Tuesday, January 31, 2012

New customs/import law has gone into effect!

Everyone in Israel, the moment you have been waiting for has arrived! Customs tax has been abolished on purchases from abroad up to approx $325. This does not mean you will not have to pay any taxes. You might. For a pretty good summary of what to expect, please check out the synopsis over at NoFryers (they wrote it up so nicely, so I figured you should just see what they say!).

However, they do say that all packages coming in with a value (inc. shipping) up to $75 will be completely tax free - questions remain about a weight restriction - so that is a good thing. They claim you can order 3-8 prs of glasses from Zenni for this price. HA! Although I can get a good deal at Zenni, high prescriptions with certain complications (ahem, yes, me!) are not that cheap. I can, however, actually order the glasses I wanted and get them in tax-free. Before they raised this limit, the shipping cost put me over. I think I see new glasses in my future... if I can get myself to the eye doctor for a check-up...

Have a great day! And remember, even if it's cheaper to buy online and ship it here, it's not a good deal if 1) you don't need whatever it is, and 2) you overspend your budget for it. First try to make do without or find someone giving something away that will meet your needs!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the kind words about the latest post.

    You are right that those requiring special lenses do pay more than others. However, most people still find that purchasing through them is still *far* cheaper than brick-and-mortar alternatives.
    http://nofryers.com/glasses-for-israelis-for-100-shekels-or-less-at-zenni/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely! The glasses I want - with ultralight lenses, a high RX and transitions, anti-glare coating and whatever else I need, would be oh, about 2000NIS here.

      Delete

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