Good morning Dave, great trip to YNP even had snow. Back to the point, Washington is one screwed up state and I'm sure not the only one either! When I came out here the yearly tag for your car was out of sight because the state saw fit to keep raising the fee to cover anything. With what my plates cost I thought that the roads should have been paved with gold! God help the people that bought motorhomes, we saw so many vehicles with outdated tags. So we the people of the state pushed and passed a standard fee of $25 dollars a year for car plates. Gee were we all surprised to hear all the screaming from so many groups that lost their funding when this happened, all had nothing to do with roads. Our roads are always in need of fixing, good people would go out at night and "borrow" VW bugs to fill the pot holes, it was that bad, well almost, you get my drift. Legislation passed only has to be obeyed by the state for two years and the state can then start "bending " to their or their friends need after that. My $25 plates now are up to $80 and if you want to drive into state parks you have to buy a yearly pass. I'm waiting for the time that the state fits you with a breathing mask that meters the air you use and if you don't pay every night they will shut it off. I'm not that far from Idaho and I buy gas every time before I came home and save about $4.50 on every fill up. I wouldn't have minded paying the sales tax to the state of New York because that is where the transaction was taking place and it is a lower tax then WA, but WA had nothing to do with anything and all they want is money. Taxes aren't all bad, it's the knuckle heads that seem to think they have endless money to spend, we have to live with a budget why can't the state?

The problem is the states want more and more; it's easy money for them! When we need more money where do we go - to the bank if you lucky, take out a loan, etc. I wish I could increase my SS check with the snap of my fingers but I can't! I have to live, and make due, with a fixed income... I remember what my dad said a long time ago - the easiest thing a politician can do is spend your money and they keep wanting more and more of it. NH can function without a sales tax so why can't more states do the same.... They should pay us for spending our money not the other way around.

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!

My take. When I bought expensive items one a Sony Pro video deck for 7k you bet I bought from B&H in NY lived in PA.
And it is complex for buyers and sellers. Vertex a company that started in PA is not the king of state tax management
for sales all over the world. B&H sells to someone in Seattle how do they know how to configure local taxes.
The reason I think That a lot of the smaller photo stores went out of business is stock. Who gets the Sony a7III B&H sent me an
email they have them. A lot of photo stores became chains and were mismanaged. Some great stores like the one in Bryn Mawr
near where I used to live are still great catering to an area with deep pockets. Costco etc have packaged deals on Nikons etc
that cant be beat. Best Buy has improved their service my store in Aventura Florida has a Sony rep who is an expert.
He gives me straight answers. And we are friendly.
State sales tax has always been a mess. For years in PA when I had a marketing and production company we couldn't get
straight answers about what is taxed. Is the written copy of an ad taxable. How about a still picture of a building? Or advertising
consultation? We could never get a straight answer.

About 2-3 months ago our Supreme Court passed a ruling that internet sales can be taxed. (This was before Kavanaugh was posted as Supreme Court Justice). So as long as your favorite internet sales stores (B & H, Adorama, Etc.) don't tack on taxes go for that nifty item you've been eying. But make sure they don't add tax at check out. Otherwise, you may as well shop your local camera store.