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It's really patently unfair for purchases from Amazon.com not to require sales taxes while purchases from BarnesAndNoble.com do require sales taxes. That's wha

by blahedo 15y ago

It's really patently unfair for purchases from Amazon.com not to require sales taxes while purchases from BarnesAndNoble.com do require sales taxes. That's what this all boils down to. Amazon is not, on some level, competing directly with your local friendly indy bookshop (if you still have one), and that's not the right direction to look for a comparison... but they are competing with other online booksellers, who have to pay sales tax on their online book sales if and only if they also have a bricks-and-mortar business. That's dumb.

kevinskii 15y ago
Sales taxes fund local infrastructure. Why should Amazon have to pay for a fire department that it will never possibly need? In regards to the "fairness" question, put it a different way: It's unfair that brick and mortar companies can offer their customers immediate gratification and the ability to physically inspect items before buying. Amazon can do neither.
- Anechoic 15y ago
  Why should Amazon have to pay for a fire department that it will never possibly need? It's certainly in Amazon's interest that their customers have access to those local FD's. Even if one doesn't agree with the FD example, those sales taxes also pay for local roads and surely Amazon makes use of those. (Lest I be accused of being a hypocrite, I do pay the local sales tax for internet purchases via the Massachusetts 'safe harbor' provision for small purchases and itemized listings of my larger purchases with my state tax filings)
  - yummyfajitas 15y ago
    Amazon doesn't use local roads. Fedex, UPS, etc do. Those companies all have a local presence and (presumably) pay their taxes to the state in which they operate. The taxes are then passed on to Amazon or the consumer in the form of higher prices on shipping. As for local fire departments, I use Pivotal Tracker. Should Pivotal Labs be forced to pay Maharashtra taxes since it's in their best interest that my company not burn down?
- gojomo 15y ago
  Technically, Amazon isn't paying the tax. The resident buyer is; Amazon is just collecting it to pass along, same as with local businesses. (The buyer still owes the tax if Amazon doesn't collect it – under 'Use Tax' laws – but that is easy to evade.)
burgerbrain 15y ago
Purchases from Amazon.com in states that don't have an Amazon.com presence (California in this instance) generally are taxed. It's called "Use Tax", and it is your responsibility as a taxpayer to report it and pay it. The Californian government wants Amazon.com to collect a sales tax, instead the use tax. Either way the purchases are taxed, unless of course you choose to dodge your taxes...

by blahedo 15y ago

kevinskii 15y ago

Sales taxes fund local infrastructure. Why should Amazon have to pay for a fire department that it will never possibly need? In regards to the "fairness" question, put it a different way: It's unfair that brick and mortar companies can offer their customers immediate gratification and the ability to physically inspect items before buying. Amazon can do neither.

Anechoic 15y ago
Why should Amazon have to pay for a fire department that it will never possibly need? It's certainly in Amazon's interest that their customers have access to those local FD's. Even if one doesn't agree with the FD example, those sales taxes also pay for local roads and surely Amazon makes use of those. (Lest I be accused of being a hypocrite, I do pay the local sales tax for internet purchases via the Massachusetts 'safe harbor' provision for small purchases and itemized listings of my larger purchases with my state tax filings)
- yummyfajitas 15y ago
  Amazon doesn't use local roads. Fedex, UPS, etc do. Those companies all have a local presence and (presumably) pay their taxes to the state in which they operate. The taxes are then passed on to Amazon or the consumer in the form of higher prices on shipping. As for local fire departments, I use Pivotal Tracker. Should Pivotal Labs be forced to pay Maharashtra taxes since it's in their best interest that my company not burn down?
gojomo 15y ago
Technically, Amazon isn't paying the tax. The resident buyer is; Amazon is just collecting it to pass along, same as with local businesses. (The buyer still owes the tax if Amazon doesn't collect it – under 'Use Tax' laws – but that is easy to evade.)

burgerbrain 15y ago

Purchases from Amazon.com in states that don't have an Amazon.com presence (California in this instance) generally are taxed. It's called "Use Tax", and it is your responsibility as a taxpayer to report it and pay it. The Californian government wants Amazon.com to collect a sales tax, instead the use tax. Either way the purchases are taxed, unless of course you choose to dodge your taxes...