On-line Stores & Sellers

Started by Expresso, July 02, 2007, 09:09:12 AM

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Coopmv

Quote from: The new erato on April 15, 2011, 12:46:21 PM
I excercise my right under some amendment or other to not answer that......

The 25% is Norwegian VAT, added since we don't pay VAtT(subtracted from the order) for exports from the EU (currently 17.5% in the UK)- so it's some kind of quid pro quo, bot it still akes it costly to achove Super Saver delivery.

And with the current state of the US economy, they certainly should collect all the taxes they can.

VAT may be coming to the US as well, though its actual implementation may be complicated since all 50 states have different sale tax rates and that revenue sharing with the federal government can take forever to hash over.  For now, the party is continuing since VAT does not apply to me, though a member of another forum was hit by a $15 bill from the US Customs for a $259 order from Presto Classical.  I tend to spread my CD's over several orders to minimize the chance of loss and the possibility that I may have to pay a duty ...

Opus106

Quote from: Coopmv on April 16, 2011, 07:01:13 AM
VAT may be coming to the US as well, though its actual implementation may be complicated since all 50 states have different sale tax rates and that revenue sharing with the federal government can take forever to hash over.

I'm not sure if it's the same, but I came across the news a couple of days ago, that a senator was planning to introduce a bill that would make all customers in the US shopping online (at US-based stores, of course) pay sales taxes.
Regards,
Navneeth

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Opus106 on April 16, 2011, 07:06:32 AM
I'm not sure if it's the same, but I came across the news a couple of days ago, that a senator was planning to introduce a bill that would make all customers in the US shopping online (at US-based stores, of course) pay sales taxes.
That is different than VAT, but also true. It is already true for some states already (for example, New York).
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Coopmv

Quote from: Opus106 on April 16, 2011, 07:06:32 AM
I'm not sure if it's the same, but I came across the news a couple of days ago, that a senator was planning to introduce a bill that would make all customers in the US shopping online (at US-based stores, of course) pay sales taxes.

The question is whether there will be enough votes to pass that bill in both the US Senate and the House.  The Republicans have a solid majority in the House and will most likely vote it down.  The likes of Amazon and eBay also have very powerful backers on Capitol Hill ...

Coopmv

Quote from: The new erato on April 15, 2011, 12:46:21 PM

And with the current state of the US economy, they certainly should collect all the taxes they can.

If the US stops having that Roman Empire mentality and stops being the World Cop, the economy should do fine ...

Coopmv

Quote from: mc ukrneal on April 16, 2011, 07:10:24 AM
That is different than VAT, but also true. It is already true for some states already (for example, New York).

I will cut off Amazon in a heartbeat if it starts to collect sale tax for CT ...

Coopmv

A fellow US member of another forum at which I have been a member just posted that he recently received a bill from the US Customs for the order he had received from Presto Classical.  This has certainly gotten my attention.  While the UK government cannot hit me with any VAT, I certainly have not expected to have to pay duties on imported CD's that are not in the hundreds of dollars per order.  Given the random order at which these orders arrive, I also doubt the US Customs can track the cumulative total over a given period of time.  WTF is going on?    :o

Lethevich

I'm surprised they haven't been doing it until now. Tax-milking VAT dodgers has been standard practice in Europe since forever.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Coopmv

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on April 23, 2011, 01:37:36 PM
I'm surprised they haven't been doing it until now. Tax-milking VAT dodgers has been standard practice in Europe since forever.

You are being illogical here.  We do not have a VAT here in the US and how can we be considered VAT dodgers?   ;)

Lethevich

Woah, I think "being dumb" describes it better ;D Perhaps I used the wrong word for the same thing? I am sure that each state has a sales tax of some kind which works in much the same way, albeit at a lower percentage than is common in Europe.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Coopmv

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on April 23, 2011, 04:01:48 PM
Woah, I think "being dumb" describes it better ;D Perhaps I used the wrong word for the same thing? I am sure that each state has a sales tax of some kind which works in much the same way, albeit at a lower percentage than is common in Europe.

