Amazon Rocks!!

[majapapaya]

I posted a few threads and asked who was the best to buy a MBP from. Considering the issue that some MBP's are not availible for immediate delivery.
I still wanted the best price, with a rebate, no TAX, free shipping and maybe a free printer.
All on MacRumors shop list:Apple, MacMall, MacConnections, Amazon.

Apple only takes care of the ones in school: Plenty of rebates and free NANO's to go around.

MacMall offered: Mail in rebates for: Free shipping (what that's not free, have to pay up front and then send in a rebate) then a 150$ rebate, and 79$ rebate for a HP - PHOTOSMART C3180 ALL-IN-ONE printer. Okay but that's 3 rebates and not "all-in-one".

MacConnections: pretty much the same as MacMall but offered different rebate prices on the same all-in-one printers, more and charges TAX depending on the state.

Amazon: Tax free, 150$ rebate... Clear, and better yet, If you want immediate delivery you can sign up for PRIME AMAZON for 3 months FREE and then cancel if you dont want to pay the yearly fee. 2Day shipping Free,OR overnight 3.99$. And cancel before 3 months. I almost wish I didn't sign up for the Prime Amazon until after Xmas time when I really need my stuff.
I actually canceled my original order and reordered to get the faster shipping free PRIME shipping with no questions asked from Amazon. The amazon peeps had no problem to help me! Amazon is the only place truely left with real customer service. P.S. I don't work for them.
So I will be getting my MBP on friday instead of early Aug.
Yiipeee AMAZON

 

[Nermal]

Amazon are good, although they seem to be very cautious with delivery times. I ordered some HD DVDs and they said they'd take 12-15 days to arrive. They took four

 

[motherduce]

Amazon are good, although they seem to be very cautious with delivery times. I ordered some HD DVDs and they said they'd take 12-15 days to arrive. They took four

Yep, ordered my MBP Monday at 4:30pm, with overnight shipping. They estimated it would ship Tuesday and arrive on Wednesday. UPS guy showed up at 8:30am Tuesday with my MBP. Problem was, I planned on Wednesday, so I wasn't home - so now I have to wait until after 4pm today to get it!

 

[TFox]

Amazon: Tax free

No, it's not. They may not have charged you sales tax in the online transaction, but you will almost definitely owe a comensurate amount of compensating use tax when you file your New York state income tax return. That's also true in California and 18 other states, which have attempted to recapture lost sales tax revenue from mail order and Internet sales by charging a compensating use tax, or by beginning to audit and enforce pre-existing compensating use tax provisions due to the growth in Internet sales revenue and equal decline in locally collected sales tax.

For New York, see http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2004/704/essentials/p38.htm

You may decide it's worth the slight risk of criminal and civil penalties for non-payment of tax, and if so, that's on you, because it will be a false statement on your state income tax return when you put "$0" under use tax owed while your credit card bills for the last year show thousands in Internet purchases. Personally, I take pride in declaring my Internet purchases as required by California law, or buying from a local vendor if his pre-tax sales price is competitive with an Internet vendor, since I assume the tax will be a wash.

In the end, your decision is entirely your own. However, it is factually incorrect to say to others that Internet purchases are "tax free" simply because the vendor doesn't charge them and the state does.

 

[imac/cheese]

No, it's not. They may not have charged you sales tax in the online transaction, but you will almost definitely owe a comensurate amount of compensating use tax when you file your New York state income tax return. That's also true in California and 18 other states, which have attempted to recapture lost sales tax revenue from mail order and Internet sales by charging a compensating use tax, or by beginning to audit and enforce pre-existing compensating use tax provisions due to the growth in Internet sales revenue and equal decline in locally collected sales tax.

For New York, see http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2004/704/essentials/p38.htm

You may decide it's worth the slight risk of criminal and civil penalties for non-payment of tax, and if so, that's on you, because it will be a false statement on your state income tax return when you put "$0" under use tax owed while your credit card bills for the last year show thousands in Internet purchases. Personally, I take pride in declaring my Internet purchases as required by California law, or buying from a local vendor if his pre-tax sales price is competitive with an Internet vendor, since I assume the tax will be a wash.

In the end, your decision is entirely your own. However, it is factually incorrect to say to others that Internet purchases are "tax free" simply because the vendor doesn't charge them and the state does.

What are the 18 other states?

 

[TFox]

What are the 18 other states?

I was unclear. All states have a form of use tax. The 19 states I was referring to were the ones that took the initiative to include a self-reporting provision on the state income tax returns. So in the other 31 states, you'll owe the tax but will have to work somewhat harder to find the proper form on which to report it. California and New York just happen to be states that have decided to make it "easier" on the purchaser by offering an annual reminder to comb through your credit card statements for taxable transactions when filing your state income tax return. If you live in one of those 19 states, click careful in TurboTax, because you'll be prompted to enter the amount of out-of-state transactions for which no local sales tax was charged.

If you happen to live in a state with no sales tax, the use tax provisions will probably be identical.

