Harvey Norman Rejected What I Considered to Be a Straight Forward Price Match

OzyBe on 13/07/2025 - 12:19
Last edited 13/07/2025 - 15:32 by 1 other user

I asked Harvey Norman for a price match on a Brother HL-L2445DW printer yesterday and was surprised when they declined (as I did not consider it to be any different to other price matches I have done in the past).

Amazon Australia had it for $110.39 with free delivery. Harvey Norman were selling the identical unit for $138. I was happy to pickup in store, saving them freight.

They confirmed the competitor's price, and then said the price was too low.

"After review unfortunately this price falls below market value and as per our price match policy, we are unable to match this today. I'm so sorry for that."

"If you would like to view our price match policy, you can do so at the following site: https://www.harveynorman.com.au/customer-service/price-match….

Computing Brother Laser Printer Printer

Related Stores

Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman

Comments

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/07/2025 - 12:27
    +15

    HN only match 'Bricks and Mortar' type stores, unless it's a clearance. :(

    • Bruceflix on 13/07/2025 - 14:19
      +13

      And even then, often they don't

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/07/2025 - 15:02
        +1

        Yes, true. Especially if there is no money in it.

  • Doyen on 13/07/2025 - 12:35
    +51

    "What are the exclusions?

    Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value."

    That's what you get for going to Hardly Normal.

    • watwatwat on 14/07/2025 - 16:54
      -1

      Someone with more money and time than me needs to sue them for this.

      • McFly on 14/07/2025 - 22:25
        +2

        What would they be suing them for? Being tightasses? (No offence @tightarse.)

        • watwatwat on 15/07/2025 - 00:50
          +1

          Deceptive and misleading advertising of a price match offer.

          Buried in terms and conditions is a clause that they don't match a price that is "significantly lower" - which is a statement that's ambiguous/open to abuse by the retailer/hidden from main advertising.

          • McFly on 15/07/2025 - 13:40
            +2

            @watwatwat: Most people with "more money than you" would be too smart to waste it on a case they would almost certainly lose.

          • serpserpserp on 16/07/2025 - 14:32
            +1

            @watwatwat: I don't think they heavily advertise price matching at all do they? Just come ask us for a good deal vibe.

              • serpserpserp on 17/07/2025 - 09:33

                @watwatwat: I know they have a price match policy, as I said, it isn't heavily advertised like a bunnings/office works etc

              • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:21

                @watwatwat: Their terms and conditions are hardly "buried".

                These days, only the truly naive aren't aware that terms and conditions about products and offers probably exist in most circumstances, so having them surely couldn't be a surprise for most people these days, surely?

                Deceptive and misleading advertising of a price match offer.

                This isn't that.

                Buried in terms and conditions is a clause that they don't match a price that is "significantly lower" - which is a statement that's ambiguous/open to abuse by the retailer/hidden from main advertising.

                a) this term may be last (in a list of seven), but it's hardly hidden, it's not even in small print!

                They're not trying to hide it!

                b) meh, you're over reaching. I'm surprised they don't just say "won't price match for any item below RRP", at least they haven't closed the door completely.

                They likely only have to include it at all to stop customers from abusing the offer or at least place a limit on unreasonable expectations.

                I mean, common sense has to tell you that no business intends to lose money.

                Basically what is happening is

                1) They publish an advertisement with a price for the advertised goods and then tell you that they may negotiate that price in some circumstances, particularly if you find a cheaper price elsewhere.

                2) Customer makes an offer to seller

                3) Seller can accept that offer, counter that offer or completely reject that offer. They can even withdraw the item from sale if they choose to in most circumstances.

                If you make an undesirable offer, in most circumstances, law says seller can reject it.

                There are only very limited circumstances where anybody has to sell something they don't want to sell (before they enter into a contract), even at the price they advertise or display.

                Until a contract is formed, most sellers even get to choose who they will or won't sell to (exclusion discrimination laws) => just because you want to buy from them, doesn't mean they have to sell to you.

