Amazon

[ACH]

Any transaction through Amazon payments could be easily accounted for by company, affiliate, or whatever. I said that taxes can and are billed to the local level by zipcode including local muni taxes. I know because we do it and we aren't using some freeware app either.

isn't a huge expense, especially for Amazon.

For sure.

I hear what you are saying.
I still find it unlikely that they are using an off the shelf solution though.

err, they account for all of that already - it's not terribly difficult

Yeah, I get that.
What I was trying to say is that I have noticed that they have a tendency to create their own solutions.

[PNWbrit]

but it isn't a huge expense

The expense of the mechanism to selectively not pay sales taxes probably more complex/costly a system than to just pay it.

The reason they don't has nothing to do with the complexity (not that it is at all complex in the grand scheme) or ease.

[warthog]

I have a love/hate relationship with Home Depot.

For electrical conduit and fittings their prices can't be beat. Platt (wholesaler) can't even come close to their pricing, for small orders like I usually need. Love that I can save a lot of money and get my electrical fittings at the same place I get my concrete.

But, their inventory control is an absolute fucking joke. They used to be absolutely bomber. Then they changed their purchasing formula. I forget the specifics, but they try to maintain some semblance of a just in time inventory system, and they absolutely suck at it. I can't tell you how many times they are out of 90's, yet have 4 boxes of couplers. Or, are out of couplers but have a gazillion 10' sticks. Or, no cover plates. Stupid shit.

Platt always has what you need, but their pricing on conduit is double of Home Depot's unless you're buying 100's of sticks.

As far as tax on internet sales, most states already have use tax laws, and you are supposed to be filing a use tax return quarterly. I just bought 1k of tires from tire rack, and will be paying my tax via my quarterly use tax form. It would be great if online retailers were forced to collect and file sales tax, as it would make it a lot easier to follow the law.

Hate to polyass it up, but how many people that cheat their state out of revenue, by buying online and not reporting use tax, then vote for tax increases, and for politicians that want to increase their taxes?

Do you have an account at Platt? Tell your rep what you buy at HD. I bet they meet the price, if possible. I am familiar with them. You just need to tell them that you would like to buy everything there. Some contractors shop everything, so the wholesaler doesn`t go out of their way to hook them up. If you can buy all your stuff there, I bet they`ll adjust their margin to get all your business.

The problem I have with contractors that price shop my distributors at HD, is that they typically buy the cheap outlets and switches at HD, then they buy their gear and receptacle and switch plates with the wholesaler. They also shop HD for wire, but when they need cuts or immediate service, they go to the wholesaler. With that kind of loyalty, no one has a right to bitch.

Anyway, try it. See what they will do. They are a well respected distributor.

[doughboyshredder]

There is off the shelf software that will bill all state and local taxes by zipcode for online purchases. Has been for ever.

Billing does not equal reporting to every state and remitting payments to every state.

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[iceman]

The reason online retailers don't collect sales tax has nothing to do with how complex/simple the software would be, it's a competitive advantage, end of story.

[doughboyshredder]

Do you have an account at Platt? Tell your rep what you buy at HD. I bet they meet the price, if possible. I am familiar with them. You just need to tell them that you would like to buy everything there. Some contractors shop everything, so the wholesaler doesn`t go out of their way to hook them up. If you can buy all your stuff there, I bet they`ll adjust their margin to get all your business.

The problem I have with contractors that price shop my distributors at HD, is that they typically buy the cheap outlets and switches at HD, then they buy their gear and receptacle and switch plates with the wholesaler. They also shop HD for wire, but when they need cuts or immediate service, they go to the wholesaler. With that kind of loyalty, no one has a right to bitch.

Anyway, try it. See what they will do. They are a well respected distributor.

I do have an account at Platt. Manager asked me for a list a couple months ago. On your rec I will follow up with her. I really like the counter guys there and I do buy a lot of wire from them.


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[doughboyshredder]

The reason online retailers don't collect sales tax has nothing to do with how complex/simple the software would be, it's a competitive advantage, end of story.

And an illegal one at that. There just is no way for states to enforce their laws on companies registered in other states.

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[warthog]

I do have an account at Platt. Manager asked me for a list a couple months ago. On your rec I will follow up with her. I really like the counter guys there and I do buy a lot of wire from them.


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Squeaky wheel time. Never hurts to ask. Plus, will call and terms are a good thing for a busy contractor. The ones with time to shop, well you draw your own conclusions.

[Tippster]

This thread can be resurrected. Post some random shit you bought on Amazon.

Me, a potato ricer. Fucking amazing

I see your Ricer and raise you a Spaetzle Maker:

[schuss]

The thing about sales tax is it will potentially kill or vastly increase the expense of selling online for smaller companies. In addition, there's not a ton of standardization around sales taxes and applicability, as many states have weird products with extra sales tax.

[sfotex]

The thing about sales tax is it will potentially kill or vastly increase the expense of selling online for smaller companies. In addition, there's not a ton of standardization around sales taxes and applicability, as many states have weird products with extra sales tax.

Part of my job is dealing with sales taxes for a larger e-retailer. It's a royal PITA. Mapping taxonomies to commodity code, tax holidays, tax law changes. Are return labels taxable? Lots of calls to state tax commissions. We have a guy whose sole role is to file sales taxe remittence online. Thats for 4 states, if we scale it to 45 states or whatever, shudder. We use a commercial solution, but it's yet another thing to maintain, and has it's issues. Oh, and don't forget the joy of audits...

[Meadow Skipper]

Back to Amazon: trigger pulled just now for good deals on a Kindle Fire and Amazon Prime for the ol' ball and chain. Cyber Monday - go get it.

No tax.

[schuss]

Part of my job is dealing with sales taxes for a larger e-retailer. It's a royal PITA. Mapping taxonomies to commodity code, tax holidays, tax law changes. Are return labels taxable? Lots of calls to state tax commissions. We have a guy whose sole role is to file sales taxe remittence online. Thats for 4 states, if we scale it to 45 states or whatever, shudder. We use a commercial solution, but it's yet another thing to maintain, and has it's issues. Oh, and don't forget the joy of audits...

Yep, it's a fucking mess that will end up with everything online going to google/amazon/paypal payments, as they can let them sort the payment issues, which will be fees on top of CC fees. I think if there's going to be sales tax online, it needs to be standardized to just a flat percent, no holidays, no other BS.

[XavierD]

Not many places will ship a 50lb Kettle bell to me for free in two days...
Not sure how they made money on that one.

[P_McPoser]

No Green Chile's in the BFE jungle? BOOM, amazon baby.