"Economic buffoonery continues in Argentina, as the sinking government of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner now requires consumers who make online purchases from foreign websites to produce a written declaration at a customs office, and then to pay a 50 percent tax on the items. Every. Single. Time.
It won’t surprise anyone to learn that picking up your overtaxed purchase at a customs office rather than having it delivered to your home is a process that takes several hours, and the inconvenience is generating much anger and frustration. BBC News reports:
Individuals are allowed to buy items up to the value of $25 (£15) from abroad tax free every year, but it has been hard for custom officials to keep accurate records of consumers’ transactions. Once the $25 level is reached, online shoppers in Argentina need to pay a 50% tax on each item bought from international websites.
The government tightened the restrictions later on Wednesday limiting tax-free purchases to two a year.
One resident of Buenos Aires, who gave his name as Martin, described the tax as “crazy. . . . I lose half a day’s work, which is unacceptable.”...
