chaman

I just love to hear people like you running their mouths, love the condescending attitudes....know why? because the higher the horse the worse the fall.

mainshipper Loc: Hernando, Florida

Ditto!!!

lautenk2

I think you haven't been paying close enough attention to make that statement, but you're not wrong. I moved to Colorado 2 years ago. Amazon has been collecting sales tax for CO the whole time I've been here for orders where the vendor is Amazon.

If you order from a third party vendor through Amazon, even if your purchase is "fulfilled" by Amazon and shipped from an Amazon distribution center (and all that info is provided to you during the ordering process), it seems to be up to the individual third party vendor whether or not they collect CO sales tax, and most don't. For example, you can purchase from Adorama, Cameta, and many other well known vendors, through Amazon, and not be charged tax if the delivery is in CO. If you order the same item, on the same Amazon website and the vendor is Amazon instead of a third party vendor, Amazon does collect the CO tax.

I read a news story just last week about Massachusetts either winning a lawsuit or otherwise coming to some agreement after a long fight with Amazon whereby Amazon will provide the Commonwealth with all the purchase information on deliveries to MA that haven't collected tax, specifically including third party vendor orders. So, the party is over in MA. I'm only surprised that California didn't beat them to it, since CA already forced Amazon to collect sales tax starting around 2012, maybe earlier, but with the third party vendor loophole. I think CA was first to do that, but maybe I was only paying attention to it because I lived in CA at that time. A side effect was that buying from third party vendors through Amazon suddenly became a lot more popular in CA, go figure. The same arrangement was in effect in CO when I got here. Like Jakebrake said, the writing is on the wall. If MA can do this, so can every other commonwealth and state, and they will. Soon. Amazon is the target now because they are the largest, but after this all the states will go after the next largest internet vendor.

It's not worth complaining about. We got a free ride for several years, and now things will be soon be back to normal. BTW, I don't like to see local shops closed either, but correcting the unfair advantage of no sales tax will not entirely fix that. Small shops in every industry have been severely challenged by big-box stores and internet sales (and before that, catalog mail order vendors who then blossomed with the internet) even in states with no sales tax, so why would that not continue?

leftj Loc: Texas

Talk about moot!

katherineivey Loc: Corinth, Texas

That may be a contributing factor to stores going out of business but the biggest factor is the cost of overhead to brick and mortar stores. Hard to compete with virtual stores. Here in TX we are not required to pay a "use tax" on online purchases. Probably because we have no state Income tax. But more and more online merchants are collecting TX sales taxes. All this being said, the state will get it's money. Don't get me started on how ridiculously high our property taxes are!
Sorry if I posted twice
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david vt Loc: Vermont

Absolutely agree. Online shopping has given us all unprecedented access to all sorts of goods, and competition, either from on-line stores or big box stores, is fair game. one needs to complete on price vs product/service/support offered. Some may chose local for those reasons. Some may weigh the options and buy online. Frankly, all fine choices at the heart of our capitalistic society.

that said, fair is fair, and if taxes are legally owed, pay them. That Colorado and other states are pursuing more aggressive treatment from merchants is a sign that they are going after tax cheats. If you bought online, and paid alternative “use” taxes when you filed your taxes, then you have nothing to feel guilty about nor worry about.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Two things are for sure in life:
1- To pay taxes.
2- To die.
Till now we have been allowed to buy tax free from stores like B&H but the government knows it is loosing money. Perhaps one of these days buying from the Internet will cease saving us taxes.
Looks to me it will happen soon.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Consequences occur when you don't pay taxes, especially Federal Income Taxes. California will make an example of you, if you don't pay State Income Taxes too. Both Tax Collection agencies can give you a miserable, unhappy ending. I expect more B&H letters in the future to be distributed to other States nationwide regarding sales taxes. Population growth demands more taxes. Whether you like it or not. taxes aren't going away, period. Yes, there is waste. But we can't do anything about it, but complain. Wasn't the Boston Tea Party about paying taxes to the British? Now, we pay our government and States in the same fashion.

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

Apparently I'm in the minority here in taking advantage of not paying my states sales tax on internet purchases. My initial post simply asked if anyone else had received a letter from B&H like I did, and would be in the future be making my purchases locally through a brick and mortar store, Mike's Camera. (which I thought would make many of you happy) I guess now I'm a 'tax cheat' for not promptly forwarding this money to the state of Colorado on all of my online purchases for the last 10 or so years. To those of you who have showed me the error of my ways, consider me properly chastised. Make no mistake about it, I don't have an issue with paying my taxes. What I do have an issue with is the bloated bureaucracy's, taxing for one thing, then using it for another, senseless and redundant programs and using my hard earned dollars the fed, state and local take to advance absurd programs like the mating habits of the blue nosed bottle fly.

david vt Loc: Vermont

You forgot NH, which also does not have a state sales tax!

Larryshuman

There used to be a photography store in downtown in my city. I spent thousands there. They are closed and new owners have moved it 20 miles away and charge full list prices. If I wanted to buy a Nikon 24~70 F2.8 they will have to order it, they don't stock it. Same with a 600mmF:4. Tell same they will have it in 2 weeks. The even lost their Advanced Nikon classification from Nikon. If you go there and want a 500 or 600 prime your sales tax is at 7.5%. That's a ton of extra money to put out for what. A strobe cord that goes from the camera to the strobe- a 3rd party costs $109. I sat at my desk a took apart my 3 Nikon cords and tighten all the little screws myself thus fixing the strobe cord. I saved $327+ $24 sales tx =$351. Nikons 600mmF:4GVR was at $10300 X 7.5%=$11,072.50. Support our local brick and mortar stores BS

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Thank you for your response to our members from outside the US who have criticized our systems. You put my thoughts in much more polite terms than I ever could have.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

BFD. pay your taxes remember this when you complain about government deficit spending.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Income Tax and Sales tax are two different beasts.....

Some states have NO SALES TAX, but do have INCOME TAXES, some have no INCOME TAXES, but collect a SALES TAX on every sale, some collect BOTH or as much as they can from as many places as they can.

Living in Delaware, there is a STATE INCOME TAX, CITY WAGE TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES, FUEL TAXES but NO SALES TAX....

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

This topic is quite entertaining.

If someone doesn’t like paying their own states sales tax let them opt into paying NY taxes.

It annoy be called a free market when the gubmint taxes one business but not another when they in the same line of business.