Sales Tax

[evapor8]

Ok, this might sound odd. It's not as "scam"-like as it might first seem either. I live in PA, but am employed down in Houston, TX for the summer. For those who don't know, TX sales tax is horrible.
I am buying a 15" Powerbook ASAP. I've waited and waited, and quite honestly, the deals that are going on now more than justify my purchase for me.
Anyways, where does one get billed sales tax when buying from, oh say Apple.com? I have a credit card w/ a billing address in PA, but would like to have it shipped down to TX....who's sales tax do I accrue? You all might not know the answer, but if you have any insight, I'd love to hear it. Sorry for the length of this for such a mundane question.

[Giaguara]

Why don't you order the same Powerbook from a company that does not exist in Texas = save the tax in either case (PA or TX tax) ? E.g. www.jandr.com are only in NY and they sell macs online. ;)

How much is the texan sales tax btw?

[iJon]

it will be charged to whatever is on your billing card. you will just tell them to ship it to somewhere different.

iJon

[evapor8]

Tx sales tax is up around 8.--% Horrible. Will I still be able to take advantage of the ipod promotion and edu. discount through a third party vendor?

[iJon]

Originally posted by evapor8
Tx sales tax is up around 8.--% Horrible. Will I still be able to take advantage of the ipod promotion and edu. discount through a third party vendor?
nope, apple controls all education prices and can only be bought with apple or a campus book store. same with the ipod promotion, a ed store only.

iJon

[evapor8]

thanks iJon. (BTW, nice name, same as mine, spelling and all (well, except for the i)) Anyway, looks like I'll be heading to apple.com and billing to my PA credit card, and mailing to TX. Thanks again

[beefcake]

8% is what New York sales tax is, steep but bearable. As someone else said, you'll get PA tax if the billing address is there.

[TEG]

8%.... HA!,

Try Washington, Minimum Sales tax is 6%, but Seattle is above 9%, nearby its 8.5%, on my island its 8%. But of course there is no state income tax.

At least now part of the year I live in Oregon, no sales tax :)
However you give up your right ot pump your own gas for the luctury of no sales tax, and a huge income tax.

TEG

[KCK]

Originally posted by TEG
8%.... HA!,

Try Washington, Minimum Sales tax is 6%, but Seattle is above 9%, nearby its 8.5%, on my island its 8%. But of course there is no state income tax.

At least now part of the year I live in Oregon, no sales tax :)
However you give up your right ot pump your own gas for the luctury of no sales tax, and a huge income tax.

TEG

Then there is Calif. high income tax and sales tax of 8.25% in my county. No wonder more people are leaving the "golden" state than moved in last year.

[Le Big Mac]

Originally posted by iJon
it will be charged to whatever is on your billing card. you will just tell them to ship it to somewhere different.

iJon

I don't think that's right for physical products. It's the shipping address they base the sales tax upon.

For the music store they do the billing address because there's no physical product, and they have to assume something for an address.

Can't you go home to PA to pick up the computer some weekend, or ship to your parents, home office, etc.?

Edited to add link to Apple Store policy:

clicky (http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html#Sales%20Tax)

[evapor8]

this is what I thought for physical products too. It makes sense in my head both ways, which is why I'm here asking. As far as the pick up goes...there really isn't anyone. There isn't really anyone that I would trust to hold onto my computer till I can pick it up (not to mention that I don't want to wait) and to buy a ticket from TX to PA would kind of negate the 60-90 dollar difference in sales tax that I'm trying to work around. But thanks for the thoughts. I think I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet. oh well, at least I'll have a computer again. (Last one, PC, caught on fire after PSU failed....yeah, that's right!)

[Le Big Mac]

Originally posted by evapor8
this is what I thought for physical products too. It makes sense in my head both ways, which is why I'm here asking. As far as the pick up goes...there really isn't anyone. There isn't really anyone that I would trust to hold onto my computer till I can pick it up (not to mention that I don't want to wait) and to buy a ticket from TX to PA would kind of negate the 60-90 dollar difference in sales tax that I'm trying to work around. But thanks for the thoughts. I think I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet. oh well, at least I'll have a computer again. (Last one, PC, caught on fire after PSU failed....yeah, that's right!)

Yeah, that's true. I guess saying you "live" in PA might be an overstatement. Any business trips planned to tax-free states?

[evapor8]

that's the thing though, by any legal definitions I can think of, i do "live" in PA...(I have a PA license and address), but I just happen to be in TX for an extended period of time. I know this is a stupid topic and it's really only talking about $100 at most, but I was more curious than anything else. Still not sure that I know where sales tax is attributed from though! Billing or shipping?!

edit: forgot a pretty important word

[Le Big Mac]

Originally posted by evapor8
Still not sure that I know where sales tax is attributed from though! Billing or shipping?!
[/B]

go read teh link I provided. It's pretty clear it's where it's shipped to.