 

[imac/cheese]

I was unclear. All states have a form of use tax. The 19 states I was referring to were the ones that took the initiative to include a self-reporting provision on the state income tax returns. So in the other 31 states, you'll owe the tax but will have to work somewhat harder to find the proper form on which to report it. California and New York just happen to be states that have decided to make it "easier" on the purchaser by offering an annual reminder to comb through your credit card statements for taxable transactions when filing your state income tax return. If you live in one of those 19 states, click careful in TurboTax, because you'll be prompted to enter the amount of out-of-state transactions for which no local sales tax was charged.

If you happen to live in a state with no sales tax, the use tax provisions will probably be identical.

This is fascinating to me. I have never heard of this before and I always thought that out of state mail order transactions were great because you didn't have to pay taxes. How do they expect people to know they have to do this?

 

[Stampyhead]

Personally, I take pride in declaring my Internet purchases as required by California law...

You take pride in paying taxes? That's pretty sick. You need help, my friend.

 

[kikobarbada]

I really like the Apple Store. Guaranteed service and products.

 

[TFox]

How do they expect people to know they have to do this?

In the 19 or so states where it's on the income tax form, that's pretty much how they do it. Honor system, until you get audited. I couldn't tell you about the other states.

The interesting thing to me is whether the amount you pay in use tax on your state income tax form is deductible from your adjusted gross income (AGI) for the following year's federal tax return. Ordinarily you need to elect whether to deduct your state income tax OR your sales tax from your AGI -- if you live in a state with little or no income tax, sometimes it makes sense to either estimate or itemize your sales tax instead. However, use tax is a line item on your state income tax return. I'm not sure whether this is a loophole that allows you to deduct use tax from your AGI because it's plowed into the amount you paid in state income taxes. If it is, paying 8.25% in use tax is less of a hit than paying 8.25% in sales tax if you're taking the state income tax deduction from AGI. Someone smarter than me will have to answer that one.

 

[majapapaya]

I understand the issues with TAX but I wanted to post this for the best place to buy from That's all! We all should know what we have to do.

 

[TFox]

I understand the issues with TAX but I wanted to post this for the best place to buy from That's all! We all should know what we have to do.

Okay, then whether or not a particular online retailer charges sales tax is a non-factor in the buying decision. If a brick-and-mortar location charges sales tax, while meanwhile it's incumbent on you to report an equal amount of use tax for a purchase from an Internet retailer, you should go with whichever vendor offers the lowest base price after rebate.

Perhaps your first post should have said: "Amazon: tax later."

 

[iarejedi]

Everyime I have used Amazon they have exceeded my expectations in every single way. I can't say one bad thing about them. Fast delivery, good packaging and an amazing selection of almost ANYTHING you could want. I absolutely love Amazon, great people working over there for sure. Best purchasing experience from Amazon!

 

[imac/cheese]

Everyime I have used Amazon they have exceeded my expectations in every single way. I can't say one bad thing about them. Fast delivery, good packaging and an amazing selection of almost ANYTHING you could want. I absolutely love Amazon, great people working over there for sure. Best purchasing experience from Amazon!

I agree. I have ordered a lot of books, textbooks, movies, etc from Amazon and I have never had a single problem with them. The shipment always arrives before I expect it and it is always in great condition.

 

[pna]

I suppose I'm the only one that has found that, should you choose their 'free shipping', your purchase gets deprioritized and won't even ship out for close to two weeks, then actually arrive three weeks later? This has now happened to me 3 times in a row, and didn't happen to me when I chose to pay for the shipping, so it seems pretty consistent. I'm fine with the free shipping being slow, but actually sandbagging the time of shipment itself is pretty lame.

I agree. I have ordered a lot of books, textbooks, movies, etc from Amazon and I have never had a single problem with them. The shipment always arrives before I expect it and it is always in great condition.

 

[majapapaya]

I suppose I'm the only one that has found that, should you choose their 'free shipping', your purchase gets deprioritized and won't even ship out for close to two weeks, then actually arrive three weeks later? This has now happened to me 3 times in a row, and didn't happen to me when I chose to pay for the shipping, so it seems pretty consistent. I'm fine with the free shipping being slow, but actually sandbagging the time of shipment itself is pretty lame.

Did you happen to have this problem in late 2006?
Wow in late 2006 the USPS was F@#$ed. They couldn't get a package delivered in time. I had ordered stuff that couldn't make it no matter what. And that was the fault of the USPS, United States Postal Service.
It's so interesting that we can refer to UPS. United POSTAL Service
I always take the free shipping from Amazon and have always received the items within that week. I find their packing a little exsessive and have received items packaged separately for no reason, but received all the same day... My UPS guy know's me and I gave him a hard time for waisting the packaging... but it's not his fault. Love my UPS GUY. Knows when I'm home. Yipee

 

[majapapaya]

Okay, then whether or not a particular online retailer charges sales tax is a non-factor in the buying decision. If a brick-and-mortar location charges sales tax, while meanwhile it's incumbent on you to report an equal amount of use tax for a purchase from an Internet retailer, you should go with whichever vendor offers the lowest base price after rebate.