                An offer can be rejected at any time prior to acceptance.

                *Note, application of some contract laws differ between electronic and traditional contracts.

  • holdenmg on 13/07/2025 - 12:35
    +2

    TGG https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/brother-mono-laser-printer-hl… will price match @ $128. I doubt they will price match Amazon.com.au, but you can phone them…

    • OzyBe on 13/07/2025 - 13:24
      +24

      @ holdenmg - The Goodguys did price match. Their list price was $199 so initially I thought I would not bother trying due to the price difference, but like you I got the automated price beat of $128 as they knew about the lower Harvey Norman price. They matched the Amazon price after making contact and seemed a lot more upbeat about it also.

      So I ordered from TGG. Same result as ordering from Amazon, but if a local company like TGG are happy to do this, then I am happy to give them the business.

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/07/2025 - 15:03
        +10

        Good on you for trying to support local, even if it is Grumpy Harvey

        • lint on 15/07/2025 - 11:37
          +8

          I'd rather shop at Amazon than give Harvey any money. But Good Guys are a much better alternative to both.

      • icanconfirm on 14/07/2025 - 18:15
        +3

        Do you have a Amazon Prime membership? Be honest

        • djsweet on 15/07/2025 - 10:06
          +1

          Why would it matter. It’s free delivery over $59 for non prime

          • icanconfirm on 15/07/2025 - 17:44
            +3

            @djsweet: Because it was a prime price- i.e., a price for people that hold an Amazon prime membership. Not about delivery. It would be fortunate to get a price match if the op didnt have a membership, rather than the feeling of entitlement. All of the "happy to provide to local business" would also be bs.

  • Yummy on 13/07/2025 - 12:42
    +27

    Hardly Normal.

    This is their usual shenanigans. Only shop there as last resort.

    And if you watch this…. Hi Gerry!

    • Rob-4x4 on 14/07/2025 - 10:19
      +2

      Especially after H/N abused the covid business support payments …

      • Wiser on 14/07/2025 - 14:02
        +2

        That is most of the big buinesses.
        No due diligence from Federal Goverment.
        They should have put coditio s to eliminate rort.
        Taxpayer's money that they wasted.
        If it is a private company those involved would have lost their jobs.

    • Protractor on 14/07/2025 - 10:23

      He's busy in the corner,polishing his penny.

      • serpserpserp on 16/07/2025 - 14:36
        +3

        In actual fact he is mostly thinking about horses breeding and horse racing most of the time. Has excused himself in meetings to listen to a race.

        Rich men things.

    • H3R34TH4C0MM3NTS on 15/07/2025 - 13:30
      +1

      he doesn't GAF, he's made his money, he's already won and he can't lose. He makes his money with franchising fees and leasing out the HN builidings to franchisees.

      If they can't price match its simple just purchase from the retailer that offers the lowest price.

  • USER DC on 13/07/2025 - 12:51
    +4

    should have bought it from amazon

  • Gdsamp on 13/07/2025 - 12:52
    +1

    The customer is often never right

  • brendanm on 13/07/2025 - 12:56
    +17

    You only go to Gerry when no one else has stock of the item that you need right now.

  • OzyBe on 13/07/2025 - 13:03
    +3

    I have had some very crappy service from Harvey Norman over the years, but also some good service. It really depends on the staff member you are dealing with.

    • Protractor on 13/07/2025 - 14:09
      +2

      When you find a good one, maybe advise them to get a job at GG or the like, and promise them you will follow them with your custom.The bonus is, they will shed the cloak of shame that haunts them.

    • Yummy on 13/07/2025 - 14:59

      I'm so sorry for that (Nothing to see here, move along/go away I don't want your business).

  • p1 ama on 13/07/2025 - 13:33
    +24

    Amazon Australia had it for $110.39 with free delivery. Harvey Norman were selling the identical unit for $138. I was happy to pickup in store, saving them freight.

