d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

I received this as an email this morning. This is not a matter of me pushing Service Photo - although it is definitely my photo equipment and supply store of choice - but a comment on the state of the marketplace, related to Internet purchasing. Moreover, could this mark the resurgence of the retail camera store?




Oct. 12, 2018


Important Message Regarding Sales Tax

Starting today, many large internet sellers of photo & video gear will be required to charge sales tax to their customers in many states - including customers from Maryland.

As MD's only specialty camera store, we've always worked hard to keep our prices competitive. Our prices for most major brands of gear & accessories are identical to those of our largest online competitors. Still, many Maryland photographers have purchased their cameras, lenses, lighting, & accessories from outside MD, simply to avoid the 6% sales tax. This disadvantage has now been erased, and we are now on an equal playing field with our online, out-of-state competitors.

We're hoping that this new development will allow us to serve more Maryland photographers than ever before. Of course, we'd love to welcome everyone to our Baltimore showroom & present our wide selection of new & used camera gear. But, we're equally excited to ship camera gear to photographers from Western MD, the Eastern Shore, & other outlying areas of MD who have traditionally ordered from sources out-of-state. (Ground Shipping is always free for orders over $50)

Our business outside MD is very small, & we do not need to charge sales tax to those customers at this time. We will monitor this situation continuously, and keep you informed if anything changes.

Please contact burke@servicephoto.com with any questions about the new sales tax changes, or anything else. We appreciate the opportunity to serve photographers throughout the USA, including our home state of MD, more than ever before!


Join us on a trip to PHOTO PLUS EXPO in New York City!
With so many NEW Products to see, This is a great year to attend Photo+!

Service Photo presents round trip bus transportation to & from Photoplus Expo on Thurs.10/25.
We'll fill 2 or 3 buses with photographers from this region, and the cost is just $60 per person.
Paid riders on our buses will each receive a $25 Service Photo voucher + other promotional
products from various vendors. Total value worth HUNDRED$ from our vendors!
• Buy your bus ticket here
• Register for Photo Plus Expo - FREE - HERE
• Click to see all of the exhibitors at the Expo
• Find out why you should attend here.
Registering for this event can be a little bit of a chore. Take your time, and go through the process
step-by-step. You can get through this registration process without paying anything -
just decline all of their offers, and use our special LINK!

Remember - our bus trip ticket is a separate purchase from the Expo registration. You must register for the PhotoPlus Expo& buy a ticket for our bus separately at the different links in this email!

Please call us, or email salesteam@servicephoto.com
for more information. This will be a fun & productive day trip for Maryland Baltimore area photographers!

Largobob

You may want to try B&H in NY/NJ. Competitive prices, great selection and quality products, free shipping on orders over $49 and NO TAX.

Dbotnick Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

This is the result of the US Supreme Court ruling. It is now up to each individual state to determie and put into place tax laws that we allow them to collect (force) internet business to collect/remit sales tax for their sales into that state. NJ governor just signed this law but does not go into affect for at least 60-90 days.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've been getting email from eBay about this for quite a while. Why wouldn't politicians want to collect more tax? Eventually, if you live in NY and make a purchase from a seller in CA, you'll have to pay sales tax on that. Yes, you will have to pay state sales tax on a sale that did not take place in your state. And that makes sense?

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

What other commodity or service would you choose to augment state revenue, or would simply increasing some of the existing taxes be better?

swsands Loc: Alton IL

That is no longer true. The Supreme Court ruling affects ALL online retailers. I received a similar notice from B&H yesterday. They will start collecting state sales taxes beginning today:

Important Message Regarding Sales Tax
As you may know, based on a June 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Illinois is now requiring out of state sellers to collect sales tax. As a result, B&H will begin to collect sales tax on shipments to Illinois on October 12th. All reputable retailers are complying with the new laws and collecting sales tax.

