theflyingdutch

Based on what evidence? You speak as if the anecdotal "evidence" you hear from places like Faux News is truth. Our country goes down the toilet because the taxes that should be paid are evaded by those who think because it doesn't affect them that they shouldn't have to pay a penny.

TGM

Amazon will start charging sales tax in Massachusetts starting next fall.

Fuck you Gov. Deval Patrick, you fucking ****.

zyzzle

I really hope Amazon loses a bunch of money in this mass sales tax exodus. I think they gave in far, far too easilly to the politicians.

Franchot

I agree that they gave in easily, but if Amazon loses a bunch of money I don't think that will pan out in helping to keep their prices low.

I recently received a 10% coupon on my next purchase which offsets the amount of sales tax I have to pay in California. If Amazon regularly issues these coupons to their customers, then essentially we'll be back to tax-free purchases. I could live with that arrangement.

PhantomStranger

The real problem with Amazon is the lack of competition and their overall level of pricing these days. I thought Walmart would be a serious alternative to them on the Internet, but it's clear they do not want to seriously compete with Amazon for Internet sales. Lacking legitimate competitors on the Internet has directly caused Amazon to raise its prices most of the year.

With the singular exception of Black Friday week now, Amazon is shifting towards being the highest priced online retailer in many different market categories.

fujishig

As has been detailed before, they are getting some sweet tax deals in some of these states...

Manzana

As this is Amazon related, I hope it's OK to post here.

I just found out Amazon started charging sales tax in my state in 2013. I didn't know because I hadn't ordered anything so far this year. I knew this was going to happen, but I was shocked to be told by an Amazon CS rep that all preorders I placed in 2012 prior to the sales tax date would be charged sales tax when they ship even though the preorders show no sales tax now.

Has anyone else been in the same situation with existing preorders from before Amazon started charging sales tax in your state, and if so did you get charged sales tax when your preorder shipped after sales tax went into effect?

I had assumed my preorders would remain at the original prices without sales tax and only future orders would be affected.

ctyankee

Bad assumption. Obviously, Amazon's price on pre-orders are not fixed, but fluid, reflecting competitor's prices which customers benefit from. Have you complained about that? The applicable tax is what is in effect when the sale is completed not when you ordered it.

Adam Tyner

They don't commit the charge until they ship, and I guess they're obligated to pay sales tax based on when the transaction actually takes place rather than when the order was initially placed. This seems proper, although I think they should notify affected users (if they haven't already).

davidh777

Just so you know, the Amazon sales-tax talk was moved to a separate thread in the Store forum.

fitprod

Nope, they have to start charging the sales tax no matter when it was ordered, if it ships after the new sales tax law has taken affect.

fitprod

Manzana

Thanks, everyone, for the sales tax answers. I had assumed a preorder was a commitment to a particular price (or less) and whatever the sales tax was at the time, but obviously that's wrong. Now I know that my remaining preorders will get charged sales tax at the last moment even though they don't show sales tax now, so when I'm deciding whether or not to keep my remaining Amazon preorders I'll know Amazon no longer has a sales tax free advantage.

Amazon should've sent out emails about this warning people. Thanks for the link to the existing sales tax thread.

davidh777

I notice we discussed this same topic in this thread (or it was moved here) last fall.

Deftones

I too am in AZ and was surprised that I got taxed on pre-orders that I'd placed a while ago. No big deal. Might get me to shop locally now. Amazon charges a lower tax rate, though.

dleedlee

VA customers will be paying sales tax beginning Sep. 1 2013.

Virginia business groups started calling for the measure late last year, when it was announced that the online retail giant, which already operates a distribution center in Northern Virginia, would open two more in the Richmond area this fall.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...eJ6Q_blog.html

slop101

Why do I have to pay California sales-tax on something that was shipped to me from Indiana? What a bunch of crap!

JimRochester

Because you live in California? We've had it here in NY for ages. I still do business with Amamzon but if the price is close I'd just as soon run to Best Buy and have it right away

zyzzle

I'm in CA and have gotten around the tax problem by specifically buying from Marketplace sellers which are NOT located in any of the states where Amazon charges tax. It's a pain, but provides one way of screwing Amazon on its self-enforced tax issue. For how much longer, who knows?

slop101

Same here. I only buy from amazon the more obscure stuff that I just can't find in the local stores.

ProfessorEcho

I do the same when I can. Amazon has so few good deals anymore on DVDs and BLUs, unless they are matching someone else's deal, that the Marketplace is usually better anyway. For me personally, Amazon has slid a long way from what they once were.

slop101

^ Exactly! After killing off or damaging their competition, there's no reason for them to offer the deals they once did.

That'sAllFolks

Actually it slid back to where it was a 5 or so years ago. They became competitive and then started playing pricing games and stopped being aggressive. They still PM, but it's far from guaranteed anymore. That along with their new restrictions on listing some items for sale has put Amazon way down on my list of preferred retailers. They still have good customer service, but reports of them banning customers has given me pause in giving them my business unless they have really good deals. Who knows when an email to customer service is the one that will ban you forever from them.

They're just too damn big now. They remind me of someone who smiles and greets you enthusiastically, but if you transgress the unwritten rule, they cut you off at the knees.

snoopygirl

We're going to get stuck with Amazon sales tax starting this summer, and yes, it will change my shopping habits. I look at the bottom line first so things like tax and shipping factor in. Especially when the tax is also applied to the shipping - ugh. Speed isn't an issue - I'm patient.

I feel a bit of sympathy for Amazon in Indiana. They were promised that they'd not have to collect tax despite a physical presence because they were providing so many jobs in areas that needed them. Then the Simon mall people were angered and sued the state whining that it wasn't fair and it was hurting their business, and it was recently decided that tax would be collected on all online sales this summer.

If Amazon still has the lowest price with tax, I'll buy it. If not, I'll buy from the place that does have the lowest price. But I'll *still* not be buying from a mall because it seems they'd rather pay their lawyers to sue the state rather than beef up security at their malls and I don't feel like getting shot at while shopping.

zyzzle

Agreed that Amazon now is terrible for BD pricing, especially so when you figure in tax as well. You're lucky to get 10% off (before tax) on a newly-released catalog title now. Damn, when Amazon's the only one who actually carries that newly-released catalog title (Good luck at BB, Wal-mart, or Target finding IN SEARCH OF... TV series set, TICKS (1993), or CHILD'S PLAY (1972), or PROJECT X (1968), or any Olive release), they can charge what they want.... Really is horrible pricing. And, these titles are likely to never go on sale because they're not 'mainstream'.

ernestrp

In VA, the govenors office first said no taxes would be charged by amazon, even though you were supposed to report them on your state taxes for years for non taxed on-line purchases (no one did, I mean, except me). B&M stores started complaining and now you will get taxed in VA starting in September. Its still the bottom line on how much it cost and can I wait for it being shipped.