Quoting from [dibbles]:
I don't know who told you that, but it's incorrect.
Goods under $1,000 you don't pay Import Duty, but you STILL need to pay GST. As for the percentage of Import Duty on goods (it's not automatically 5%), will depend on what the goods are. Best way is to call Australuian Customs on 1300 363 263. They are very helpful in all enquiries.
The idea for that $1,000 limit is to enable people to bring in personal effects and personal purchases without having to pay duties. If you are running a business however you should be paying the duties regardless of the amount. Customs do seem to be pretty good at record keeping so you may find that your imports get flagged if you are making regular imports even if they are under that $1,000 limit.
As Grigo writes Customs are the people you need to speak with to get the correct answer for your circumstances.
Dibbles there is a bit of an honor system about it all in as much as the expectation, or perhaps hope, is that importers will correctly declare imports.
The $1,000 cut off is pretty much an arbitrary figure that has been chosen to suggest business vs. non business related imports. Businesses may from time to time import commercial samples or replacement parts etc and this would perhaps explain why customs even allow business to bring in products valued under $1,000 without complications.
It seems to me that as you are making multiple shipments that you are perhaps buying something from overseas for resale which really places you in the commercial arena. From that perspective I think that you will find that customs would expect you to pay all relevant taxes and duties, but there is of course the possibility that they may not realize this. Which is why it is pretty much an honor system in some ways.
Clearly the best thing is to speak to them directly and give them the exact circumstances of your plans and then see what they say. It would be good if you could let us all know what you find out as perhaps others here have a similar question.
I am unsure why you are relating shipping costs to customs as they are seperate. It does not matter how you ship your products as you or your supplier will have to pay shipping costs.
Generally customs value is AU$ at exit point, e.g. postal counter inc packing
you should pack declare contents and also good idea to include invoice copy on external package in an envelope
many items are duty free but gst may apply over $AU1000
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5653
http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ImportingGoodsByPostFAQ.pdf
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5549
check duty rates here
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5663
Dibbles,The others have explained it. Basically what you are doing with your scenario, is run around the edges of the law (basically circumvent them)..... You can certainly go ahead and do this, and you probabl;y even get away with it a couple of times.... But since you ARE reselling a certain amount of the products you are most definately breaking the spirit of the law as it stands..... Do you seriously think you are the first one to try this manouver? (and no-one else have ever tried to pull a Campese goose-step either right?).
Customs WILL work out what you are doing, maybe not this shipment or the next, but they WILL come down on you like a tone of bricks, and at THAT point mate, they are going to backdate all the charges they hit you with as WELL as fine you as WELL as charging interest on the original fees you should have paid.....
Good luck with that in the long run!
Try just setting the system up properly to begin with and declaring accurately the product you WILL be reselling.....
Quoting from [dibbles]:oh, this topic are great! I learn a lot. Thanks very much to you all.