“The MOF said the main reasons for the move are to provide a fair playing field for domestic online shopping companies to compete with their overseas rivals and to broaden the tax base.”
Plus a strange new rule:
"Meanwhile, people who frequently import goods via mail will be required to pay customs duty from July 1.
Frequent mail is defined as more than six times to the same person or the same address in half a year. In that case, any goods mailed from the seventh time onward will need to have duty paid, and the period will be counted from Jan. 1 to June 30 and from July 1 to Dec. 31."
yeah, I get the feeling the country is running out of cash. I see things like this - taxes that cost more to collect than they return in revenue - as as sign of desperation.
Or, if could be that they’re just collecting them for the sake of it. No good reason. Just because they can.
Or a type of protectionist economic policies. Many things that are available in Taiwan can be bought much cheaper on taobao and in greater variety and better selection. Taobao is very efficient as well, each item is tracked every step of the way from the moment it is shipped until it gets to your door.
Oh, FFS. They’re not really that dumb are they? “Protecting” industries that don’t even exist in Taiwan? Tell me it isn’t so!
There are very high import charges in the UK these days. As far as I can tell, they collect them so that they can maintain the infrastructure and manpower for collecting import charges. A bit like speed cameras. I was wondering if, perhaps, there’s no more to it than that. Jobs for the mouthbreathers.
If it is something that can be purchased here, like same brand or specific item of similar quality, then this makes sense.
Is there a difference between “is it the same thing or similar”? Like say…brand name soap vs store brand. You see what I mean?
But, what about things that we cannot get here? Or things of dubious quality? Certain language books, shoes in certain sizes, clothes in certain sizes. Soaps, shampoos, food-stuffs (tricky to get, but you know)
I do not mind shopping at PCHome, and they generally have what I am looking for, but many times they do not.
[quote=“JB_IN_TW, post:6, topic:160461, full:true”]
If it is something that can be purchased here, like same brand or specific item of similar quality, then this makes sense. [/quote]
It doesn’t make sense even in that context. Taiwan needs to import foreign goods to correct its trade imbalance (about US$3B), even if it’s on a drip-feed. It doesn’t matter what the goods are. If people want to import them, then by definition they’re not the same as things that are available here. People don’t go to all that trouble if they can buy what they want from the corner store.
I get that the government might want to charge VAT - although I disagree with VAT on general principle - but it sounds like they’ll be adding charges over and above the standard rate.
It’s protectionism. They’ve obviously been lobbied hard by some big local retailers or wholesalers.
I don’t agree with this kind of protectionism we’ve already got high priced electronics, branded clothes and food.
This is the only way they can stop consumers skipping out the middle man and getting a good deal.
I
know what that’s like because it used to be the same in the island country I come from, prices came way down for groceries and electronic and bikes etc because more competition and non tariff system in the EU. Foreign companies can come in on a level playing field and consumers can just order from any country in the EU directly with no import charges.
Yep, it’s just another way to screw the average resident for trying to get either something you can’t get in Taiwan or something you can’t get without paying the middleman twice the product’s value.
Please remember that this comes from the same people that put all kinds of constraints when the tainted oil crisis made everyone turn to foreign oils for solace. Even when they need it, heck no to foreign stuffs.
Even if they are doing this more for the locals, geez, the locals will find loops to bend this over to the max. 2000 ntd?! Gimme a break.
As one of my dear professors used to say, the problem with Taiwanese guys is the same as with Taiwanese enterprises: they are not competitive at an international level. So they need Mommy’s protection. And hence they never grow, evolve, become better.
I don’t think this is about protecting local industries, but about protecting local online shopping platforms and local retailers who want to sell you the stuff you buy from overseas for a hefty mark-up.
Here is more. They will track your smart phone number?!
It’s much easier to find a better quality product in the UK too. Not trying to bag Taiwan, but I have a tough time finding good protein or supplements at local stores. Iherb saves me, and I guess I’ll have to suck it up and pay up a bit more.
