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Old 04-30-2011, 04:21 PM   #13
Pete_G
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Newport, RI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND View Post
So... Am I understanding it correctly?
Amazon doesn't want to pay the same internet based sales tax that they are supposed to pay, and that a mom and pop online book store in the same state would have to pay? Or am I missing something...

Kind of like if Saltwater Edge had to pay more in taxes on internet orders than say BPS or Cabelas?
A good example is if Cabelas came to Rhode Island, asked for what Amazon was asking for and got it, despite having a physical location in RI they would NOT have to collect sales tax from someone who placed an Internet or catalog order in Rhode Island.

Some states have allowed this, others have shot it down.

SWE has to collect the sales tax on an Internet sale to someone in RI making us more "expensive" in the eyes of the customer, assuming they aren't going to pay the tax (which almost no one does) for that same purchase that they might make from someone who wouldn't collect that tax.

Or, the other way around, if SWE were to set up a warehouse in South Carolina, we would have to collect sales tax from SC residents even if the package shipped from RI.

Naturally in states where this has occurred, tackle shops got a little bitter about it. And small business in general tends to frown on the Amazon scenario. Even the Tea Party has a hard on about it and some money hungry states are sending back taxes to Amazon.

As JohnnyD mentioned, a Google search for "Amazon tax laws" will fill you in with the details if you want them.

Last edited by Pete_G; 04-30-2011 at 04:29 PM..
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