SARS Targets Low-Cost Online Stores, But There are Ways to Still Get Great Deals Abroad

South Africans have embraced some of the newer, more low-cost clothing retailers operating globally currently, but like with anything that’s too good to be true, there’s a catch. While the items themselves are of inferior quality (you can just read the wealth of stories out there), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is set to impose a stricter duty on the likes of Temu and Shien.

As a result, SARS has increased customs duties on imports from these online retailers, as this decision is expected to impact many South African consumers who frequently shop in these international online stores. The rate of customs duties differs depending on the type of goods imported and the country of origin, and these items, often originating from China, are set to be more tightly regulated.

This is often why an item from a foreign e-commerce website may appear to be affordable, but once shipping costs are calculated (which often include customs duties), the final price at checkout makes one abandon their entire shopping cart. SARS has adjusted the duty rates to make importing small, low-value items less economically attractive. This adjustment is intended to discourage the frequent, low-value imports that contribute to inefficiencies and unfairness in the local market.

The goal is to grow the local market as a first choice for consumers, but, of course, there are some high-quality international brands that people still want to get their hands on; especially those that don’t ship to South Africa; so what’s the best way to get hold of them?

You can use Postbox Courier to get your hands on anything your heart desires, irrespective of shipping constraints.

Create a free account

All you need to do is sign-up with Postbox Courier and you’ll get your own personal address allocated to you in the US, UK, or other regional depots, then allowing you to use that address when purchasing from US, UK, or other international stores. If they only ship locally in the UK or US, well, you now have a local address — winning! Postbox Courier will then forward the parcel(s) from your remote depot to your doorstep in South Africa.

You’ll also be able to save money, and this is because parcel forwarding companies like Postbox Courier often have local and international courier partners, allowing for the best rates for express shipping, something individual shops won’t be able to offer you.

Pssst, parcel consolidation saves you money

On top of getting items you wouldn’t usually have access to, Postbox Courier also offers parcel consolidation. This is extremely beneficial for people who shop with multiple retailers or want to bundle a number of international orders into one larger package, in order to save costs doing multiple shipments.

Postbox Courier offers free package consolidation, which is even better and then just leaves you with the singular shipping cost alone.

So, if you have your heart set on something you can’t buy without a US shipping address, then check out Postbox Courier, sign-up for free, and get your dedicated address in New York, London, or in many other key spots around the world. Then, you can shop, ship your goods there, and pay based on your orders to get the items back to South Africa.