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B&H Photo Kicks Off Pre-Orders for New Apple Devices, Offering Tax-Free Purchases in Some States

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Pre-orders for the 2018 MacBook Air and iPad Pro have kicked off on Apple.com, and because the devices are brand new, we won't see discounted prices on them for a while. Still, third-party retailers like B&H Photo offer the chance to save a bit of money at the onset of your new Apple purchase, depending on the state you live in.

According to B&H Photo's guidelines, the retailer currently collects sales taxes in Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Washington (state), and Wisconsin. For all non-listed states, residents won't have to pay sales taxes on orders placed within those states, although B&H Photo informed me that more states will be added to the tax collection list soon.

bh-photo-new-apple-stuff.jpg
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

B&H Photo is selling 24 models of the new MacBook Air, including quite a few custom configurations. According to a company representative, customers can expect launch day shipping for all base models of the new products, but it's not a guarantee. Some devices indicate a shipping date of November 8 and later, following Apple's launch on November 7.

Note: B&H Photo appears to be dealing with a traffic volume issue, so some links may appear temporarily broken, but they all should work after a few refreshes.

For MacBook Air, the full list can be found on B&H Photo, and we've provided a few below:
[*]1.6 GHz / 8GB RAM / 128GB SSD - $1,199.00
[*]1.6 GHz / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD - $1,399.00
[*]1.6 GHz / 8GB RAM / 512GB SSD - $1,599.00
[*]1.6 GHz / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD - $1,799.00
The retailer also has numerous configurations of the Mac mini up for pre-order already:
[*]3.6 GHz / 8GB RAM / 128GB SSD - $799.00
[*]3.0 GHz / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD - $1,099.00
[*]3.6 GHz / 32GB RAM / 128GB SSD - $1,399.00
[*]3.6 GHz / 32GB RAM / 512GB SSD - $1,799.00
[*]3.2GHz / 64GB RAM / 2TB SSD - $4,099.00
Lastly, you'll find Apple's new iPad Pro on B&H Photo as well:
[*]11-inch / 64GB / Wi-Fi - $799.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $949.00)
[*]11-inch / 256GB / Wi-Fi - $949.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,099.00)
[*]11-inch / 512GB / Wi-Fi - $1,149.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,299.00)
[*]11-inch / 1TB / Wi-Fi - $1,549.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,699.00)
[*]12.9-inch / 64GB / Wi-Fi - $999.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,149.00)
[*]12.9-inch / 256GB / Wi-Fi - $1,149.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,299.00)
[*]12.9-inch / 512GB / Wi-Fi - $1,349.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,499.00)
[*]12.9-inch / 1TB / Wi-Fi - $1,749.00 (Wi-Fi + Cellular for $1,899.00)
Lastly, B&H Photo has the second generation Apple Pencil up for pre-order at $129.00, also matching Apple's price. On Apple.com, you can also order a few accessories for the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro, including the Leather Sleeve, Smart Keyboard Folio, and Smart Folio.

Article Link: B&H Photo Kicks Off Pre-Orders for New Apple Devices, Offering Tax-Free Purchases in Some States
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/10/30/bh-photo-kicks-off-pre-orders/
ABT .com already has the Apple Watch series 4 in stock, tax free, I ordered mine yesterday and it's shipped already
 
Illinois too? Damn.

I just visited their NY store. Cool place but sales tax will stop me from using them now.
 
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**DISCLAIMER**

Just because your state is not listed and B&H doesn’t collect sales tax does not mean you do not owe it. It gets reported on your state return at the end of the year. I have had many clients getting letters lately from states that require retailers give them out of state customer purchases. Purchase wisely.

Source: CPA who hates state taxation
 
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I’d rather pay the tax at this point than go through customer service phone hell for weeks when B&H loses your package and then tells you there is nothing they can do when you just bought a $3200 camera. In this day and age of tracking everything by the second I have no idea how they are so far behind. Probably because they go on holiday and shut down their online store every other week. Really. I’m still salty about my Sony a7R III order last year.
 
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Im debating waiting til BF to get the new ipad pro(Since Im not seeing it listed on bestbuy.com right now) maybe they will include a gift card or something if we purchase it?
 
BH is great for camera stuff, but after pre-ordering the Apple Watch 4 from them the very MOMENT it went on sale at 2AM and the watch STILL nowhere to be found, I’ll say no thanks to future Apple purchases. If I had ordered from Apple, I would have received it release day...
 
B&H? I didn't think they were allowed to advertise tobacco products anymore!
One for the UK market and for those old enough to remember! ;)

"10 B&H please mate!"
 
Hey @Mitchel Broussard, just an FYI that the way you worded the title currently suggests that purchases are free from tax – which they are not. Tax is simply not collected in certain states from B&H - not 'Tax Free' as you title states (normally reserved for non-profits and civic entities). Just a heads up that this can be considered False Advertising and have legal repercussions – especially if you are an affiliate of the website you mention. I suggest you edit the title and post a correction update... of course I would confer with your legal department first to confirm.
 
