Closing shop - it's all the fault of GST

[Xplora]

Super cheap and rebel .... Wouldn't have a clue about gold cross although I'd happily whine about anaconda being the same as super cheap. Clearly need to stop using the iPod, no one seems to understand me on this!

[rodneycc]

Just my 2c worth (and where is I'm_no_pro when you need him for support! ) I liked my recent experience buying from goldcross and the followup from super retail. They fill a gap in the market that is needed for the low to middle end. Their Flight brand bikes I find pretty good for my level of riding. You walk into the local couple of LBS's and I cant find a reasonable bike for under $600-700 whereas you can at a Goldcross or a Reid ( or Cell). I think the takeover has only been fairly recent so you will see a much better marketing campaign in future I would suggest. More new bike buying people are being forced to try their luck on ebay for example to buy a secondhand 500 to $600 bike because it hasnt got that low end market.

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

[Xplora]

Interesting point there - I am seeing a lot more Cells and Reids out there which are certainly appropriate for the 5km commute in most weather. Gears are light years ahead of what they used to be and with machines doing a lot of the hard work of wheel building now and the value of LED lights the flexibility of the commute distance and time of year means the 500 dollar bike is needed by the market. And some have a crack at the bunch rides with these humble steeds as well.

GST isn't an issue for these bikes, ultimately you need to find a niche. I can see some value in putting together commuter packs and bunch rider packs to give people all the accessories they need for a given distance. Soooooooo much choice, and no motivation to research.

Might look into that actually LOL

[jasonc]

I am seeing a lot more Cells and Reids out there which are certainly appropriate for the 5km commute in most weather.

Definitely noticing more reid bikes in Brissy

[im_no_pro]

(and where is I'm_no_pro when you need him for support! ) talk

I'm here

I tend not to get involved in peoples opinions about SRG's brands, usually only jump in where there is a factual inaccuracy or someone asks for info (e.g. the flight bikes thread). End of the day peoples opinions are exactly that, and they are entitled to them. Im not going to sit here and debate the pro's and con's of certain brands just because I work for the company that owns them

[rodneycc]

Nice politically correct answer Chief But on a side issue (and sorry guys if I'm hijacking this thread) I really hope Super Retail get Rebel back off its knees from where Harvey Norman left it. Rebel use to be a fantastic little store back in the early 90's. I use to buy all my sports stuff from them, Shoes, Cricket stuff, Footy stuff, Ski Hire and even a bike (a Shwinn Hybrid communter)when they had the Wheels in Motion in store. I know Rebel won't be doing bikes anymore but I really hope they fix up the other stuff to its former glory...

PS - FYI - "The Group comprises eight retail brands: Amart Sports, BCF Boating Camping Fishing, Goldcross Cycles, FCO Fishing Camping Outdoors, Ray’s Outdoors, Rebel, Supercheap Auto and Super Retail Commercial".

[im_no_pro]

Nice politically correct answer Chief

And on the Rebel side of things, I wouldnt just blame HN, they were owned by PE in between HN and us. Based on the numbers (the AGM was yesterday) I would suggest that what you are looking for is well underway I too stopped shopping at Rebel some years ago, and have only just started to return in the last couple of months.

[Ross]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/ ... 2x2qu.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Online shopping robbing business and states of $1b: John Brumby
Political News
Date November 7, 2013 - 11:28AM
Mark Kenny
Chief political correspondent


Speaking in his role as chairman of the Council of Australian Governments Reform Council, Mr Brumby, who had previously undertaken a review of the GST with his NSW counterpart, former Liberal premier Nick Greiner, issued a plea to Canberra to dramatically lower the threshold for any GST exemption on online purchases.

He said the fact that the 10 per cent tax applied only to online purchases valued at or above $1000 was out of step with the rest of the world and meant forgoing about $1 billion in GST revenue for cash-strapped state governments.

Advertisement “This is worth, conservatively, more than $1 billion a year at the moment in GST for the states,” he said, adding that an extra $200 million or so would have gone a long way to fixing the budget bottom line.

For some states, he said, that could mean the difference between a keeping or losing the triple-A credit rating.

Describing the growth of online sales as "galloping”, he said the current rules allowed buyers and sellers to effectively conspire to avoid GST, with sellers offering to ship goods, such as expensive cameras and bicycles, in parts to ensure each component remained beneath the $1000 taxable threshold.

“The proportion of online offshore purchases, as a proportion of total retail sales, is just galloping away,” he told the National Press Club.

He wants it set as low as $20, citing similar economies such as the US, UK, and Canada.

“This isn't a level playing field - it's like a reverse tariff,” he said.

Successive governments in Canberra have opposed the change, long-sought by big retailers such as David Jones and Myer, on the grounds of administrative costs, arguing it would require virtually all mailed items to be checked for value to ensure compliance.

But Mr Brumby said the current system was being systematically rorted.

“I'm not a cyclist but I know people who are, who buy $3000 and $4000 bikes," he said.

"The wheel comes over one week, the cogs come over the next, and the frame the next; it's all below $1000.”
Describing himself as a "co-operative federalist" in favour of greater decentralisation of power from Canberra to the states, he said the key to the structural problem of Canberra having the revenue raising power and the states having constitutional responsibility for key services in areas of health and education, was greater co-operation.

The so-called "vertical fiscal imbalance" he said, was common to all federations.

But it could be ameliorated with improved performance measurement, and greater cross-border co-operation.

