there's been alot of speculation about this - some people are being asked to pay customs charges by DHL customer service people (who are just juniors after all and get things wrong), but you don't have to!
here's the word from a DHL employee who's also a vogue forum member..:
"go to DHL front desk, ask for your shipment, open it, and in there it will have a NAP invoice (I've ordered from NAP twice before). They will then see the amount paid for the bag.
Under no circumstances should they include postage. Demand to see a customs broker, don't them rip you off."
and this is from someone who spoke to a custom officer/broker friend:
"Both confirmed that the shipping cost should not be included in the price. Which is good news to all! therefore, the value should fall below the Low Cost Goods Customs Threshold which specifies that for a good imported by post below $1000, there is no customs duty to be paid on it.
In fact, the value SHOULD be the value which you paid for the good, because we are purchasing it from an ONLINE STORE so that will be the VALUE of the goods as it was an arms length transaction and that is how much we got the bag for or that it is worth on the website.
The shipping cost is ONLY taken into consideration in the calculation of the tax payable IF the imported good(s) value over $1000 (accordingly BELOW the threshold).
Now, SOMETIMES, DHL does a bit of the 'dodgy' especially IF the good is VERY close to $1000 - so pretty much all of us, especially Aubergine paddy owners will fall into that category. They will try to charge tax. WHETHER they take the receipted amount (amount which u pay for) or if you're really unlucky and they're really dodgy, will take the so-called market value ($2600).
In both cases, CONTEST THIS! "
take heart fellow aussies! it'll be alright....