On 1 December 2019, the new “low-value goods” regime will begin imposing GST at 15% on goods acquired by New Zealand consumers from offshore suppliers. The new regime will apply to goods with individual values of NZ$1,000 or less.
What does this mean for us Kiwis buying online from overseas? It is expected that prices will increase by the amount of GST content, as overseas suppliers may have to return GST on their sales to NZ, so if you are planning on Christmas shopping online its best to do it now!
On the plus side, NZ GST registered entities buying business related items from overseas will be able to be claim the GST portion back in their GST returns. Ask suppliers for a receipt detailing the GST content just to be sure.
