I saw this in the news today https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/03/24/shopper-finds-ordering-gr… and I'm wondering if anyone here has tried ordering their groceries from Aus? Seems like it could be worth doing a bulk order of anything non-perishable, even with the $15 delivery charge. The article doesn't mention where they ordered from however.
Has anyone here tried ordering groceries from Aus?
Aerol on 25/03/2022 - 09:28
Comments
Yeah my 1st thought was Amazon AU as well. I'll have to do some comparisons but certainly the Brazil nuts aren't a better deal based on my recent purchases from the supermarkets here.
And it's a pretty bare article. Doesn't mention where she shopped in NZ and whether she stuck to the same brands or got whatever was the cheapest.
Most of the time I don't need to spend AU$59 a week on pantry items / bathroom necessities.
From her groceries picture, it is definitely coming from Amazon by looking at the nuts brand. It is still definitely cheaper tho if you want to get some staple dry foods from them
Does anyone know of any way to search Amazon AU to show all the items that fall into the category of 'FREE Shipping to New Zealand when you spend over $59.00 on eligible items'?
I tried both:
"FREE Shipping to New Zealand when you spend over $59.00 on eligible items"
and
free shipping zealand
but the former is 'too long' a search term, and the latter does not work (you get items that are not in that category).
Maybe I am missing something obvious?
If you could search for your Free shipping requirement without just searching a category you'd probabaly get a million items so maybe that search is just too 'big' ?
How did you do that? Am I missing something really obvious?
@Alan6984: Yes just type in "Free Shipping"in the search bar and then filter to the left of the screen….
Or try this https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=free+shipping+new+zealand&rh=n…
@samsteez: That includes a load of items that aren't eligible for free shipping to NZ (as I mentioned in my post above).
Jesus could they be any more vague in that article?
Haven't tried ordering groceries, but might look into it at some point if I can meet the threshold of free shipping. Everything I've ordered before from Amazon Aus turns up so fast. Faster than some things being sent from the South Island.
Yes that article was super vague. I wondered if it was some sort of marketing thing from Amazon.
Looks like some kind of marketing gimmick, but I think it's a successful campaign, reported all over NZ, pasted all over FB, even mentioned here…haha
I got 4x jars of Moccona 400g for $19.60 Nz per jar landed & delivered from Amazon Au. They're $43 each here (well this varies a bit). But anyway it was about half price nz. I was a little bit wary as i'd read some reviews of jars arriving broken but they were packed very well, bubble wrapped. I'm happy with that as it's about a years coffee, (and coffee is going UP they say). It was free shipping as the price was over $59 and also I got $10 off due to using the Amazon app for the first time.
AS for being more environmentally good to buy from Nz stores because these products are flown in, (yeah it only took 9 days for the coffee to arrive), I'd dispute that as most of the imported stuff arrives here on cargo ships and these are seriously BAD polluters - like REALLY REALLY bad.
Yes, while cargo ships are massive polluters, air freight is immensely worse for the environment (Due to the comparative load they carry).
Can't wait to see what Costco effect we will see in NZ.
I wonder how Briscoes is going to cope…haha
Maybe two birthday sales a week…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/128170866/is-it-really-chea…
This article has a lot more info, sounds like buying some grocery items through Amazon might actually be worth it.
Just grabbed 1.5kg of cashews for $17.80 and 200gm of shelled pistachios for $8.60
Be careful when ordering food items from Amazon as some of them have minimum purchase quantities.
So I was just thinking about our next food shop and had a random look on Amazon.
Heinz English recipe baked beans (the only way to go if eating baked beans imho):
Countdown - $3.10 for a 420g tin
Amazon - $2.50 for a 555g tin.
Granted minimum order of three tins required.
Buy 5 for an additional 5% off. Included in the free delivery if spending over $59Both made in New Zealand.
That's pretty nuts.
My cashews and pistachios have been sitting in customs since the 4th awaiting MPI clearance. I didn't even know until I was checking the status of other Amazon orders and saw on one parcel Delayed at Customs in bold red lettering. I contacted NZ Post and had to email their ecommerce team an invoice that detailed the contents of the parcel that they then forward to MPI so it can be released.