    Buy it on Amazon then.

    I will never understand why people want to go out of their way to give money to retailers who have higher prices, don't want them as customers, and treat them like shit, as opposed to just going to whoever had the best price in the first place.

    • OzyBe on 13/07/2025 - 15:14
      -5

      You make a valid point. The benefit to me would have been getting the item instantly, rather than waiting for delivery. Minor convenience only admittedly (as I probably would not have gotten around to using it for a few weeks anyhow).

      • Guesty on 14/07/2025 - 09:25
        +1

        But you then state earlier in the post that you ordered it from TGG so you still aren't getting the item instantly?

      • EFC94 on 14/07/2025 - 09:25
        +9

        If you have prime it almost always shows up the next day. As much as I dislike Amazon and don't want to support them with my money, it's hard to resist their prices and delivery times.

      • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:24
        +1

        See, there was a benefit to you, but clearly, there wasn't a desirable benefit for the seller.

        This works both ways, eh?

        Seems like there's an urgency tax if you "want it now".

    • jimmy c on 14/07/2025 - 15:34
      +4

      Because amazon uses predatory prices to shut down local businesses to get rid of competition so they can then sell the product much higher later on. Look what they did to book store chains. They deliberately killed them then jacked up prices higher that ever after the competition was gone. Amazon is literally the market leader in antitrust policy and practice.

      • p1 ama on 14/07/2025 - 19:58
        +1

        Because amazon uses predatory prices to shut down local businesses to get rid of competition so they can then sell the product much higher later on.

        This might be true if you were referring to independent stores or otherwise ethical businesses, of which Harvey Norman is either.

        I have far more ethical issues with Harvey Norman than with Amazon, least of which is that they are responsible for having GST placed on international purchases.

        If anything, having Amazon enter Australia has kept those like Harvey Norman more honest.

        • jimmy c on 15/07/2025 - 15:03
          +1

          I would never defend Harvey Norman's trade practices. Lying about needing to buy $300 dollar hdmi cables with a new tv and staff telling me that the worst laptops they sell are the best when I play dumb asking sales staff about computers etc etc etc. But Amazon spent 7 years losing money on their retail business to crush competition in the early days. Now, their retail is propped up by their highly profitable server hosting businesses to crush competition.

          • prodrome on 16/07/2025 - 02:55
            +1

            @jimmy c: Amazon is becoming overpriced Temu. It's on its way down, not up.

            • jimmy c on 18/07/2025 - 12:45

              @prodrome: I guess someone has to pay to shoot a bunch of famous ladies almost into space in a penis shaped rocket!

  • boomramada on 13/07/2025 - 13:44
    +1

    was surprised when they declined

    OP must be new to this, have you ever price matched with OW lol

    • El cheepo on 14/07/2025 - 01:45

      Ive had some truely good deals by showing OW online stuff that doesn’t even meet the criteria for price matching/ beating and the staff always just agree.

      To date Ive never been declined (yet).

      Its coming one day im sure, but generally you just pick young and or apathetic looking staff and they process it no questions asked 😂

  • jizmo on 13/07/2025 - 13:52
    +10

    They were doing you a favor in disguise. I will never ever ever use Harvey FU#kOFFNorman again, I'd rather stab my eyes out than deal with those lying knobs.

    • Murkymerv on 13/07/2025 - 18:54

      Stab your eyes out ⁉️ , I think they're more useful functioning 💯

  • Nutrino on 13/07/2025 - 13:58
    +3

    "I was happy to pickup in store, saving them freight" Harvey norman thanks you for this.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/07/2025 - 15:04
      +3

      Gerry will send OP a Xmas Card, with no stamp on it, marked COD. ;)

      • Poor Ass on 14/07/2025 - 14:44

        and the card and ink from funded from jobkeeper

        • serpserpserp on 16/07/2025 - 14:37

          Card is just a back of a failed photo print from the shop floor.