[evapor8]

sorry about that, I complete missed the link. It blended very nicely into the glare that I have going on the screen right now.

Thanks for the link...completely cleared up that question for me.

[plutnicki]

When I bought my father-in-law's computer, I wanted to have it shipped to work (Taxachusetts). I live in NH (no sales tax). I saw that Apple had computed sales tax on the order and called them on it. They told me they compute based on shipping address. I had to have the order re-directed to home to get the sales tax wiped out.

I, too, had to buy online to get my discount (can't get the discount in the stores or over the phone).

Good luck.

...Jim

[greenplasticcup]

If you order from a company who has offices in the state in which you live (apple has in nearly each state - not sure how that works out) - then they have to charge you tax.

So, say you order from Smalldog Electronics - If you live in Vermont (where SmallDog is based out of), then they will charge you tax. If you order from any other state, then they will NOT charge you tax.

[legion]

It's definitely where it's shipped to. A clever trick in retail stores of all types (brick and mortar) is that if you are traveling and are in a city with a higher tax than home (and you don't need the item immediately) is ask the store to ship what you buy home. If you are buying something expensive enough (or are buying from a generous vendor), the shipping cost will be small to negligible and you can either avoid or minimize tax.

I was buying a b-day gift for my older sister who lives in the midwest once from a Rodeo Drive boutique and my sales assistant arranged to ship the product directly to her and since the boutique had no stores in my sister's state, I didn't have to pay sales tax (and the boutique also comped the shipping costs.) In the end it came out to be quite a savings with no tax and no shipping (which I would have had to spend anyway), plus they insured the item under the store's set pricing with FedEx.

(Some less reputable folks can also take advantage of this when on vacation and if you buy something ike 5 items from a store, ask to ship the smallest and lightest home and then take the other 4 with you. Technically they are supposed to split the tax rates and charge you local tax for the 4 you keep with you and destination tax for the 1 they ship, but in most cases they'll just use only the cheapest tax code. If it's something like socks as the lightest and smallest, the shipping will be something like $1. but I'd never do anything that circumvents the tax laws....:rolleyes: )

[sen_almighty]

damn......lucky ppl, here in ontario we got two taxes, which add up to 15%........provincial sales tax and goods and service Tax, 7% and 8%.....

[TEG]

Originally posted by sen_almighty
damn......lucky ppl, here in ontario we got two taxes, which add up to 15%........provincial sales tax and goods and service Tax, 7% and 8%.....

I know, in BC, you have to add like 14% to the cost, and in Halifax, its like 18%. Plus you still have income tax.

Best thing about Washington: No income Tax
Best thing about Oregon: No sales Tax

Thats why any people who live in Washington near Oregon (And a Bridge over the Columbia River, few and far between) will shop for everything except soda/cola/pop or Alcahol. They will still buy that at home, becuase Oregon has a 5¢ deposit on such items. And gas cost about 20¢ more in OR than WA, and WA just raised the gas tax 5¢.

TEG

[caveman_uk]

Single digit sales tax rates - I wish. The UK rate is 17.5% but most other EU states have higher...

[iJon]

Originally posted by sen_almighty
damn......lucky ppl, here in ontario we got two taxes, which add up to 15%........provincial sales tax and goods and service Tax, 7% and 8%.....
i know what you mean, i remember visiting montreal and our tour guide kept asking us to buy him gas in the states and drive back up there and give it to him.

iJon

[steamboat26]

I feel sorry for all you people with 8% sales tax, in VA its only like 5% and 6.25% in DC.
I say you make a stop in Delaware on your way to Texas, and then you can buy a powerbook with no sales tax

[LethalWolfe]

I feel sorry for all you people with 8% sales tax, in VA its only like 5% and 6.25% in DC.
I say you make a stop in Delaware on your way to Texas, and then you can buy a powerbook with no sales tax
This thread is 3yrs old. I'd say the advice to the OP is a little late. ;)


Lethal

[YoYoMa]

Funny. I live in VA and was complaining about the $115 I had to pay in sales tax on my Mac Pro recently. Can't even begin to imagine 15% or 17%.

[Moof1904]

I feel sorry for all you people with 8% sales tax, in VA its only like 5% and 6.25% in DC.
I say you make a stop in Delaware on your way to Texas, and then you can buy a powerbook with no sales tax


Yes, I hate an 8% sales tax, but I feel sorry for you people who have a state income tax, which we don't have here in Texas.