Snakes on a Plane!
It's not just living snakes you need to worry about. It's dead ones too, or at least their skins, if you are importing products into Australia that contain these, which would include some luxury fashion items. Many of the most desirable fashion accessories – handbags,...
Rest Easy: Import a Sleep Apnoea Machine
Approximately 25 per cent of men and 10 per cent of women suffer from disturbed sleep caused by breathing difficulties. As we age the numbers increase, with one in three older men suffering from sleep apnoea. In the 1970's, Colin Sullivan, an Australian physician...
Are you a young entrepreneur needing to import goods into Australia? Here’s how to get a kickstart
Platinum® Freight has launched a new program – the Young Entrepreneurs Program – which provides free customs brokering services for the first three shipments to entrepreneurs aged under 25 who are importing goods for their business.
When to get your Customs Broker involved in your import business
The answer is: sooner than you think. People get involved in importing either because they feel that they can get something cheaper from overseas for their personal use or because they want to supplement their income or want to be full time self-employed doing what...
Importing health supplements or protein powders
Hidden traps a customs broker can help you with How much will that bottle of vitamins with super special ingredients or protein powders end up costing you at Customs? That depends, and therein lies the complexity and need for a customs broker. If you don’t get it...
Off-Road Imports are On The Move
A large range of off-road vehicles can be imported into Australia without the need for a Vehicle Import Approval. However, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service will usually require confirmation that your import doesn't come under the category of a...
Chinese book printers a boon to Australian importers
Book printing is back in vogue, with Chinese printing the low cost alternative to locally produced materials. The quality of book printing in China has improved dramatically, and when coupled with the services of a reliable freight management company, book...
Driving a convertible Cadillac to Australia: how to ensure a smooth road through Customs
Importing classic cars has its reward, but if you get hit by huge import costs, you might find yourself facing thousands of dollars in unexpected storage fees and or quarantine cleaning costs. That’s where Platinum® Freight Management’s customs brokering services can...
Aussies returning home hit with thousands of dollars in wharf storage and shipping line detention fees
If you have lived overseas for more than a year, you can take advantage of the duty and GST free threshold for personal belongings (excluding but not limited to such things as motor vehicles and motor cycles) that you have owned for at least the previous 12 months....
You can get rich importing, but don’t spend your profits with unnecessary fees!
The internet is awash with training programs promising to make you rich by discovering the inside secrets about importing. But they can’t help you find what port your product arrived at, and how to process your paperwork within 24 hours to save storage fees. These...
Avoid getting slugged with unnecessary importing costs for gym equipment
Fitness enthusiasts and gym owners importing equipment might be paying thousands of dollars more than they need to because they don’t know the possible avenues to reduce their import and GST costs. People importing gym and weightlifting equipment think they are saving...
Importing a secondhand car from Japan: what are the potential hiccups at Customs?
You will have heard the stories of a young chap driving around in a near new Nissan Skyline that cost him less than $10,000 in Japan, and next to nothing to import. The advantage of Japan over most other Asian countries is that they drive on the left hand side of the...