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The only states they can legally offer "tax free" in are the five that don't have sales tax. Failure to collect it in all other 45 states is a violation of new federal tax law.

If they aren't charging sales tax for online sales in anything other than those below, they're about to get hit hard.
  • Alaska
  • Delaware
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • Oregon
 
The headline and information on sales tax is extremely misleading.

They will not COLLECT it but in many states you still OWE it. And in states that require them to disclose it, you get a letter at the end of the year, as does the state, then you have to file your sales tax yourself.

This is deceptive advertising by B&H, and their usual attempt to pretend that they have cheaper prices because of sales tax. Buy it on amazon or another reputable retailer that collects and pays the tax so you don't have to at the end of the year.
 
OldSchoolMacGuy said:
The only states they can legally offer "tax free" in are the five that don't have sales tax. Failure to collect it in all other 45 states is a violation of new federal tax law.

If they aren't charging sales tax for online sales in anything other than those below, they're about to get hit hard.
  • Alaska
  • Delaware
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • Oregon
Click to expand...
This is patently false. I assume you're referring to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.) that allows states to collect sales tax on goods purchased online, regardless of where the merchant is physically located.

However, it is still up to the states and their legislatures to actually pass and implement a revised tax law. The Supreme Court decision did not magically change the tax code in all 50 states. All it did was remove any restrictions that may have prohibited states from collecting tax on Internet purchases.

I don't know all of the details, but I highly doubt that every state has passed a new tax law already. It's only been a few months since the Supreme Court decision.
 
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macduke said:
I’d rather pay the tax at this point than go through customer service phone hell for weeks when B&H loses your package and then tells you there is nothing they can do when you just bought a $3200 camera. In this day and age of tracking everything by the second I have no idea how they are so far behind. Probably because they go on holiday and shut down their online store every other week. Really. I’m still salty about my Sony a7R III order last year.
Click to expand...
Did they lose it or did FedEx/UPS lose the package?
 
ryanmcv said:
This is patently false. I assume you're referring to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.) that allows states to collect sales tax on goods purchased online, regardless of where the merchant is physically located.

However, it is still up to the states and their legislatures to actually pass and implement a revised tax law. The Supreme Court decision did not magically change the tax code in all 50 states. All it did was remove any restrictions that may have prohibited states from collecting tax on Internet purchases.

I don't know all of the details, but I highly doubt that every state has passed a new tax law already. It's only been a few months since the Supreme Court decision.
Click to expand...

You’re both correct and incorrect at the same time. The Wayfair case claimed that the companies are responsible for the collection. However it’s a basic foundation of sales and use tax that individuals are still liable regardless. This is in almost every state sales tax statute. You’re liabile for the tax on items mentioned in the law regardless of location, ala ‘use’ tax.
 
btrach144 said:
Did they lose it or did FedEx/UPS lose the package?
Click to expand...
That’s what they couldn’t figure out. They said it hadn’t left their facility, but that it might be on a truck somewhere at their facility, which they couldn’t find for some reason. I’m still not sure the real story, but from what I gathered it got lost as they were transferring it over, and there was a missing truck somewhere. I’m still confused, so now I just avoid making time sensitive or large purchases there. Got a sweet deal on the camera purchase though, with a free 64GB UHS-II 300MB/s SD card, so at least there was that, which did arrive on time with no camera to put it in. Makes shooting 42MP RAWs at 10fps a pleasure, as well as offloading them to my SSDs.
 
BreadofWonder said:
BH is great for camera stuff, but after pre-ordering the Apple Watch 4 from them the very MOMENT it went on sale at 2AM and the watch STILL nowhere to be found, I’ll say no thanks to future Apple purchases. If I had ordered from Apple, I would have received it release day...
Click to expand...
Are you able to cancel the order? Or does it have to be shipped and then returned? I'm about to buy the new iPad on B but don't want to get stuck with an open order for months.
 
These posts of “tax free” purchases can be very misleading. Some states have gone after online vendors for lists of sales to their states, then sending letters to end purchasers charging them tax and threatening penalties if not paid in certain time frames.

One example off the top of my head, NewEgg sent a list of all purchases >$1,500 to one state which then sent out sales tax collection notices to those purchasers.

As someone who wants a smooth road to drive on and my refuse/recycling picked up weekly, I understand taxes are a necessary evil. These MR posts on how to avoid paying your fair share in taxes are mildly infuriating to me.
 
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yanksfan114 said:
**DISCLAIMER**

Just because your state is not listed and B&H doesn’t collect sales tax does not mean you do not owe it. It gets reported on your state return at the end of the year. I have had many clients getting letters lately from states that require retailers give them out of state customer purchases. Purchase wisely.

Source: CPA who hates state taxation
Click to expand...
And that's one of the very few reasons I love being a Florida resident.
 
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