  • urahara on 13/07/2025 - 15:13

    Just order it from Amazon
    These companies are making profit off consumers , dont let them do that.

    • OzyBe on 13/07/2025 - 15:38
      +3

      They are making profit from consumers. That is OK. Amazon are making profit also.

      • urahara on 13/07/2025 - 16:11
        +1

        Not denying that, whoever takes less from consumer is better.

        • jjjaar on 13/07/2025 - 22:51
          +1

          And the supplier? Because I guarantee you that Amazon is making more profit at $110 than HN is at $138.

          That being said, both of these companies suck.

        • foursaken on 14/07/2025 - 15:38

          Yes. Wouldn't want profit going to pay wages. Better.

    • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:27

      These companies are making profit off consumers , dont let them do that.

      That's sort of the whole reason why people and businesses sell stuff.

      Who goes into business to lose money?

      • Protractor on 17/07/2025 - 14:29

        40% of small business operators?

        • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:38

          What? They intend to lose money, or they end up losing money against their will?

          If they start up intending to lose money

          a) for how long do you believe they would last?
          b) for how long do you believe their accountant will let that continue?
          c) for how long do you think that'll fly before the ATO ask for a look at your books?

          • Protractor on 17/07/2025 - 15:07

            @Muppet Detector: Semi facetious. But it never ceases to amaze me how many small business brain fart idea start ups , are surprised when they fail. You know, knick knack shops in a high rent low traffic area. ,A coffee shop,restaurant or diner, mid recession in a street full of the same businesses who can't fill seats already. Another tyre place on a road with an existing 12. I mean people blame the economy for new small businesses crashing, when in reality choosing a high risk gamble based on a personal pet project is different to unforeseen downturns in demand.
            The govt is partially to blame for some of that with tax incentives that don't seem to reward good business ideas.I wonder how many times an individual can stump up with a new 'idea' for a small business before the tap is turned off as far as start up incentives or capital investment tax exemptions dry up.
            I'm not that sure an accountant with a client list of small businesses cares that much about business X, as long as the void carousel keeps spinning and dishing up another client.

            • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 15:33

              @Protractor: Completely agree with you with perhaps one caveat I can think of off the top of my head.

              On more than one occasion, I sort of accidentally ended up operating a business. It was never intended to be a business, but unexpectedly, grew enough to generate an income that was required to be declared.

              Sometimes, I predicted that this wouldn't be a long term thing, but for the time being, worth seeing how it went whilst it was generating income, expecting that the gravy train would dry up at any minute.

              Sometimes, I did start with an attitude of "I only need it to break even, (because I was deriving some other benefit from it), but if it makes any money, I def won't complain and see where that goes"

              Twice that I can think of, I already had an existing business, but found myself in a position where I was forced to buy a competitor's business, purely to prevent somebody else from buying that business who may have had the capability of harming my initial business.

              Once or twice, I was in a situation where I was making money, but to continue, I needed to expand and I either didn't have the skills, knowledge, finances or care factor to do that, so I got out and sold it to someone who had some of those attributes, before I wrecked the brand name and traded until it became worthless.

              Of course, there were quite a few times when I had expectations of success but realised the reality was going to be very different once I got started.

              Sometimes, being good at business means knowing when to get out.

              ——/

              The govt is partially to blame for some of that with tax incentives that don't seem to reward good business ideas.I

              Our entire economy is designed to promote and encourage small businesses. Apparently, this is the best way forward for that.

              Sure, some people fail, but other ones don't. I don't think the gov forces anybody to start a business… I mean, selling Encyclopedia door to door, Tupperware dealers, Amway people => it's all small businesses. The lawn mower dude.

              It's not like the gov can realistically create many barriers for entry.

              as far as start up incentives or capital investment tax exemptions dry up.

              I've never had access to any, but presumably, those that do exist generally have some kind of limitations. I doubt it's a bottomless well.

