There was a long time when even buying off U.S.A ebay for aussies was too expensive because everything was twice as much [due to the bad exchange rate) and the postage was murder. So if l bought a pair of shoes for $350, l would end up paying about $800 for them (including postage). That's why many aussie blokes don't own many of the highend shoes that many forumites own, the exchange rate always stopped us from owning the good stuff. About 8 years ago our exchange rate was so bad that John Lobb Paris bespoke calfskin shoes cost us $8,000, + add in travelling and accomodation costs and it would be closer to $20,000 for the first pair of calfskin shoes, that's why we don't own that type of stuff in Oz.