Most people who have never lived in the US do not understand this crazy patchwork of sale tax imposed by most of the 50 states and not all items are taxable either.  For instance, one pays no sale tax on clothes in NJ.  Since the advent of internet, etailers do not have to collect sale tax for any state where they have no physical presence - B&M stores or affiliates.  The US Congress has pretty much confirmed that statute on more than one occasion.  The state of IL recently wanted Amazon to collect sale taxes from its state residents.  Amazon responded by immediately terminating all its affiliates based in that state.  Individual states certainly cannot impose sale tax on CD's purchased from the UK since that will be overreaching.

Scarpia

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on April 23, 2011, 04:01:48 PM
Woah, I think "being dumb" describes it better ;D Perhaps I used the wrong word for the same thing? I am sure that each state has a sales tax of some kind which works in much the same way, albeit at a lower percentage than is common in Europe.

It has to do with the fact that each state in the US is in some sense independent, and that the Constitution grants the federal government the power to regulate interstate commerce.  The state of New York, say, does not have the authority to impose a tax on a company in New Jersey unless that company has done something that makes it subject to the jurisdiction of New York (such as having a New York office).  Otherwise New York would be violating the rights of the New Jersey company, or attempting to regulate interstate commerce, which is a power reserved to the federal government.  Some argue that connecting to the internet alone is a sufficient presence in a state for taxes to be collected, but that argument has not won out.  A strong argument against that is that any company connected to the internet would have to be prepared to levy sales taxes based on the local laws, which can vary not only from state to state, but city to city!

New York, has tried to get around this by levying the tax directly on its citizens, rather than on the out-of-state company.  You are supposed to list, on your NY State Income Tax form,  all out of state purchases and send in the required tax yourself.  So even though Amazon doesn't collect it, a New Yorker is in principal not off the hook.  I'd like to know if anyone has ever done that.

Daverz

Quote from: Il Barone Scarpia on April 23, 2011, 05:37:43 PM
New York, has tried to get around this by levying the tax directly on its citizens, rather than on the out-of-state company.  You are supposed to list, on your NY State Income Tax form,  all out of state purchases and send in the required tax yourself.  So even though Amazon doesn't collect it, a New Yorker is in principal not off the hook.  I'd like to know if anyone has ever done that.

I'm shocked! Shocked!  That anyone would fail to declare interstate purchases on their state income tax form!

Coopmv

Quote from: Daverz on April 23, 2011, 06:53:10 PM
I'm shocked! Shocked!  That anyone would fail to declare interstate purchases on their state income tax form!

You must be a politician since most of them do not have a tax they do not like ...

Coopmv

BTW,  Amazon has been collecting sale tax on behalf of NY, at least for NYC ...

Scarpia

I've increasingly found MovieMars (an Amazon Marketplace seller) to be undependable.  Several times I have ordered a CD to have the order canceled several days layer, only to find MovieMars continuing to sell the same CD at a higher price.  I don't recommend them unless there is no alternative.



karlhenning

Quote from: Il Barone Scarpia on April 29, 2011, 09:54:41 AM
I've increasingly found MovieMars (an Amazon Marketplace seller) to be undependable.  Several times I have ordered a CD to have the order canceled several days layer, only to find MovieMars continuing to sell the same CD at a higher price.  I don't recommend them unless there is no alternative.

I used to find them highly reliable.  But . . . my latest experience was of such abysmal customer service . . . no, I shan't ever order from them again, perhaps.

Scarpia

Quote from: Apollon on April 29, 2011, 10:01:15 AM
I used to find them highly reliable.  But . . . my latest experience was of such abysmal customer service . . . no, I shan't ever order from them again, perhaps.

What was the problem?

DavidW

I've had a similar experience with them not having what they list... I just don't bother with Movie Mars anymore.

DavidW

Leon, they only have two business days to ship by amazon policy... you are already entitled to cancel the order and order from someone else.  You're not charged until they ship the item anyway.  There are so many alternatives like blowitoutahere, classical music superstore, zoverstock etc that promptly ship that I wouldn't waste my time on any store that won't ship by next business day.