simmo Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Local retailers have been fuming over the GST-free threshold enjoyed by their offshore competitors and have run a heated campaign for years, demanding the government close the loop hole that allows overseas retailers to sell goods to Australian shoppers GST free if the value of the goods is under $1000. Some of the nation’s most well known retail brands such as Myer and Harvey Norman as well as businessmen such as Solly Lew, whose Premier Investments owns a stable of fashion brands, has lambasted the federal government for allowing the GST-free threshold to remain in place at a time when local retailers are suffering with some of the worst trading conditions in decades. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/overseas-loophole-costs-620m-in-missing-gst-20130819-2s6lk.html#ixzz2cOFfuNfS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incata Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I have no sympathy at all. If they produced high quality goods at reasonable prices we would not need to shop overseas. As it is, poor quality seems to be their speciality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan20 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Let them fume away. If goods were not so expensive to buy in Australia, people wouldn't shop on line to buy better quality and cheaper goods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I used to care but not now, no service in the shops, when you see something advertised you get to the shop and they are sold out, don't know when we are getting any more. Why bother, at least with the web we know if its in stock and when we are going to get it, the web sellers keep us informed about delivery etc. Its called if you want the customers offer "SERVICE". They cannot have it all ways, no service, cut the staff, Myer is one that gets me, whining, go in there early on a Saturday with my Mum before the crush, its hung the sales person, in fact have been tempted to just walk out with the item to get attention in there. I will continue to shop on line whatever they do will not put up with bad service anymore. Phew thank goodness got that off my chest :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng32 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I have to buy my clothes on line from UK as we simply don't have the shops in my area to be able to buy anything that is not a vest top or cropped denim hot pants :err: i buy lots of lovely dresses of good quality and style for a fraction of the cost it would be here, so I will continue to do so all the time there is no choice of clothing, bad quality and poor fashion! My OH is a very keen cyclist but now buys much of his gear from eBay China/Hong Kong, and from the UK cycling shops. Too many things simply don't last a fall apart. And customer services can be poor when asking for exchange or refund of said broken product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb28 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 They can fume away all they like, not only are the stores overpriced with poor quality merchandise and outdated fashion - the online offerings are non-existent, and where they exist often have high P&P (some of them charge as much as shipping from the UK). Bought some adidas trainers the other day, 60 quid from jd delivered. I can get them from Hype or Footlocker for $140. Not as bad as it used to be but the price differential was 70c to the pound 6 months ago. Instead of moaning about it, the Aussie retailers should have used their strong $ to offer a solid online offer with good prices - they stuck with overpriced bricks and mortar and it will be hard to catch up now with the dollar now heading towards 2 to 1 with the British pound. The quality of clothes from the low priced retailers are very shoddy. When I was looking for a job I bought a couple of pairs of cheap shoes from Target/K-mart. They lasted about 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I am going to join in with the previous posters .... no sympathy .... the service is appalling (actually it's not that good) ...... I walked out of a shop last week, because the member of staff on duty couldn't be bothered with us, actually it was a bank, not a shop, we had gone in to open an account and she said " can you come back in 15 minutes, I am going on my lunch, and my colleague will be back then ", I mean if the banks do this, it's no wonder the shop's get away with it ...... Customer service ... can be either OTT or non existent ... I bought an amp from a reputable music shop, anyway after two months it wasn't working properly, so I rang them up, they said to return it, which I did, then they said "we will send out a replacement, once we receive it", I specifically asked for a different make .... one bad amp was bad enough, two would be a tragedy .... anyway, 2 weeks later I went to collect the amp from the couriers, and guess what it was the same brand, so I rang them up, went a big :wacko: and demanded my money back, which I got, then bought locally .... I use M & S online quite a bit, free delivery (most of the time) just got some hand towels delivered, took less than a week, got loads for just under $100 ... and they actually go all the way around my head, ...... It's time this lot woke up and smelt the coffee, we are off the the US again later in the year and I have my list sorted, perfume, and skin care .... after shave, its stupid prices here for perfume and make up, I don't know how they can justify it or get away with it, one assistant in David Jones told me it was the government adding a luxury tax .... that wouldn't surprise, me but I don't think it is the full story ..... it's a case of if they can get away with charging a fortune for stuff they will do ... I am not playing :no:(unless I am desperate and have no choice) :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng32 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 That's the thing, there's no need for poor quality. In the UK you can buy clothes from the super markets, cheap as chips and still be of better quality than some pumped up high price bit of tat here. Iv had many bits of clothing, underwear from Tesco, Asda and it's washed and washed and still looks great. I have a couple of believe it or not very pretty fashionable dresses from Matalan back in the UK, I wear it and wash it...still perfect a year n half on. As I said there's just no need for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 At least Australia still has shops in which staff can be surly.. The UK high street has been decimated. High prices are due to high people costs, rents and rates are you that dumb to suggest people in retail should be paid less? If inflation drops, so will salaries.... and ultimately