While the ex-Labor premier eschewed partisan politics, he made a veiled criticism of past prime ministers for treating states as inferior partners within COAG, saying their items were generally listed in the "other matters" section of the COAG agenda and were thus rarely dealt with.

[Paul B]

Think I will place ANOTHER online order right now just to spite the luddites.

[RonK]

Well, I may be proved wrong, but I think the federal government will remain reluctant to lower the GST threshold.

For one, the GST is only 10%, not the 20% which applies in the EU. So the cost of inspection and collection argument is a valid one.

Next, it's a function of federal government to collect customs and GST on imports, but the GST revenue goes straight to the states, so a it's big looser for the feds.

Then there is an election platform based on getting rid of taxes and charges, an avowed intention to expedite free trade agreements with trading partners, and a refusal to offer support or protection even such a big employer as the car industry. All of which may make it politically unpalatable to prop up another industry sector.

[il padrone]

Just put three seperate orders in over the past two days. Mostly for parts that are difficult or even not possible to buy in Australia.

I'd laugh to hear the Feds are going to bring in a $20 threshold.

[casual_cyclist]

Just put three seperate orders in over the past two days. Mostly for parts that are difficult or even not possible to buy in Australia.
I'd laugh to hear the Feds are going to bring in a $20 threshold.

It wouldn't bother me one bit. I would still buy all the cheap stuff from overseas. If the government did decide to do it though, they would want a much more simple system than the current system for purchases over $1,000 with the Client Registration Form B323 and the 100 point identity check thing etc. If they thought about it they could implement a simple system that would make it fair and easy for everyone... lol

[casual_cyclist]

Speaking of which, has anyone seen this? http://www.auspostcustoms.com.au/wiggle.html

[Ross]

Just put three seperate orders in over the past two days. Mostly for parts that are difficult or even not possible to buy in Australia.
I'd laugh to hear the Feds are going to bring in a $20 threshold.

It wouldn't bother me one bit. I would still buy all the cheap stuff from overseas. If the government did decide to do it though, they would want a much more simple system than the current system for purchases over $1,000 with the Client Registration Form B323 and the 100 point identity check thing etc. If they thought about it they could implement a simple system that would make it fair and easy for everyone... lol

Let me guess...you still believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny?!

I've got a bridge I'm selling...cheap..anyone interested?!

[skull]

That's a nice bridge. What you asking?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4

[ldrcycles]

50-150

[Mulger bill]

How much does it weigh?

[clackers]

I'd have bought it if it was made of carbon fibre instead of steel ...

[biker jk]

I'd have bought it if it was made of carbon fibre instead of steel ...

It would be three times the price and last one third as long...

[casual_cyclist]

Just put three seperate orders in over the past two days. Mostly for parts that are difficult or even not possible to buy in Australia.
I'd laugh to hear the Feds are going to bring in a $20 threshold.

It wouldn't bother me one bit. I would still buy all the cheap stuff from overseas. If the government did decide to do it though, they would want a much more simple system than the current system for purchases over $1,000 with the Client Registration Form B323 and the 100 point identity check thing etc. If they thought about it they could implement a simple system that would make it fair and easy for everyone... lol

Let me guess...you still believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny?!

No, it was sarcasm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

Or perhaps you have had a humour bypass http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 621AAmf4aj

[RonK]

I'd have bought it if it was made of carbon fibre instead of steel ...

It would be three times the price and last one third as long...

Yeah, but it would be much easier to bring home in carbon.

[AUbicycles]

Thanks for sharing.

“I'm not a cyclist but I know people who are, who buy $3000 and $4000 bikes," he said.

"The wheel comes over one week, the cogs come over the next, and the frame the next; it's all below $1000.”

Wrong.
If a cyclist is making seperate orders then it is a possibility however as we have seen here over and over again, if the GST threshold is removed it will not significantly affect purchasing habits.

Mr Brumby is taking an instance and using it when it shouldn't to help make a point.

Speaking of which, has anyone seen this? http://www.auspostcustoms.com.au/wiggle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Who is spending 5 hours work to get gear cleared?
When I got the BNA caps (USA made) and the value was over $1000 for the order I went through the process which was really straight forward - except for the fact that UPS screwed me with local surcharges they should not impose and proceeded to completely ignore me. Now that was crappy - but customs were great.

[casual_cyclist]

Thanks for sharing.

“I'm not a cyclist but I know people who are, who buy $3000 and $4000 bikes," he said.

"The wheel comes over one week, the cogs come over the next, and the frame the next; it's all below $1000.”

Wrong.
If a cyclist is making seperate orders then it is a possibility however as we have seen here over and over again, if the GST threshold is removed it will not significantly affect purchasing habits.

Mr Brumby is taking an instance and using it when it shouldn't to help make a point.

Speaking of which, has anyone seen this? http://www.auspostcustoms.com.au/wiggle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Who is spending 5 hours work to get gear cleared?

I would assume very few people are. It looks like typical marketing guff to me.

[Ross]

It can be hard to work out what Tarrif Classification the imported parts come under because duty is applicable on some parts but not others. Customs themselves don't know half the time as my experience buying 2 sets of wheels showed where I was charged duty on one set but not the other.

Some people have the time, inclination and skills to fill out import paperwork and others dont. Like some people maintain their own bikes and others take them to the LBS for repairs or maintenance.

[AUbicycles]

Ross, you have a good point there - for getting exceptions this can take time. I don't know however if the auspostcustoms would do this as part of their standard service.