Hello! I’m new here and don’t know if posts such as mine are allowed on this forum. Please remove if it isn’t.
Can anyone here tell me how much Phonak Infinio Sphere I90’s cost in Singapore?
I have an elderly family member who is thinking of buying them and has been quoted a price of SGD16k (approx USD 12k) for a pair. This seems very expensive so I googled the issue, but I cannot find any info on prices in Singapore. Prices in other countries, for example, the US, seem to be much lower.
I have checked out Wholesale Hearing’s website and am impressed with the prices. We are open to buying online, the issue is finding a local audiologist who would be willing to fit the hearing aid unbundled. I have a lot to learn.
We are open to that too; I believe that either solution will save us a lot. Unfortunately, a quick Google search has not shown any local audiologists who are willing to do unbundled work. I’ll try calling around after the weekend.
I am exhausted and annoyed by DHL. Admittedly, I have 0% customs duty, but they charged me 23% VAT (should be 8%). And yes, I thoroughly described contents of the box, even with customs codes
EDIT: (different code for HA, different for their parts or accessories - not sure if they are the same in Asia):
I phoned DHL and they have to do customs clearance again, but according to them, I should pay for an additional 2 days (Sun, Mon) for storing the parcel (the first 3 days were free).
I could have received the package on Friday, but must wait until at least Monday.
HA’s as medical device is tax free in Malaysia for personal used. I think you have to pay GST in Singapore. Send it to JB and collect it in the weekend. Load the audiogram into your setting and many members will help you. Check out the local community center in S’pore, they provide free HA’s every 3 - 5 years. Not latest models,
I will check out the services provided by the local community centers, and the tax benefits of having the HAs mailed to JB. We have friends in JB who can take delivery for us.
Medical devices does have any tax. No sure of sales tax!. Only trouble here is to go the Pos Office HQ of Johor to open the parcel and show then hearing aids. In PJ, I have to go to KLIA Pos office. Locate the parcel and open it - Medical device - no tax.
Registered Royal parcel from UK was delivered directly to my house after customs clearance.
It has been 10 years since I lived in Singapore. There are many hearing aid stores in Singapore. They all tend to carry a single brand or at most, two, so you’ll need to do some research to find someone selling your brand.
As I recall, my HA’s in Singapore cost about half as much again (in US dollars, therefore, about double the cost in current Sing dollars, ie, USD 1000 HA’s will cost about SGD 2000). You’ll need to search around because prices vary widely and there are no shortage of “entrepreneurs” who have no problem taking advantage of uniformed rubes.
Edited to add: If you ship HA’s to Singapore, you will need to pay GST of 9 percent when they clear customs… or rather, the recipient will need to make payment. Additionally, HA’s are GST taxable when purchased in Singapore.
Thank you, @EagleHeart, for that helpful information!
You’re right, from what I’ve read, we should shop around for quotes. Yes, the HA providers I’ve checked out carry only one or two brands and, so far, I I haven’t found any willing to provide unbundled services to fit a HA purchased online.
I’ve persuaded my family member to make an appointment with an audiologist at a public hospital; I hope that they will be less motivated to overcharge or upsell us.
Good luck. Prices might be even higher than I suggested. Singapore’s big problem is very high rents. That means that most businesses save money by keeping very small stock rooms. That means they restock more frequently and in smaller quantities. That means suppliers have to use smaller trucks and make more frequent deliveries, driving up costs. And of course, suppliers also tend to be inventory limited because of the costs of space, and so, they too, cannot take advantage of volume buying discounts.
@TimelyTale Where are you located? Sounds like it might be advantageous to order from a reputable online provider and then ship them to your family member.
The best online providers will even program the hearing aids before they ship them, so they’ll arrive to your family member already set up.
