Amazon blocks Aussies from international site

Amazon will block Australians from buying from its international e-commerce websites and restrict them to a smaller local platform from July in response to new tax rules that consumer advocates fear will reduce the range of choice for customers in Australia.

Shoppers visiting the US store Amazon.com will be redirected to the Australian version, Amazon.com.au, from July 1 when Australia starts applying new tax rules, Amazon said in a statement yesterday.

From that date, Australia will impose a 10 per cent consumption tax on online retailers for goods bought from overseas sites and shipped to Australia. The tax currently only applies to purchases above AU$1000.

Amazon said it regretted the change which it blamed on the new tax rules.

‘‘While we regret any inconvenience this may cause customers, we have had to assess the workability of the legislation as a global business with multiple international sites,’’ Amazon said. ‘‘This will allow us to provide our customers with continued access to international selection and remain compliant with the law.’’

The Australian Amazon site provides access to the more than 60 million products. Amazon offers 480 million products in the United States.

Treasurer Scott Morrison accused Amazon of being unwilling to collect Australian taxes while other online retailers worked with the system. ‘‘The second biggest company in the world, run by the richest man in the world (Jeff Bezos), shouldn’t get a leave pass from paying taxes in Australia,’’ Morrison told Fairfax Media.

Australian retailers had been lobbying the government to impose the same tax burden they carried to the offshore retail industry.

Consumer campaigner Christopher Zinn said Australian shoppers will notice a significant reduction in options when browsing the internet for goods. ‘‘Online shopping has put the world at your fingertips but now that world has shrunk.’’ –AP