Overseas padel sites can be cheaper, especially on last season's models. What you trade is time and recourse: delivery takes longer, returns cost more to post, and the ACCC says getting a repair, replacement or refund from an overseas business is difficult. On orders of A$1,000 or less, a GST-registered overseas seller adds GST at checkout.
Why overseas prices can be lower
Padel is decades older in Europe, and the biggest padel retailers are there, buying in far larger volumes. They clear last season's models hard when the new range lands, and those older models are often the ones you see well under the Australian RRP. Check the model year before you compare prices: a 2025 racket against a 2026 one isn't a like-for-like saving.
GST, duty and the A$1,000 line
Overseas businesses registered for Australian GST must charge it at checkout on low-value goods, meaning A$1,000 or less, sold to Australian consumers. So a single racket from a registered overseas seller should arrive with GST already paid. Over A$1,000, GST and any duty and charges are collected at the border, and if you're charged GST twice you have to claim the extra back from the seller. The ATO explains the rules.
Delivery: "shipped today" isn't "here tomorrow"
"Shipped today" means the parcel left a warehouse, not that it's close. From Europe, a racket travels by international courier, clears customs and is often handed to a local carrier for the last leg, and tracking can go quiet in between. Reviews of overseas padel retailers include plenty of buyers who read a same-day dispatch promise as next-day delivery. If you need the racket for a tournament or a trip, buy locally or allow a generous margin.
Returns: who pays, and where it goes
Change-of-mind rules look similar everywhere: unused, in the original packaging. The difference is the postage. Sending a racket back overseas is expensive and usually at your cost. Some overseas sellers use an Australian returns address, so check before you buy, and check whether the return window starts on the order date or the delivery date.
If something goes wrong
The ACCC says an overseas business that sells directly to Australian consumers must follow the Australian Consumer Law, including the consumer guarantees. It also says plainly that it's difficult to get a repair, replacement or refund from an overseas business, and that it can't resolve individual complaints. If an item never arrives, your card provider may be able to reverse the charge, but time limits apply. Read the ACCC's guidance on buying online.
Warranty claims often go back through the seller you bought from. Before you buy, find out where a cracked racket would have to be sent, and who pays the postage.
Before you buy from anyone: a checklist
- Is it the current model? Compare model years, not just names.
- What's the landed price? Add shipping, and check whether GST is included.
- Who is the seller? The ACCC suggests looking for a phone number, a physical address and an ABN or other registration number.
- What are the return terms? The window, the condition rules, who pays postage, and where it goes.
- Who handles a warranty claim, and where?
- When will it actually arrive? Delivered, not dispatched.
Where we sit
Our stock comes through authorised Australian distribution and, pre-orders aside, it's already here: orders placed before 1pm AEST on a business day leave Broadbeach the same day. We handle warranty claims with the Australian distributor, and you can return in person at our Pacific Fair counter. We don't price match, but we check the everyday prices of established Australian padel retailers and aim to sit below the lowest; how we price explains the details.
Written by the Australian Padel Shop team and last reviewed on 20 October 2026. Prices on this page are pulled live from our catalogue. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Sources: Australian Taxation Office · ACCC.