I have a favour to ask of any American bloggers out there. All I want is for you to check a price on a website..... why?
There has been much said of late in the Australian media how much more we pay for products than our overseas friends. Everything from petrol to clothing to food etc. Not to mention house prices which are astronomical here in Sydney.
This is why - unfortunately - we have started turning to the Internet to purchase overseas as even with shipping it is often much cheaper than we can buy here. Even downloads which cost nothing to ship is up to 50% more here in Oz than in the USA. Apparently the location of your computer shows up and Aussies are charged more because - get this - "we will pay more because we are used to paying more".
I have been looking at fashion for Pinterest - mainly as a inspiration for sewing. However I have come across a dress that I am thinking of purchasing.
This is in the Macy's plus sized department. When I click on the dress it shows as $79.00 whilst the page is loading. However once the page fully loads it strangely changes to AUD$95.20. Now this does not include shipping - which is $25 for the one dress - nor does it include any taxes to pay with customs and the Aussie dollar is slightly higher than the US dollar at the moment.
My questions to my American friends are:
1) Is this dress showing as $79.00 in America on the Macy's website?
2) If so, do you have to add tax to that amount - and is so - how much would you pay in full for this dress in the USA (not including shipping)?
Just interested. I am hoping the difference is the tax component as I believe in the US prices are quoted ex tax where in Aus prices are quoted tax inclusive.
If it is not this then I would like to know if we are expected to pay more.
Your help will be appreciated
There has been much said of late in the Australian media how much more we pay for products than our overseas friends. Everything from petrol to clothing to food etc. Not to mention house prices which are astronomical here in Sydney.
This is why - unfortunately - we have started turning to the Internet to purchase overseas as even with shipping it is often much cheaper than we can buy here. Even downloads which cost nothing to ship is up to 50% more here in Oz than in the USA. Apparently the location of your computer shows up and Aussies are charged more because - get this - "we will pay more because we are used to paying more".
I have been looking at fashion for Pinterest - mainly as a inspiration for sewing. However I have come across a dress that I am thinking of purchasing.
This is in the Macy's plus sized department. When I click on the dress it shows as $79.00 whilst the page is loading. However once the page fully loads it strangely changes to AUD$95.20. Now this does not include shipping - which is $25 for the one dress - nor does it include any taxes to pay with customs and the Aussie dollar is slightly higher than the US dollar at the moment.
My questions to my American friends are:
1) Is this dress showing as $79.00 in America on the Macy's website?
2) If so, do you have to add tax to that amount - and is so - how much would you pay in full for this dress in the USA (not including shipping)?
Just interested. I am hoping the difference is the tax component as I believe in the US prices are quoted ex tax where in Aus prices are quoted tax inclusive.
If it is not this then I would like to know if we are expected to pay more.
 |
| Page is loading price $79 |
 |
| Page fully loaded - price AUD$95.20 |
Your help will be appreciated
Hi, Just clicking on links on links and I came to your blog.
ReplyDeleteJust in case you want to compare to a Canadian going onto Macy's site....this same dress shows as $90.78 in Canadian funds.
Liz
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Thanks Liz, I wonder what the difference is.
DeleteIt shows as $79.00 for me, in the USA. In my county in Florida it would cost a total of $84.14, which includes sales tax of 6.5%. Some counties in Florida can charge 7%, which could make the total $84.53.
ReplyDeleteSome states have higher sales tax. Whoa! Here's a chart for anyone who wants to look it up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States
Thanks Mary, this raises another question. Is the tax charged from the state you live in or the state the store is based?
DeleteMany online stores only collect sales tax for items to be delivered within the same state as the business itself. I don't remember ever paying sales tax on an internet order, but proved myself wrong by searching my email. Joann's charged me 9% sales tax (way higher than Florida); I don't remember it's shipping origination.
DeleteThe dress is 79 here in the states and then the tax for the area in which you live is what is calculated. Our's is 8.25%. That does not include shipping.
ReplyDeleteIt is 79.00 and no sales tax on clothing in the state of Minnesota.
ReplyDeleteAnother Aussie comment here...My two teenagers buy a lot online through Easybay, and have been doing so over the past few years. Only recently a lot of the shoes (the 'well-known' brands) now have a block on shipping to Australia!!! Sport shoes that cost $70 online are around the $180+ in our big sports stores.
ReplyDeleteSomeone mentioned once that there is a brokerage place in USA that we can ship our orders to, then they redirect. Not sure of the cost though. Guess us poor old Aussies will just have to keep on playing for the 'luxury' of living Down Under...
You ought not to be paying sales tax on an item bought overseas, Beajay, just like overseas purchasers don't have to pay GST on purchases made from Oz and NZ. The dress comes up for me as $125.20NZ. Now, $79US is only $97 NZ, so that's a big Antipoden Tax they be addin'!!
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out Anne Harvey in the UK? Lovely gear, far better prices. Terrible photos mind you!
Thanks for all the feedback! I have sent an email to Macy's "please explain" so we will see what they come back with. MrsC - thanks for the lead - I will check out Anne Harvey. Judith - how dreadful to be blocked like that - surely that is discrimination!
ReplyDeleteThat does seem pretty rude, doesn't it? but if you make a dress yourself you will save a BUNDLE :) I'm sure the fabric and a pattern would cost far far less than either of those figures...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your tip on the lemon recipes!
You are quite right Carolyn, making it would be better and way cheaper - just fell in love with the fabric and style. I am way away from producing such a dress - still very much a beginner.
DeleteWell I just wanted to check conversions from US funds to AU funds -- but $79.00 in US funds comes to a conversion of $75.06 AU according to the Money Converter site. I would be curious as to what Macy's is adding. Here in US-Indiana the dress shows $93.69 total -- breaking down, $79.00 for the dress, $9.95 shipping, plus $4.74 for 6% sales tax (they state these are estimates for me-- my actual sales tax should be 7%.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Nebraska, USA, and when I look up the dress, it says $79.00. Shipping is $9.95, and tax is zero. It does tell me that for an extra 10% off, you can use the code: SUPER. Maybe that'll help some. :)
ReplyDelete