All of us at B&H thank you for the opportunity to serve you and look forward to continuing to provide you the very best in creative technology – photo, video, audio, computers, and more. We encourage you to take advantage of all we offer at www.bandh.com, including our team of experts available by phone, chat, or email to help with your technology questions; the most extensive product information available in the industry; and of course, always the best value. We pride ourselves on having what you want, when you want it – we stock the broadest assortment of technology in the industry.

If you haven’t shopped B&H in a while, please visit our website to see our latest offers. Our new B&H Credit Card, for example, offers customers special financing with no interest if paid in full within 6 or 12 months. For terms and conditions, click here.

If you are a tax-exempt customer, please visit our website for information about how to complete tax-exempt certification.

If you have questions about sales tax collection, please email us at salestax@bhphoto.com or call us at 212-465-4284.

We are grateful for your business and appreciate the opportunity to continue offering you the best service in the consumer electronics industry.

Sincerely,
Customer Service Team

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

They seem to be more worried about missing out on the sales tax that is not being collected.
There is little way without much research and analysis that they could come up with what they are loosing if they wanted to increase another tax. But then, which one would they increase to make it equitable??. (But they would probably not be too concerned with that.)

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

It is quite easy to estimate how much revenue a state loses due to internet sales. While we do not like taxes, the revenues of forty five states include a sales or use tax. I'm simply saying that the lost revenue will have to be collected via another method if sales tax collections are allowed to be decimated.

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

Paying a local tax for buying an item for me is a no brainer. I buy all my big dollar items from local retailers for the simple reason we need to keep them in business. The tax we pay is really not so bad when we can look at a person eye to eye when we buy a new lens, camera, tripod, etc. We can actually save money when we buy local by getting advice on what we are looking for and maybe we really do not need the item or another item may save some money and get the same result.

This is my $.02 as far as sales tax goes.

Greg

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Wonder how.

In PA we can pay an "estimated" percent for the internet sales tax if you do not keep all of your receipts.
Most years I wind up paying more tax, once in a great while less. So I suppose it MIGHT average out???

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

I really don't get the criticism here. When the loophole existed..we all (or many of us) took advantage of this. Even though we are legally obligated to declare the purchase in our home state and pay a portion of our sales tax.
If you live in a place (or state) that has an adequate, responsible, and competitive store...buy from them. If you don't, then don't start bitching when your local stores go out of business. Your property taxes go up to support the decline in your home town revenues. Your home values decline because of vacancies. Your state taxes go up because state revenues go down and public assistance goes up as a result of businesses closing down. I know this sounds extreme, but this is what can and has happened. All things being equal, the only reason not to buy 'locally' is inventory. We all want our purchases now. If you can't or won't wait, then buy from any number of reputable dealers. If you can wait, then help yourself and your neighbors and buy locally. Now it is not coming out of your pocket.
And, 'greedy' politicians representing their states....not so. Maybe taxes for all should be raised so that this loophole can continue to exist. Heh, my neighbor should pay more taxes so that I can buy my $3500 camera and save $310.63. And I can go on and on and on about the negative impact of not collecting the proper amount of sales tax in your state.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

For those who fail to save receipts, it's a pain and it is common knowledge, so to speak, and many do not pay it. For those really concerned with adhering to the law, I suppose that keeping a little register of purchases would be no worse than doing a checkbook. I have no issue with Amazon charging tax in my state and frankly it's about time that internet sales are liable as well. Why should my local retailers suffer with the disadvantage? The fun one to deal with is going to be Ebay. Just a matter of time!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I did the sales tax receipts one year, not worth it for the little I buy. I have no problem paying the sales tax (6% in PA), even though I dislike it as everyone does. I purchase from B&H simply because they have a MUCH greater selection of goods than my local store. Eventually they probably will start collecting the tax. You're right, Ebay will be a nightmare.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

B&H now charges taxes in some states; I got an email from them this week. It’s up to the state, not the seller, as to sales tax.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

We frequently use Amazon and my photography hobby that began in retirement has made B&H and others quite pleased. I am thirty plus miles to decent shopping selections and only one little camera shop with no real inventory.