that affects you too... Just to add - were the prices considered to be 15% lesss of a rip off once the Aussie dollar dropped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 If the local prices were only 10% more than the overseas internet ones I might have some sympathy, but..... Seriously, retailers with shops will always be more expensive--they have far more in terms of overheads. This applies anywhere, not just Australia. However, they can make the difference worthwhile with good service, something all too many of them forget. Again, this isn't just Australia--indeed, I've found more surly sales staff in UK outlets than most Aussie ones. Finally, the quality difference is simply not something I've found. The shorts and T shirts I bought on sale at Big W six years ago are still going strong and lasting just as well as the Tesco jeans I also have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng32 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I actually think Big W quality is not too bad..... But they don't stock anything that I would like to wear. If they did I would probably buy it. The Michelle Bridges exercise range isn't at all bad from BW, washes a wears fine. Just wish they stocked better fashion choices, it's very mumsie and just not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Not so much the quality of staff in front of you as the quality of goods pushed at you, some of the cheaper shops Kmart etc do some ok clothes for good prices, why would i want to pay $240 for a pair jeans in the city or most shopping centres actually when i can get good jeans from cheaper places for $40. On line is the scare factor for big places and long may it last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I hate shopping and dont do it very often. But, my experience in Myer last christmas says it all. The place was scruffy and dirty and the items had been picked up by people and nobody had bothered to put them back nicely. It felt like i was shopping at a car boot sale. The quality and things of them was so poor it was like shopping in not just a car boot sale but a boot sale being held in the 1970's and in a third world country. I eventually found something i thought i might buy, but when i went to ask a couple of questions from an assistant - which took a treck so long i thought i might need to bring my survival gear next time - she was uninterested and didnt want to know. So, i think, oh well, i will just buy it. Went to the checkout for the girl to say she didnt do things from that section and turned back to chatting to her mate while vaguely waving me in the direction of a unmanned check out. That is when i realised i really didnt want to do this and left and will not go back. Sadly, it isnt just Myer. This seems to be the norm here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapri Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 It's not just clothes etc. Why pay for Foxtel, which is rubbish, when you can access Netflix from the US, with a little bit of help from t'internet :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix16 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Im going to put my neck on the block here and say I really don't shop online!! I really like Aussie shops, for my cheap and cheerful I love Target although Gok's putting me off at the moment! When I feel more cashed up I love Witchery, Country Road, DJ's and Myer! To be honest I'm not a retail junkie, I have to try it on and know it fits the way I want, I get too nervous about the risk of online shopping and the thought of having to send it back, I'm a bit lazy and I know it will end up shoved in a cupboard, never worn and a waste of money!! The only gripe I have about OZ is shoes, why is it so hard to find a decent pair of LEATHER shoes at a reasonable price??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Having read through this thread, I am wondering how on earth most of you manage to live in this dreadful place. Everything appears to be substandard and over priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I only buy branded stuff online that I've already checked out here. I've bought too much crap from UK stores that I'd never have been tempted by if I'd seen it for real in a shop. Mostly it's because the fabric is cheap and nasty and I wouldn't be seen dead in it - or the colour is not right. A zoomed-in photo is no substitute for seeing and touching the real thing. I usually try on a dozen things in a shop before I find one to buy. Can't do that online as returns cost a fortune. I buy M&S jeans online because I know which size fits perfectly and I've bought US shoes and swimsuits online to replace identical items that I bought there first. It's not cheap to buy online if you never wear or use the item. If only someone would open a clothing 'showroom' where you pay a small fee and can try on whatever you want, I reckon they'd do well - better than the big stores anyway. They wouldn't need to keep a huge stock - just one item in each size. DJs and Myer are practically showrooms anyway. Their sales are way down probably because too many people just go there to try on their stock, take a pic of the label then go and buy it online for half the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 The only gripe I have about OZ is shoes, why is it so hard to find a decent pair of LEATHER shoes at a reasonable price??? Been here for well over 30 years and I've never bought a pair of non-leather shoes in my life. Where do you find these non-leather shoes? What do you call a reasonable price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I hate shopping and dont do it very often. But, my experience in Myer last christmas says it all. The place was scruffy and dirty and the items had been picked up by people and nobody had bothered to put them back nicely. It felt like i was shopping at a car boot sale. The quality and things of them was so poor it was like shopping in not just a car boot sale but a boot sale being held in the 1970's and in a third world country. I eventually found something i thought i might buy, but when i went to ask a couple of questions from an assistant - which took a treck so long i thought i might need to bring my survival gear next time - she was uninterested and didnt want to know. So, i think, oh well, i will just buy it. Went to the checkout for the girl to say she didnt do things from that section and turned back to chatting to her mate while vaguely waving me in the direction of a unmanned check out. That is when i realised i really didnt want to do this and left and will not go back. Sadly, it isnt just Myer. This seems to be the norm here. I've also had a bad experience with Myer though more or less the opposite of yours. In my case, it was in the run up to Christmas and my