Back in 2002, I emigrated to Australia from the UK. In the UK, I was used to what I could and could not do regarding import and export.
Moving to a new country meant learning the process all over again!
Believe me, when you look at the government website http://www.australia.gov.au - you might as well read something in latin! So full of 'official' language and in depth information - too much for many new to business to understand and take in.
Who writes this material?
How about something the man in the street can understand?
There are so many one man band businesses and hobby businesses operating now, many do not understand the processes well - through no fault of their own. Looking at the website, it may not appear clear to some the rules relating to how much in dollar value can be imported legally before getting caught up in the mass of red tape associated with higher value imports.
Basically, when you import via the postal system, you can import up to AUD$1,000 in value (including delivery costs).
However, to import via a courier (ie Fedex, DHL, etc.,) the rules are entirely different! Not only are you allowed to import a much lower value of AUD$500 - which again includes delivery costs - you now get involved in much more paperwork! The courier also hits you with fees and charges to handle the import process!
If you are unaware of this, it can catch you by surprise! The fees and charges from both Australian customs and the courier can add up to quite a sum. Sometimes it can make the products you are importing so expensive, that you would really be wasting your time - so beware!
