Amazon and Ebay

[gordonv]

I don't do this often, but I bought an item from Amazon at Christmas, paid a sales tax. OK, figure it's because they ship/sell every state, so they need to charge.

 I buy from Ebay a lot, most recently this month, and again, after the sale, there is an additional charge of sales tax that I had never been charged before.

Rather than ask, I did an internet search and there now seems to be taxation in 3 states from all Ebay purchases or shipments sent to them. 1 state is WA, where I get my purchases sent to, to get the free/reduced shipping costs, rather than shipped across the border, which is something like 3 times the cost to WA.

Never heard of this. It was kind of a kick in the teeth. But a long time coming. I've been wondering why it's taken so long, if such a large amount of purchases are now done online.

[Jess from VA]

This is all I can say.

Tax his land, tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt...........

The whole thing:    http://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=337

First there was no tax.  Then there was tax if the seller you were buying from was licensed to do business in your home state (where it will be delivered).  But that saved entirely too much taxes from being collected, so new ways to tax internet sales are popular with Govt (not people).  

My state asks me every year if I made any internet purchases I didn't pay taxes on.  And requires I pay VA sales tax on those.

I'm lucky I don't have to compare tax rates where I did pay taxes, and make up any difference in each individual purchase (like I somehow underpaid).

(insert great big middle finger emoticon here)  

[Pete]

The Amazon sales tax issue is a strange one.
Sometimes they charge sales tax on some items and not on others in the same order,
Sometimes they do not charge sales tax.

I think it has to do with who actually fulfills the order.

[F6Dave]

States have been cashing in ever since the supreme court gave them the green light to collect sales tax from out of state merchants.  The bigger ones all seem to collect it, but it has to be a big burden on a small business to collect taxes for dozens of states at different rates, along with submitting reports every month or so.

[J.Mencalice]

"Death and Taxes"

[gordonv]

The Amazon sales tax issue is a strange one.
Sometimes they charge sales tax on some items and not on others in the same order,
Sometimes they do not charge sales tax.

I think it has to do with who actually fulfills the order.

What pissed me off the most with this, was the bill they sent me. Showed that the total price had included Tax. The item shipped from Hong Kong to WA, 3 days. The paypal had the Total price, but another $20 for Tax. ???

Since I save so much on my purchases, I figured let it go, they are now starting to charge the Tax.

[Alberta Patriot]

The Amazon sales tax issue is a strange one.
Sometimes they charge sales tax on some items and not on others in the same order,
Sometimes they do not charge sales tax.

I think it has to do with who actually fulfills the order.

What pissed me off the most with this, was the bill they sent me. Showed that the total price had included Tax. The item shipped from Hong Kong to WA, 3 days. The paypal had the Total price, but another $20 for Tax. ???

Since I save so much on my purchases, I figured let it go, they are now starting to charge the Tax.

I used to receive a lot of items at Montana Shipping Outlet...no taxes, but then Montana has no State Tax. Since the CDN Dollar has turned into the "Peso North" I don't feel it's worth the drive anymore.

[gordonv]

For me, it's a 1/2 hr to the border, Nexus gets me across in about 5 min. When there, I fill the tank, buying at about $0.93/L instead of the current $1.34, 50L tank.

The items I buy are costing me about 1/2 price. After exchange + +, I figure I land them at 75% or less, than I would pay for the same thing, if I could even find it, locally.

[Jess from VA]

Since we're talking about foreign purchases, I once bought two of these (similar) quality Solingen steel blades in Germany (on TDY/temporary duty), and carried them with me back to Turkey (because I was not allowed personal firearms).  I couldn't order them through the mail.  Customs could always be tricky, but serving military assigned there usually got only a cursory search.  

It's too bad I couldn't bring them back with me....... because that would be wrong.

   

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

It's starting to spread. When I ordered parts from Partzilla, they added MA tax once I added my shipping address.

Taxation is theft.

[Pete]

Since we're talking about foreign purchases, I once bought two of these (similar) quality Solingen steel blades in Germany (on TDY/temporary duty), and carried them with me back to Turkey (because I was not allowed personal firearms).  I couldn't order them through the mail.  Customs could always be tricky, but serving military assigned there usually got only a cursory search.  

It's too bad I couldn't bring them back with me....... because that would be wrong.

  

In states where the are now legal to own and carry, they sell like hotcakes.

There is still a federal law on shipping across state lines.

[..]