Don't know how the woman in the article managed to import fruit, nuts and grain and not also have their parcel held up at customs.
I haven't tried this yet, but appreciate your 'test run' :-)
Would be good to know exactly what you had to do (how did you find the right NZPost email address for example)?
Once I found out that the parcel was delayed I checked the tracking number on my list of parcels on the NZPost site and it also had a message in a red box 'MPI Import Entry required' and when I clicked on it it had the following message
"MPI Import Entry required
The parcel or shipment has been assessed by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and they require an import entry before it is released from our facility.Why does this happen?
They are checking for biosecurity risks (such as fruit fly, spiders, or seeds).
They require further detailed information about your parcel, before it can be cleared to enter the country.
What happens next?
You will receive (or will have already received) an email advising of the requirement for an MPI Import Declaration to be undertaken to enable the release of your parcel.NZ Post will then submit this information to MPI to request clearance of your parcels based on the more detailed information you have submitted to us. MPI may decide to inspect your parcel, NZ Post will contact you to arrange this. Please note, this may attract inspection/biosecurity fees payable by yourself as the importer.
The tracking status for your parcel will be updated to reflect this. Once in our Delivery Network, our delivery target is up to 3 working days nationwide. Delivery to rural or remote areas may take longer.
If there are other reasons your parcel is being assessed by New Zealand border agencies, you may be contacted by NZ Post or one of the government border agencies. Please note NZ Post is unable to intervene or accelerate this process."
I never received any contact from NZPost I had to initiate contact myself by calling their 0800 number and listening to rubbish music and computer generated voices telling me how important my call was for close to half an hour, once I did I was given the email [email protected] and just had to send them the tracking number and a copy of the invoice from Amazon, received a reply the following day "Documents will be lodged with the Ministry of Primary Industries for clearance. Please note that the clearance can take between 5-7 working days excluding the delivery time frame depending on how busy MPI is. Should MPI require more information we will advise."
Pretty painless and seeing as how cashews and pistachios are both on the list of food items allowed into NZ I doubt I'll be charged any extra, but the lack of initial contact from NZPost which delayed an already long process even further was annoying, in 2022 and with online shopping becoming more prominent I'd expect contact for situations like this to be a quick automated process for everyone's convenience.
Brilliant - thanks!
@Alan6984: My parcel is out with the courier for delivery this morning, so the timeline goes - parcel arrives and is held at customs on the 4th, invoice supplied to NZ Post on the 6th, parcel delivered on the 11th. Not a huge hassle though it would have been interesting to see how long it took for NZ Post to contact me about it if I hadn't contacted them first.
@[Deactivated]: Yes - as you say, you'd think it would be a fairly automated system by now.
Perhaps NZ Post have no means of contacting an 'importer' other than posting them a letter.
@Alan6984: Yeah, they send it by snail mail to keep the snail mail side of the business alive!
Both NZ Post and Amazon will email you tracking updates for your parcels (Amazon automatically and NZ Post if you opt in) so I don't really see why they can send me an automated message saying my parcel has arrived in NZ and is in Auckland airport but not one saying it's being held by MPI and here's the info for what you need to do to get it released, it seems like a no brainer.
Thanks for this comment, I have had the same issue with cashew nuts from Amazon and no contact from NZPost for a few days so hopefully it will speed up the process using the email address.
It's a shame they don't just open the parcel and look at the amazon label printout they always chuck in but I guess they have to charge the MPI fee if they do. Funny that customs just cut your stuff open, approve then reseal with no fee.
Interesting, I placed an order yesterday - antiperspirant, toothpaste, coconut oil, mustard and some fruit roll snacks. Will be interesting to see if it gets pinged.
If you're buying stuff off Amazon that qualifies for free shipping but you're a few bucks away from that magical $59, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are currently $1 each (approx $1.25nzd with gst and currency conversion) https://www.amazon.com.au/REESES-Peanut-Butter-Cups/dp/B098K…
She probably did a big order through Amazon AU so that she got free shipping.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Health-foods-Genoa-Pantry-Food-Dri…