Perhaps your first post should have said: "Amazon: tax later."

Oh you are right. I just wanted to have the bad situation, sorry for being courious.

 

[Father Jack]

In my experience both here in UK and Ireland, Amazon delivery is very fast. They must be one of the most efficient businesses around.
Ten out of ten from me ..

 

[majapapaya]

WeLL, I just got my LAPPY, Yippee, Yahooie. Thanks to amazon.

 

[skye12]

Amazon is fine and there is no sales tax. The only downside is no
CTO choices if one wishes to deviate from the "stock" configuration.
The real value is their typical $100-150 rebates.

Smalldog Electronics in Vermont is excellent, but you cannot order a
new machine unless a previous customer (per Apples restrictions on
its Resellers).

 

[pna]

Did you happen to have this problem in late 2006?
Wow in late 2006 the USPS was F@#$ed. They couldn't get a package delivered in time. I had ordered stuff that couldn't make it no matter what. And that was the fault of the USPS, United States Postal Service.
It's so interesting that we can refer to UPS. United POSTAL Service
I always take the free shipping from Amazon and have always received the items within that week. I find their packing a little exsessive and have received items packaged separately for no reason, but received all the same day... My UPS guy know's me and I gave him a hard time for waisting the packaging... but it's not his fault. Love my UPS GUY. Knows when I'm home. Yipee

No, this has happened to me twice in 2007. It's not the fault of the carrier, as from the time it actually leaves their warehouse to my door is never terribly long, it's the amount of time they take to even package it up and report it as ready to be shipped. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but it's awfully consistent...

 

[TFox]

Amazon is fine and there is no sales tax.

3. Do I owe tax on goods purchased via mail-order catalogs or Internet merchandise?
Yes. A seller who uses catalogs or the Internet to sell goods is treated the same as any other seller of taxable items. If you purchase merchandise through a catalog or the Internet from a seller located in Texas, you owe Texas sales tax on the purchase. If you purchase merchandise through a catalog or the Internet from a seller located outside of Texas and use the taxable item in Texas, then you owe Texas use tax on the purchase. An out-of-state mail-order company or an Internet company may hold a Texas Sales and Use tax permit and collect Texas tax. If the out-of-state seller does not have a Texas permit or does not collect Texas use tax, the use tax is due and payable by the purchaser.

http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/faq_use.html

Once more, with feeling: If your state or local jurisdiction charges sales tax, you cannot successfully avoid it by buying online or by mail order, period. The best you can do is avoid immediate payment at the point of sale, and incur an unpaid tax liability that you will later be required to remember to pay at the time your state income taxes are due. If you are audited, you may be subject to penalties for failure to pay tax that was due and owing when you filed the return.

If this is a risk you're willing to take, fine. But please don't spread misinformation that can get others into trouble.

 

[Tumeg101]

is there no tax for all Amazon items? Or only certain ones, and is it no tax for all states that charge tax, or only certain states? I might actually get my MBP off amazon also,

 

[Sounds Good]

I suppose I'm the only one that has found that, should you choose their 'free shipping', your purchase gets deprioritized and won't even ship out for close to two weeks, then actually arrive three weeks later?

That's never happened to me. I get stuff fast from Amazon. And I'm about to order a MBP from them too!

 

[TFox]

is there no tax for all Amazon items? Or only certain ones, and is it no tax for all states that charge tax, or only certain states? I might actually get my MBP off amazon also,

Whether an item is taxable is governed by your state's laws, not by Amazon. And the fact that Amazon is located in Seattle has absolutely nothing to do with whether your transaction is taxable in your state. Please re-read this thread for more info on why.

Amazon also serves as a front end to other vendors, some of whom may have tax certificates for your state, and some of whom may not. If the vendor has obtained a tax certificate from the state taxing authority (which it most assuredly has done, if it's got bricks and mortar in that state) they will have programmed their website properly to calculate the sales tax for items taxable under your state's laws. If it hasn't, there will probably not be a "sales tax" line item on your receipt and it's incumbent on you to figure out whether the items is taxable and locate and pay the proper taxing authorities. Hopefully after reading this thread, you'll start to notice that when you buy from an online retailer that has stores in your state (e.g., Eddie Bauer), the website will calculate the tax and charge it, and when it has no bricks and mortar, they won't include the tax in the transaction, but that simply means it's your duty to locate the proper state tax form, report the transaction, and pay the compensating use tax. It does not mean your transaction was tax-free. It simply means you've got to find out how to pay the tax later.

Generally, state sales tax law exempts items that, as a matter of state policy, they don't want to tax because it's regressive on those with low incomes. We're talking necessities of life here: medicine, unprepared food, utilities, and sometimes plants (I guess because some can be consumed etc.). That's why you won't pay tax for food you buy in a grocery store that requires further preparation, but you will probably pay tax on items that are "ready to eat." I would be shocked if your state's sales and use tax law exempted computers.