Amazon strikes back at "internet tax"

[scook]

Interesting read about the "Amazon Tax" and what Amazon is doing to strike back at New York

http://www.techcrunch.com/

Once they remove it from the front page:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/02...he-amazon-tax/

(And of course I checked the Search bar with no results so if this has been posted and hiding deep within some Blu crevice, be easy)

[Rabidhunter]

Is New York even a state anymore? This tax is deplorable, I hope that Amazon wins their lawsuit against NY. If not, other states could follow suit and then I won't be able to get my Blu-Rays as cheap as I do now!!! I am not happy about this at all.

[Lucy Diamond]

They are insane.

ps - I like double and triple posts.

[scook]

Originally Posted by Rabidhunter

Is New York even a state anymore? This tax is deplorable, I hope that Amazon wins their lawsuit against NY. If not, other states could follow suit and then I won't be able to get my Blu-Rays as cheap as I do now!!! I am not happy about this at all.

Well the article states that basically the only way that they would win is if they approch this at the Federal Level which would evect every state. But I would assume they'll find away around it. I live here but it sure sucks that this state has to ruin it for the rest.

[Layd Dly]

Glad i moved away from that state. Im even from the same area. Born and Raised in Rottenchester. Although i do miss my Cheeseburger Garbage Plates

[hardcore_canadian]

I think the only unfair part of this is that Amazon is the only one being affected. You should have to pay tax on these things anyways, sorry, but it's true

[saprano]

I dont even go to best buy anymore cause amazon is cheaper and has no tax, good things really do come to an end

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by scook

(And of course I checked the Search bar with no results so if this has been posted and hiding deep within some Blu crevice, be easy)

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=46836

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by hardcore_canadian

You should have to pay tax on these things anyways, sorry, but it's true

This thread has nothing to do with Canadians, sorry but it's true.

[scook]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=46836

Theres always one in the bunch, I guess it could have gone in that thread but the previous thread discussed how NY was going after Amazon, This was published today by Tech Crunch showing that Amazon is fighting back.

But your dedication to online forum regulations is appreciated sir

[SpikesBluBlooded]

This has been somewhat discussed before, but I just don't get the justification of charging consumers for spending their money outside of the state of residence. Sorry if the internet has created opportunities for people to avoid paying sales tax, but that's just the way it goes. This is really no different than if you were to vacation in the state of Florida, and have to not only pay sales tax for your purchases there (because they have a state sales tax), but also have to pay additional taxes when you return home. It just doesn't make logical sense to me. The state is incurring no cost, zero, for commerce that takes place outside of its borders, so what entitles them to a portion of their residents' hard-earned money in regard to sales tax?

If someone can present a clear reason, I'm open to hearing it...

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by scook

Theres always one in the bunch, I guess it could have gone in that thread but the previous thread discussed how NY was going after Amazon, This was published today by Tech Crunch showing that Amazon is fighting back.

But your dedication to online forum regulations is appreciated sir

It's no big deal, I'm figuring this thread will be merged with the other, so I just helped the mods out and posted the link.

[SpikesBluBlooded]

This isn't a new concept, by the way, making purchases outside of your state to avoid sales tax. Americans have been doing this via catalog (like the old Sears catalogs we used to get in the mail) for well over a century now...

[War Pig]

Go Amazon!

[AlexCruz]

Let's just make the Internet the 51st state lol.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

This thread has nothing to do with Canadians, sorry but it's true.

Sorry but you're wrong. I order all my Blu's to my good friend Matt in Buffalo and this affects both he and I.

[dialog_gvf]

The law, as written, is just a bad law. And it would set a dangerous precedent. Not because New York State shouldn’t try to collect the $50 million in estimated uncollectetd (sic) sales taxes owed to it. But because the law is tortuous in the way it attempts to do that.

This still leaves the question of who should be collecting state sales taxes on online purchases. On that matter, I’m on New York’s side that it should be Amazon. It knows what state its customers reside in since it has their credit card information and is shipping goods to them. How hard would it be for Amazon to add a sales tax calculator to its checkout cart that calculates a different sales tax depending on the state of the purchaser? The answer is that it wouldn’t be hard at all, but that Amazon doesn’t want to do it because every additional surcharge at checkout results in more abandoned carts due to last-minute sticker shock.

So, how much will it cost Amazon and all other online retailers to make changes to their cart software?

Oh, and does NY want the money sent to them? How does that happen? Magic? No, that happens by changes to accounting (more costs). Accountants managing the process. Complicating the books and their tax returns. And someone needs to actually send the money to NY state every quarter.

How much will it cost the vendors to do NY state's collection job for them?

Now, imagine this catches on and you're an online vendor suddenly having to account for and remit to 50 different states every month or quarter.

And how much will the governments spend to deal with possibly tens of thousands of these new sales tax remissions? No doubt they'll pat themselves on the back for creating more civil service jobs.

Gary

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Sorry but you're wrong. I order all my Blu's to my good friend Matt in Buffalo and this affects both he and I.

I think more or less he was talking about the person from BC who is now conditioned to bending over every time the government ask him to! Either that or he is a politician from Canada because he sure thinks like one, that country would tax you for every dump taken if they could find a way!

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Bigdog

I think more or less he was talking about the person from BC who is now conditioned to bending over every time the government ask him to! Either that or he is a politician from Canada because he sure thinks like one, that country would tax you for every dump taken if they could find a way!

Although we are now paying 2% less tax than we were two years ago.

[dk3dknight]

I have to admit when I had heard of this, I was actually happy, for the wrong reasons, I fear I was blinded by pure revenge...

I actually wanted Amazon to suffer, but thats not right.. and thats not a nice thing to want.

And so maybe all I wanted was closure.. I dunno what I wanted, but I would have wanted the pain go away.

If only it was that simple, if anything was that simple.

What is better understanding or anger, I think anger is easier, but understanding now thats hard, but hatred rises chaos, but does understanding lead to the rise of order..

Without chaos there can be no order, and with no order there cannot be chaos.

Ill have to think one these things a little more, perhaps I can let the past go...