract GST! The aim for smaller cost items is for the offshore sellers to charge & collect the GST and pay to the NZ IRD, and local customs will collect on items costing over $1,000.

But overseas sellers only have to comply if they sell in total more than $60k to NZ customers per annum. This suggests there is a potential tax collection gap for non-regular offshore sellers and goods up to $1,000.

Thanks for that MikeC.
As is stated 'a potential tax collection gap'..........I'd calculate in the GST content in any eventuation, and if not charged as an end result, well all the better for me.