For me, it's a 1/2 hr to the border, Nexus gets me across in about 5 min. When there, I fill the tank, buying at about $0.93/L instead of the current $1.34, 50L tank.

The items I buy are costing me about 1/2 price. After exchange + +, I figure I land them at 75% or less, than I would pay for the same thing, if I could even find it, locally.

Ahem.

Isn't that smuggling?

[Jess from VA]

Since we're talking about foreign purchases, I once bought two of these (similar) quality Solingen steel blades in Germany (on TDY/temporary duty), and carried them with me back to Turkey (because I was not allowed personal firearms).  I couldn't order them through the mail.  Customs could always be tricky, but serving military assigned there usually got only a cursory search.  

It's too bad I couldn't bring them back with me....... because that would be wrong.

  

In states where the are now legal to own and carry, they sell like hotcakes.

There is still a federal law on shipping across state lines.[/i]

Yes, and as far as I know, there is still an old federal exception to prohibition..... for one armed men.  (an amazingly good and well thought out exception)

And it is noteworthy that if you think the Federal and State laws on firearms are overly complicated (and they are), those laws on knives/swords/etc, types, and blade lengths, and concealed carry are a veritable nightmare, as there are many more LOCAL laws on knives, and (as far as I know) there are no state preemption laws like for firearms (preventing local G from passing laws conflicting with State laws).  Where with firearms, if you comply with State law, you are probably good anywhere in the State, not so with knives.  

I carried a 3 3/4" Spyderco into my Federal Bldg job for 10 years or so before I discovered a 2 1/2" federal building blade limit.  Who knew?  Even our security people didn't know.  With Federal ID, I never went though metal detectors or searches.  Fat, dumb, happy and lucky.

And our (private) security people were cutting edge I tell you.  We had a 90yo veteran show up for a personal hearing with a .25 auto in his pocket (and a cane to walk with)(for some reason, people didn't feel safe traveling to and around DC).  They kept it for him until after his hearing, then gave it back to him (warning him not to do it again).  This old guy was no threat to anyone (except maybe a mugger), and we were happy with the result, though our overlords weren't and heads rolled over it.

To further demonstrate the weirdness, my wife working security at another Federal bldg, had to take an FBI agent's knife from him, though he was allowed to keep his concealed handgun with spare mags on him throughout the bldg.  He got it back when he left with no trouble.  Alice in Wonderland stuff.

[Jess from VA]

For me, it's a 1/2 hr to the border, Nexus gets me across in about 5 min. When there, I fill the tank, buying at about $0.93/L instead of the current $1.34, 50L tank.

The items I buy are costing me about 1/2 price. After exchange + +, I figure I land them at 75% or less, than I would pay for the same thing, if I could even find it, locally.

Ahem.

Isn't that smuggling?

Paul, it's not nice asking people incriminating questions on a public forum.

Even patriotic and law abiding people can be fed up with the G hand in our pockets all day every day.

[..]

For me, it's a 1/2 hr to the border, Nexus gets me across in about 5 min. When there, I fill the tank, buying at about $0.93/L instead of the current $1.34, 50L tank.

The items I buy are costing me about 1/2 price. After exchange + +, I figure I land them at 75% or less, than I would pay for the same thing, if I could even find it, locally.

Ahem.

Isn't that smuggling?

Paul, it's not nice asking people incriminating questions on a public forum.

Even patriotic and law abiding people can be fed up with the G hand in our pockets all day every day.

Nothing detrimental was meant.

I once brought 5 pounds of English bacon and 5 pounds of REALLY good English sharp cheddar cheese into the country.

Long, long time ago.

Both wrapped in aluminum foil in my checked luggage. Looking back it could have looked like blocks of something VERY VERY illegal.

[Jess from VA]

I have some stories too.  But I'm not telling. 

[gordonv]

For me, it's a 1/2 hr to the border, Nexus gets me across in about 5 min. When there, I fill the tank, buying at about $0.93/L instead of the current $1.34, 50L tank.

The items I buy are costing me about 1/2 price. After exchange + +, I figure I land them at 75% or less, than I would pay for the same thing, if I could even find it, locally.

Ahem.

Isn't that smuggling?

Paul, it's not nice asking people incriminating questions on a public forum.

Even patriotic and law abiding people can be fed up with the G hand in our pockets all day every day.

I was going to ask Smuggle What? I hadn't thought I implied or anything of that like.  ???

I report when recrossing the border. The guards only bother (charge Tax) if I buy brand new items, and only if over a couple $100. Maybe once a year I get hit with Taxes at the border.