Costs and timing

Landed costs and import timing

What a shipment really costs once it's on your shelf: duty, GST on imports, freight, insurance, broker fees, port charges and exchange-rate timing — explained with the official rules.

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How to calculate landed cost

The landed cost formula for Australian importers: goods, freight, insurance, duty, broker and port charges — and why import GST sits in cash, not cost.

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GST on imported goods

How GST on imported goods is calculated in Australia — the value of the taxable importation, the $1,000 threshold, when it's paid and how to claim the credit.

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Deferred GST scheme

How the ATO's deferred GST scheme works for importers: who's eligible, how it's reported at BAS labels 7A and 1B, and what it does for your cash flow.

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Customs duty explained

How customs duty on imports is worked out in Australia: tariff classification, customs value, free trade agreements, concessions and anti-dumping duties.

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Customs broker fees

What an Australian customs broker does, the fees and disbursements you'll see on the invoice, and how broker costs fit into landed cost and cash flow.

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Exchange-rate timing

How exchange-rate movements between order, deposit, balance and export date change what imported stock costs you — and practical ways importers manage it.

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Incoterms for importers

Incoterms 2020 explained for Australian importers: what EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF, DAP and DDP mean for freight, insurance, risk, landed cost and funding.

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Demurrage & port delays

What demurrage, detention and storage charges are, why containers get held at Australian ports, and how importers keep delay costs from eating their margin.

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Run the numbers first

Know your gap before you ask

Our free tools show what an order really costs once it lands, how much cash leaves at each stage, and how long it's out before sales bring it back.

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