              I'm not that sure an accountant with a client list of small businesses cares that much about business X

              Yeah, he has to. Apparently even Accountants have a code of ethics….

              lol, nah, if ATO comes asking questions, the heat also gets applied to the Accountant => tax man ain't stupid, he knows that no one stays in business for long if they're not making any money.

              • Protractor on 17/07/2025 - 15:56

                @Muppet Detector: I forgot to add that one common driver of ppl setting up small businesses, is the 'sick of working for someone else syndrome'. That should be the at the bottom end of motivations to jump.

                I mean sure encouraging small business is great. Success should be the aim,though. Always. I hate the way the definition of small business varies (mostly with the LNP) to fit a political agenda. I'm not sure Mum and Dad businesses are the backbone of the economy either. But that's the LNP claim. To me me medium and large businesses and t( eg he bigger retailers) mining (including downstream) export ag, and even the dwindling manufacturing base are the main game. But the weapons and military area is about to boom as we become the third knacker of the uS / Israeli global power and strategic real estate grab.

  • AssociatedHardlyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 13/07/2025 - 21:10
    +2

    Price matching differs from franchise to franchise, my franchise will PM anything incl digi and grey import as long as its not ridiculous, previous franchises wouldnt PM anything apart from major competitors. i implore you to call the store if this was done online

    • Yummy on 13/07/2025 - 21:20
      +2

      Ahh crap, I just jinxed myself. The real Hardly Normal just appeared.

      • jjjaar on 13/07/2025 - 22:51
        +1

        Will the real Hardly Normal please stand up

  • gidxg03 on 14/07/2025 - 07:53
    +11

    I would never give Hardly Normal any business not just for their shady price match deals (or lack of despite their advertising) but mostly because of Gerry’s successful lobbying for the adding of gst to low cost imports.

    • afah0447 on 14/07/2025 - 08:42
      +6

      Yes. He is one of greediest men in Australia. I go out of my way to avoid the place.

      • Roney on 14/07/2025 - 13:57

        And got govt to slap GST on online goods from overseas. Un-Australian!

    • YellowDieselGolf on 16/07/2025 - 18:42

      Eat a bucket Gerry.

  • jrvb42 on 14/07/2025 - 08:00
    +7

    Why do we bother with mere "price match" offers anyway?
    Surely it is better to buy from the price setting store, as a reward for them offering the best price?
    Offering Hardly Normal the opportunity to merely match the price is showing them loyalty, which in this case is clearly undeserved.
    We shouldn't be accepting anything less than a price beat offer, or hand in our OZB memberships :)

    • holdenmg on 14/07/2025 - 08:13

      Possibly the OP wanted the Printer at that price yesterday rather than wait for Amazon to dispatch… TGG and OP wins. :+)

    • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:30

      OP wasn't offering loyalty. He wanted his goods "now" and didn't want to wait until their online order of the same thing got posted and delivered lol.

      Nothing wrong with that, HN just didn't want to play.

  • McFly on 14/07/2025 - 09:37
    +2

    They are following their stated policy, which is fine.
    The problem is their stated policy is a joke.

  • Universal Constant on 14/07/2025 - 11:35
    +1

    What do you expect from a company that still don't pay GST on expired gift cards? Even after their massive campain to have GST applied to overseas purchases! Unlike the likes of JB etc where gift cards don''t expire and thus always have the capacity to pay GST.

  • diddy50 on 14/07/2025 - 11:52

    I get it, they don't want to lose money selling a product.

    Sucks. But you can still buy it from Amazon I guess

  • ronnknee on 14/07/2025 - 12:12
    +6

    Why are you even shopping at HN?

    • Poor Ass on 14/07/2025 - 14:45

      OP is pro HN

    • AssociatedHardlyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 15/07/2025 - 09:41
      +2

      :(

  • Drakesy on 14/07/2025 - 18:32
    +1

    alternatively don't support HN?

  • AssociatedHairyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 14/07/2025 - 18:58
    -8

    As stated by another person here, this would vary based on the actual prop that owns and operates the store you're at.
    My Prop would do the sale, several others I have had wouldn't as they were tight asses.

    I would also honestly like to add that the hate on here is crazy for HN, I don't understand why people don't like the store, we are usually cheaper than ANYBODY else.
    Crazy to me that people hate on an Australian brand.

    • notaccel on 14/07/2025 - 19:15
      +2

      Cheaper prices aren't everything.

      • AssociatedHairyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 15/07/2025 - 22:34

        Sure it isn't. I pride myself on my service my main goal with every sale isn't to rip off the customer but give them an experience that they feel the need to come back to me as they know I have looked after them to the best that not only I could, that any body could do.

        Be it
        - Price
        - Knowledge
        Or other things

      • serpserpserp on 16/07/2025 - 14:39

        No. They are just the beginning…..

    • AustriaBargain on 14/07/2025 - 21:47
      +2

      HN has a representative on OZB? That seems very un-HN.

    • tenpercent on 14/07/2025 - 22:10
      +2

      What's a "Prop"? And no theatre jokes please.

      • McFly on 14/07/2025 - 22:23

        The spinny thing at the front/wings of some planes.

        • McFly on 15/07/2025 - 13:38
          +1

          Why the neg? Planes have nothing to do with theatre.

      • AssociatedHairyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 15/07/2025 - 22:28

        A "prop" is a proprietor of the store.
        As they are all franchises and separately owned

      • Muppet Detector on 17/07/2025 - 14:47

        1) the forward at either end of the front row of a scrum (football)

        2) I'm going to prop open the door with my foot? does that make my foot a prop?

        3) prop up the bar? Does that make the drunk a prop?

        4) prop bet?

        5) horses prop when they stop in a hurry.

    • Morphio25 on 15/07/2025 - 11:31
      -2

      Have to say I agree in that I don't understand the hate for HN on these forums. Personally, HN has been very good to me over the years, and I've bought many items from them including TVs, laptops, mobile phones, bedroom furniture, mattresses, couches, and the pricing has always been very competitive. I'm one of these people that won't just buy the first deal I spot, I'll shop around, but I always seem to gravitate back to HN. I even have experience with warranty claims regarding a Karcher floor cleaner. The first two I had randomly stopped charging and both times I was able to easily return the unit to them. From memory the first time I was without it for a week while they dealt with their supplier, they ended up just giving me new stock in store and they dealt with the faulty item in their own time. The second time was a straight swap on the day. The warranty reset to 2 years each time also. Definitely cannot complain with the way they've treated me.

      • AssociatedHardlyNormal @ Harvey Norman on 17/07/2025 - 21:17

        :)

    • Food on 15/07/2025 - 13:20
      +2

      Crazy to me that people hate on an Australian brand.

      We hate the slimy ***** Gerry Harvey.

    • gromit on 15/07/2025 - 14:59
      +2

      I have rarely found HN were the cheapest, sometimes equal in price, usually more expensive. Many of us despise Gerry Harvey for his active roll in bringing in GST on cheap items we were happily buying overseas, most of which he would never have stocked before or after the implementation. Gerry has always come across as someone that doesn't care for the consumer or his staff or the Australian taxpayers, his allegiance is 100% to Gerry.

      • ItsMeAgro on 15/07/2025 - 16:32
        +1

        Gerry's childish and vile views on poor people and the internet aside, he's stolen $$$ from the pockets of Australians through

        a) lobbying for GST on overseas purchases
        b) shady practices like useless extended warranties and "premium" cables
        c) even shadier practices like not honoring returns

        The scumbag has made himself an enemy to every person in Australia, and the hate is well-deserved.