main present for my wife was a piece of woodwork I was carefully building, staining etc. However, late afternoon while I was working, I remembered I also meant to get a bottle of her favourite perfume (Chanel No 5). The only place I knew for sure I could get it was Myer so I dashed there in my grotty, paint stained work clothes. The store itself was neat and tidy and I found what I wanted fast but, rather than a queue to pay, there was a big square counter with 3 sales assistants behind it. I walked up to one side of the counter and they studiously ignored me. I moved to another side where two of them were serving somebody else, waited my turn and when they were done they wandered to another customer who'd arrived much after me. This went on for another ten minutes and, in the end, I had to make a big fuss simply for the pleasure of giving Myer about $100. Basically, the snooty teenagers behind the counter didn't want to serve somebody in grotty working clothes. (FYI I put in a formal complaint with their head office and got an almost instant reply and apology--but I've not been back in that store in 4 or 5 years..) However, despite the views of others, I have to say I found Myer to be the exception, not the rule. The staff at all the shops I deal with regularly are generally friendly, helpful and up for a chat. Frankly, they're way better than my local Tesco back in the UK which seemed to be staffed with people chosen for their hatred of other human beings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 http://www.theage.com.au/national/supermarkets-charge-more-to-buy-online-20130819-2s636.html Watch this space in 2014 when Coles and Woolworths get a nasty fright. Australian retail is on target by a number of overseas (North American and European) firms, who have seen the opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix16 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Been here for well over 30 years and I've never bought a pair of non-leather shoes in my life. Where do you find these non-leather shoes? What do you call a reasonable price? A standard pair of black leather court shoes here are around $150 in Wittners, ( last pair i bought a month ago $149) a standard high street shoe store, Betts around $100 and not guaranteed to be leather uppers. I'm used to the price in Wittners now and they tend to be a good fit and quality but I go thro a pair every 2 months for work (don't ask why, just seems to be the way I walk!) could usually get a good pair of leather court shoes for work for approx £30 to £40 in Next or M & S but it was 3 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incata Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Having read through this thread, I am wondering how on earth most of you manage to live in this dreadful place. Everything appears to be substandard and over priced. Very simple. Before we came, we did not believe it could be as bad as people said it was. We thought they were exaggerating. We got here and found that actually they aren't. We aren't in the position to be able to go back at the moment, but I suspect that if our circumstances change and the right opportunity arises, we may find ourselves moving to Canada smartish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 A standard pair of black leather court shoes here are around $150 in Wittners, ( last pair i bought a month ago $149) a standard high street shoe store, Betts around $100 and not guaranteed to be leather uppers. I'm used to the price in Wittners now and they tend to be a good fit and quality but I go thro a pair every 2 months for work (don't ask why, just seems to be the way I walk!) could usually get a good pair of leather court shoes for work for approx £30 to £40 in Next or M & S but it was 3 years ago. Remember the shoes are built differently in Australia. For local conditions :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I am going to join in with the previous posters .... no sympathy .... the service is appalling (actually it's not that good) ...... I walked out of a shop last week, because the member of staff on duty couldn't be bothered with us, actually it was a bank, not a shop, we had gone in to open an account and she said " can you come back in 15 minutes, I am going on my lunch, and my colleague will be back then ", I mean if the banks do this, it's no wonder the shop's get away with it ...... Customer service ... can be either OTT or non existent ... I bought an amp from a reputable music shop, anyway after two months it wasn't working properly, so I rang them up, they said to return it, which I did, then they said "we will send out a replacement, once we receive it", I specifically asked for a different make .... one bad amp was bad enough, two would be a tragedy .... anyway, 2 weeks later I went to collect the amp from the couriers, and guess what it was the same brand, so I rang them up, went a big :wacko: and demanded my money back, which I got, then bought locally .... I use M & S online quite a bit, free delivery (most of the time) just got some hand towels delivered, took less than a week, got loads for just under $100 ... and they actually go all the way around my head, ...... It's time this lot woke up and smelt the coffee, we are off the the US again later in the year and I have my list sorted, perfume, and skin care .... after shave, its stupid prices here for perfume and make up, I don't know how they can justify it or get away with it, one assistant in David Jones told me it was the government adding a luxury tax .... that wouldn't surprise, me but I don't think it is the full story ..... it's a case of if they can get away with charging a fortune for stuff they will do ... I am not playing :no:(unless I am desperate and have no choice) :arghh: We had a similar experience recently in Brisbane while on vacation. I wanted to top up our Gocards at the office next to the river ( not a news stand, the "official" office). The woman was on the phone and when she saw me coming, pulled the window closed. I waited for a while, I could see her through the glass talking on the phone and laughing - pretty sure it wasn`t a business call, and than she came back, phone in hand, and told us that she`ll be on the phone for "at least 10 minutes" :chatterbox:. Pretty shocking really. We had a good experience everywhere else though . As for internet shopping, I`ve done it for years and don`t see a reason to change it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incata Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Remember the shoes are built differently in Australia. For local conditions :laugh: Yes they have to be able to cope with the high levels of UV not found elsewhere! :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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