Buying Stuff Overseas via Internet:

New Zealand is a great country to live and work in - but as shooters we have to accept (or do you?) that we are a minority group in a small market in a remote group of islands closer to Antarctica than Australia.


Reading Gun Magazines and visiting on-line sites reveals lots of juicy desirable items freely available in USA at prices that would make a Kiwis teeth water - but usually when you enquire - you find that most US Dealers are not willing to supply or export goods to overseas markets .. too hard and not worth the trouble.


NZ Post 'YouShop' is one possible answer to this - as it is a Forward Address Service that gives you mailing address's in USA, United Kingdom, and in China that you can use as a local delivery address for hard to find goodies.




- Now don't for one moment hope that this service is going to let you by-pass import regulations and fiddle any naughty stuff through - as NZ Post run this service in full co-operation with our Border Protection Services (as it should be). I am sure that all NZ shooters are aware of the current regulations regarding importing firearms parts and the need to first obtain a Police Permit To Import.

First - Get Your 'Police Permit To Procure'.

I set up my YouShop account and I.D. on 24 September and as a starter test I ordered a pair of shoes from Amazon that they would not ship to me here in NZ - and then used my new US mailing I.D. and mailing address in Portland Oregon (The NZ Post Forwarding Warehouse).


- Two days later I got an e-mail from NZ Post informing that they had my shoes - and asking that I detail the price paid and state where I wanted them to deliver to. They then informed me that I needed to pay them NZ$36.25 for delivery to my home. Not bad. - I got another e-mail a day later to say that the package was on its way.


Currently NZ Customs are not charging the 15% Goods & Service Tax on imports valued at less than $400 - although the present very poor exchange rate with the US Dollar has increased costs by something like that much compared with last year.


Marty K

Note Added: NZ Post 'YouShop' specifically refuse to carry firearms and firearms parts. - How they may justify refusing to carry perfectly lawful and non-dangerous goods is beyond me.
Marty K.