If you're worried about how your 1-click Amazon orders will be full-filled with Amazon discontinuing international shipping to Australia, worry no longer. There are actually several ways to get past the block. Starting July 1, Amazon will force its Australian customers to use its Australian website as a result of the new general sales tax in Australia.
The block of Australian customers to its main website is in response to the Turnbull government's new online GST laws which will require overseas businesses to tack an extra 7% tax on products under $1,000. Treasurer Scott Morrison criticized the new GST saying if Amazon wanted to "take their bat and ball and go home" Australians had "many other choices available to them". Turnbull told reporters Friday, "Of course we’re going to proceed with this."
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/27608-Australia-In-Response-To-New-Tax-Amazon-Blocks-Aussie-Shoppers">Australia - In Response To New Tax, Amazon Blocks Aussie Shoppers</a>
"It’s $300 million estimated revenue that will be going to the states and territories for schools and hospitals," Turnbull continued. "We think it’s a very fair and reasonable step and I know retailers have been wanting to see this for some time. I find it hard to believe that one of the world’s most technologically advanced companies, two years later now say they’re unable to work out a technological solution when it comes to the simple application of a sales tax on their products in Australia. They face different VAT rates all around the world, UK, Canada. I think it’s disappointing that Amazon will take this out on consumers in Australia but that’s their commercial decision. If they don’t like selling things into Australia because they don’t like paying tax, there are plenty of options here at home."
Now, how do you get past the block? It's simple. Just sign up for a VPN, or virtual private network, and switch to an IP address in the US. Using a VPN is a common tactic for preventing unwanted intrusions and to bypass silly region locks on websites like YouTube or streaming services like Netflix. There are hundreds of free VPN services to choose from such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, IPVanish, and TunnelBear.
Amazon later clarified that Australian customers will still be able to make purchases from its main website without a VPN July 1 but it will only ship to US addresses.
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