      • HuzzahIndeed on 15/07/2025 - 23:29
        -1

        @gromit I think ones experiences regarding Harvey Norman being the most competitive and the cheapest is going to differ from person to person because no one Harvey Norman store is the same. Like the members associated with Harvey Norman are saying each store is run by a different proprietor. Each Harvey Norman store can pay a different price for the product from the supplier. Each proprietor is not going draw the line at the same place, how low they advise their staff they can go differs to another HN store a few suburbs over. There’s also the fact that if you’re a customer that doesn’t have good haggling and negotiating skills then more often than not you’re going to pay more, and social skills like that have certainly declined with how so many people are addicted to their devices/screens now.

        I’ve had some very positive experiences with Harvey Norman being cheaper than any other competitor, for example I bought a Sony 77” QD-OLED TV from Harvey Norman about a year and a half ago, it had an RRP of $9500. JB HiFi’s lowest price was $7600 during a 3 day only 20% off sale, other than that JB wouldn’t lower it below $8500. The Good Guy’s wouldn’t budge either. I went into one of the Harvey Norman stores not too far from where I live, and negotiated them down to $7250 brand new which I got in writing. This then gave me a figure to take to other retailers to see if they would do better, both JB HiFi and Bing Lee said they couldn’t, and so did another Harvey Norman store half an hour away, but The Good Guy’s (which is owned by JB) in the same centre as the Harvey Norman were willing to go a bit lower. Afterwards I went back to Harvey Norman and told them what the Good Guys had offered and I was able to negotiate HN down to $6300 which was significantly lower than what The Good Guys counter offer was. I went back to the Good Guy’s to see if I get them to go even lower and they said no. So I bought it from Harvey Norman because they were the cheapest, and because they deserved my business since they were the only retailer that were willing to drop the TV the most from it’s RRP when I asked and negotiated.

    • YellowDieselGolf on 16/07/2025 - 18:44
      +1

      I think if Gerry every time I pay gst on an eBay sale from overseas. Or from every online purchase from a small foreign supplier. (profanity) Gerry and HN.

      • HuzzahIndeed on 16/07/2025 - 23:37

        @YellowDieselGolf In 2025 I’m still undecided with myself/my own opinions/views on agreeing with Gerry Harvey or not, and whether GST on imported goods was the correct approach or not, and I’ll explain what I mean. In 2012 which was a time that Australian society was still feeling the effects of the GFC, the Australian dollar was high against the U.S. green back, it cost me au$330 for an industrial style Paragon popcorn machine to order direct from the manufacturer in U.S. that met Australian standards, plus au$300 shipping to Australia, so it totalled au$630 including freight. In Australia from an Australian retailer for the same popcorn machine at the time it cost au$1200. The local distributor sold the same popcorn machine at cost to Australian retailers for around au$800, more than what it cost me to import it.

        In 2013 when the Australian dollar was still high after the effects of the GFC, I imported 2 amplifiers direct from the manufacturer with an Australian plug that met the 240v Australian standard, each costing just under au$1000, when they cost over au$2000 each from retailers here in Australia and were being sold to local retailers from the local distributor for more than au$1000 each. The point is, Gerry Harvey isn’t really the problem, local suppliers/distributors are.

        • YellowDieselGolf on 17/07/2025 - 00:30
          +1

          I was working retail during that same period. I also could buy items retail from the US cheaper than Aussie wholesale.

          But the dollar has dropped and I’m still paying 10% on used goods from eBay.

          (profanity) Gerry.

          • HuzzahIndeed on 17/07/2025 - 06:37

            @YellowDieselGolf: Your logic and swearing here suggests working in retail is where you belong. The Australian dollar has indeed decreased since then, and local suppliers/distributors have increased their prices since then particularly after Covid way beyond just keeping them inline with inflation.

            For example, I noticed an Osprey backpack deal posted on here several days ago, since Covid the local distributor has raised their prices of these bags significantly, and some Australian retailers that used to stock them have had to stop stocking them.

            https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/913963

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