6 ms·

This is good news for the country, even if it's bad for my wallet. The prior state of affairs was absurd. Online retailers already have major advantages in term

This is good news for the country, even if it's bad for my wallet. The prior state of affairs was absurd. Online retailers already have major advantages in terms of convenience and inventory. Getting a N% discount vs. brick and mortar by not charging taxes was completely unnecessary.

ransom1538 8y ago
Yes. But it is too late. AMZN has already wiped out all local retail. AMZN not enforcing local taxes was a huge win - in the early days.
- Spivak 8y ago
  Yeah, but the irony is that Amazon can't compete with its own marketplace a lot of times now that they're collecting tax. The prime markup with tax is almost always more expensive than the 3rd-party seller without.
  - LyndsySimon 8y ago
    In most cases, I much prefer to buy the Prime product at a small markup. I'm confident that it'll get there faster and that Amazon will stand behind it if there's something wrong. I hate dealing with individual sellers on Amazon, and I really don't think I'm alone in that.
WillPostForFood 8y ago
It’s good for big business and bad for small businesses because compliance will be tough, and harder to compete and price.
- mtgx 8y ago
  And this is why everyone should be supporting a federal VAT instead. If I'm not mistaken, Amazon had a similar argument a few years ago.
  - RightMillennial 8y ago
    I'd be all for a federal VAT over federal income tax. But that wouldn't remove any of the state or local sales taxes.
  - djschnei 8y ago
    A VAT would NEVER be a replacement, it would only be an addition. No thank you.
mullingitover 8y ago
Exposing consumers to more regressive sales taxes is in no way good for the country. What would be good for the country is to abolish sales taxes entirely.
- magduf 8y ago
  Exactly; sales taxes generally just hurt the poor and middle class. A good case could be made for consumption taxes on luxury items, but taxing things like food and inexpensive consumer items (like non-luxury clothing) simply hurts poorer people while not significantly affecting wealthier ones.
  - Spivak 8y ago
    Food is already exempt from sales tax. Take Ohio as a rough average for the country, here's the list of exemptions. https://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?QuestionID=433&AFMID=11354 https://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?Questio... The problem with consumption taxes is it just starts a debate over what is considered necessary/unnecessary. I think you would be better off exempting people rather than classes of items.
    - TheCoelacanth 8y ago
      > Food is already exempt from sales tax. From some sales taxes. That is far from universal.
    - magduf 8y ago
      >Food is already exempt from sales tax. Wrong. Come here to Virginia and try it. Or any Southern state for that matter. Note: In Virginia, groceries are taxed, but at a lower rate than the normal sales tax.
    - astura 8y ago
      No, not everywhere.
- Spivak 8y ago
jcborro 8y ago
The unintended consequence may be to drive business offshore. The de minimis import duty was quadrupled to $800 a few years ago (meaning no duty while US retailers pay duty buying in bulk and incorporate into the US price) and this could be yet another advantage handed to sellers outside the country.

ransom1538 8y ago

Yes. But it is too late. AMZN has already wiped out all local retail. AMZN not enforcing local taxes was a huge win - in the early days.

Spivak 8y ago
Yeah, but the irony is that Amazon can't compete with its own marketplace a lot of times now that they're collecting tax. The prime markup with tax is almost always more expensive than the 3rd-party seller without.
- LyndsySimon 8y ago
  In most cases, I much prefer to buy the Prime product at a small markup. I'm confident that it'll get there faster and that Amazon will stand behind it if there's something wrong. I hate dealing with individual sellers on Amazon, and I really don't think I'm alone in that.

WillPostForFood 8y ago

It’s good for big business and bad for small businesses because compliance will be tough, and harder to compete and price.

mtgx 8y ago
And this is why everyone should be supporting a federal VAT instead. If I'm not mistaken, Amazon had a similar argument a few years ago.
- RightMillennial 8y ago
  I'd be all for a federal VAT over federal income tax. But that wouldn't remove any of the state or local sales taxes.
- djschnei 8y ago
  A VAT would NEVER be a replacement, it would only be an addition. No thank you.

mullingitover 8y ago

Exposing consumers to more regressive sales taxes is in no way good for the country. What would be good for the country is to abolish sales taxes entirely.

magduf 8y ago
Exactly; sales taxes generally just hurt the poor and middle class. A good case could be made for consumption taxes on luxury items, but taxing things like food and inexpensive consumer items (like non-luxury clothing) simply hurts poorer people while not significantly affecting wealthier ones.
- Spivak 8y ago
  Food is already exempt from sales tax. Take Ohio as a rough average for the country, here's the list of exemptions. https://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?QuestionID=433&AFMID=11354 https://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?Questio... The problem with consumption taxes is it just starts a debate over what is considered necessary/unnecessary. I think you would be better off exempting people rather than classes of items.
  - TheCoelacanth 8y ago
    > Food is already exempt from sales tax. From some sales taxes. That is far from universal.
  - magduf 8y ago
    >Food is already exempt from sales tax. Wrong. Come here to Virginia and try it. Or any Southern state for that matter. Note: In Virginia, groceries are taxed, but at a lower rate than the normal sales tax.
  - astura 8y ago
    No, not everywhere.
Spivak 8y ago

jcborro 8y ago

The unintended consequence may be to drive business offshore. The de minimis import duty was quadrupled to $800 a few years ago (meaning no duty while US retailers pay duty buying in bulk and incorporate into the US price) and this could be yet another advantage handed to sellers outside the country.