Aussies, do you have any customs or sales tax too that your country may add when something is imported?
Because we do, and that's why I've talked to Razor Sales Department to become a reseller in Baltics/Europe (hopefully in Summer 2009) to get the price down for bulk orders, because the price ordering from the States is pretty high after all the taxes in estonia. There's a little catch, though: the EUROPEAN pro-models wholesale price is like $44 per each BEFORE shipping/VAT/customs (bigger discount if ordered in container quantities directly from China; 1 container = 1800 units, so that's not gonna happen in a while), but they told that the European version pro-models are stronger than US/AUS versions, because in order to sell in Europe, they had to meet the the EU manufacturing standards (EN71, WEE, ROHS) which are are much higher than US federal standards, therefore a different manufacturing line with components, metal grades and electrics(where applicable) are different affecting the price.
This is what it costs to get pro-models from United States to Estonia/Europe (depending on the quantity)
$45-52 ____ pro
$30-50 ____ shipping
$75-102 ___ subtotal
$14-18 ____ 18% VAT (value added tax)
$0 ________ 0% rate @ EU customs for toys (including non-motorized scooters)
$89-120 ___ TOTAL
The customs know me too well and even if isn't a large package, marked as gift and has low value marked on, they still send me an inquiries for a bill or they will look for a bill on the package documentation-bag on the side of the package. Somehow over many years, last week, last package of 5 pro-models came VAT-free because Scooter Zone marked as gift and every scooter valued $19, and i didn't even ask them to do that, lol. I was at the post office, eyes big and suprised: "what? no customs?"
