Job Discussion Forums

toiyeuthitmeo · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 213

Hi all,

A friend in SE Asia is upgrading and has offered to sell me her used Mac for a very nice price ($150 which includes shipping). It's 6 years old but has had a new hard drive in the last year as well as constant upgrades and good care. I really need one ATM.

My question is, anyone know how much the postal / customs office will try to tax me to receive this? Any educated guesses or anecdotal experiences?

It's kind of tricky because, how do they assess a value for a 6 year old used laptop?

If the tax is any more than 2 million, for example, I would turn down my pal's offer. I just don't want to pay $250 for a used laptop that old, no matter what kind of shape it's in. Rather get together an additional $500 and get something new at that point.

Thanks for any help.

deadlift · Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 267

I've never been able to find any rhyme or reason to the tax.

I was dinged $60 for a $130 kindle a while back. That stung. No tax on the second one, I think because I got it delivered to my place of work.

I would say that an i-anything will attract a pretty solid hit. 2 million wouldn't surprise me at all.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

If you can find someone to carry it in with their luggage then it should be duty free. I brought a used iMac into the country in its original box but obviously taped back up. At Tan Son Nhat the customs guy just asked "new or used" and after I answered he waved me through. If you ship it, that may be another story.

toiyeuthitmeo · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 213

Thanks for responses folks. Unfortunately there won't be any way for the laptop to be walked into the country, so I think I won't take the chances. There are some worthy causes it could be donated to where my pal is working; much better than me leaving it at the post office to become State property because they've tacked a 4 million tax on it.