Downies

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iluvbeanz

Member
I'm in the US, looking to buy a few things from Downies. I sent them an email last week and still haven't gotten a reply so I though I'd ask here:

At checkout, I'm being charged for local taxes and also international shipping rates. Why is there a local tax when I'm not buying from within Australia? And the exchange rate between AUD to USD is not 1:1, so why does a $100 AUD item also cost $100 USD? I'm not sure if their website has glitches or that's the way they charge. Has anyone from US also bought from them?
 
Most banks and traders etc play funny buggers with the exchange rates, and rip you off buying AND selling.

10% GST here, but no idea on your various taxes.


OC
 
iluvbeanz said:
I'm in the US, looking to buy a few things from Downies. I sent them an email last week and still haven't gotten a reply so I though I'd ask here:

At checkout, I'm being charged for local taxes and also international shipping rates. Why is there a local tax when I'm not buying from within Australia? And the exchange rate between AUD to USD is not 1:1, so why does a $100 AUD item also cost $100 USD? I'm not sure if their website has glitches or that's the way they charge. Has anyone from US also bought from them?
Click to expand...

Hi iluvbeanz,

I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't get a response I'm looking in to that personally. Generally we work to a 24 hour turnaround time on web queries and I can only apologise that this standard hasn't been met.

Currently US customers technically deal with Downies Ltd, our US corporation, and as such we are required to collect California Sales Tax blame California for that one! The shipping is a completely separate matter, and (almost) covers our costs shipping from Australia to the US it's a fantastically fast and secure service, usually taking 3 days or so from despatch.

Our US prices are not "live" prices, but are set separately, which across over a thousand products online means that minor discrepancies can creep in. We weren't really happy at the lack of transparency for our international customers on price (and it costs us a packet to manage two corporations and two currencies), so in a matter of weeks we'll be changing the structure of receiving payments so that all transactions will be conducted in AUD. The exchange rate will be calculated at the time your card gets charged (usually when goods are ready to be shipped), if it is a non-AUD card, by your own financial institution. There will be no sales taxes at all, as neither Australian GST or California's sales tax will apply.

I hope this clears up your questions but if you have any more, feel free to ask them here (in this thread or via PM) or by contacting us here.

Kind regards,

Renee
 
Hi Renee, it's great to have a representative on the forum. It's been about a week since I emailed but finally got a reply via this forum thread, thanks. But your response brings up more question:

Your contact page shows 4 different locations, non of which are located in the US:

PO Box 3131
Nunawading, VIC, 3131

98-100 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, VIC, 3000

98-100 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, VIC, 3000

Town Hall Square
Sydney, NSW, 2000


I can't find anywhere that has a local US address, but we're still getting charged local taxes when all your locations are in Aus. Are you saying that anyone in the US ordering will have the items shipped by a Downies somewhere in the US? And if this is the case, then why is it international shipping rates? Sorry I'm just not understanding what you mean when you say shipping is a separate matter.

Yeah that lack of transparency and terms are confusing me also. You said in a few weeks you'll have all this fixed, and there will be no US tax or Aus GST. But if I were to check out TODAY, I would be paying inflated prices since your website is assuming 1:1 AUD -> USD, + tax? Or will my invoice show checkout price, but actual charges will be adjusted based on exchange rates?
 
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