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How to buy in Florida to avoid tax?

T

temen

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 15, 2011
77
0
I want to buy macbook 15'' retina (ME665LL/A)
However I would rather like to avoid florida tax, so local shops are out of the pictures.
So Im asking for the advice where from should I buy, internet shop prices are pretty similar - I found $50 differences, so instead of saving $50 I'd like to buy from the most reliable store.
Amazon would be the best with lowest problems rate? Or maybe something else?
Maybe there's some shop where I can order online, pickup local and don't have to pay tax?

Thanks a lot!
 
Spink10 said:
Huge discount on AppleCare with purchase of a Mac - best price for AppleCare even if you dont purchase with Mac.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just saw that. At $250 I might even consider applecare:)

So, no better deals? I was kind of hoping that there's some coupon code or discount I was not aware of. ;)
 
temen said:
Yeah, I just saw that. At $250 I might even consider applecare:)

So, no better deals? I was kind of hoping that there's some coupon code or discount I was not aware of. ;)
Click to expand...

Unless you want to purchased used.

Just looked I guess B&H doesnt give a further discount with a purchase of a Mac anymore - use to be another 50% off.
 
I've found Amazon to almost always have the best price, and their customer support is beyond great. They have leverage with manufacturers, for one.

Example: I bought a plasma TV mount from Amazon, and it turned out to be not suitable for my TV, despite the fact that it was listed as compatible.

The manufacturer replaced it, the replacement didn't work any better than the original.

At this point, I was beyond the return period. However, Amazon twisted some arms, and the manufacturer authorized a full refund.

I didn't have to pay any shipping costs on any of this.

I then bought a heavier model from the same manufacturer (also through Amazon.)

I've bought a lot of electronic items through Amazon, as well, and I think it gives me good assurance that I am buying a genuine product. (I think it's 50/50 on Ebay, for example, at least for small easily-copied products. Did you know that some huge percentage - like 50% - of Bluetooth headsets sold on EBay were found to be fakes?)

If I have real concern about whether a product is genuine, or whether a "new" product is really new (and not used or a refurb) then I buy directly from the manufacturer.

Thus, I only buy Apple products from Apple. (Although I did buy my 2008 Macbook from Mac Connection, but my recent Mini came directly from Apple.)

And, so, I wind-up paying the high California sales tax on Apple products.

I have a small list of big stores that I trust:

- Amazon
- PC/Mac Connection
- Newegg
- B&H
- Adorama
- Provantage

Memory for the Mini? Direct from Kingston. I bought some rather exotic memory, and I don't trust anybody to not relabel a cheaper product.
 
What about:
"I wouldn't buy from BH just because I'd want the no questions asked money back guarantee from Apple."
I understand when I buy from apple online with delivery to my address (in my case hotel) then I don't pay florida tax.

So maybe apple store is wiser choice in case of any problems, returning and so on?
 
temen said:
What about:
"I wouldn't buy from BH just because I'd want the no questions asked money back guarantee from Apple."
I understand when I buy from apple online with delivery to my address (in my case hotel) then I don't pay florida tax.

So maybe apple store is wiser choice in case of any problems, returning and so on?
Click to expand...

Apple has physical stores in Florida. I don't care if you are in a refrigerator box by the RR tracks, you will pay sales tax at Apple.com. Above is a great list of online stores that are tax free. Pick one.
 
temen said:
What about:
"I wouldn't buy from BH just because I'd want the no questions asked money back guarantee from Apple."
I understand when I buy from apple online with delivery to my address (in my case hotel) then I don't pay florida tax.

So maybe apple store is wiser choice in case of any problems, returning and so on?
Click to expand...

Just wondering: You know that when you find a seller that doesn't charge you sales tax you have to report the purchase in your next tax statement and pay yourself? And if you don't, it's called tax evasion?
 
gnasher729 said:
Just wondering: You know that when you find a seller that doesn't charge you sales tax you have to report the purchase in your next tax statement and pay yourself? And if you don't, it's called tax evasion?
Click to expand...

Well, Im from Europe, Im planning after flighing back home to account invoice for macbook, add my tax rate in my country (23%) and right away "remove" it - since it's a company expense.
I was hoping it will be enough.;)
 
Apple should have a shop at LA airport for international travellers. In Australia and New Zealand we can buy Apple at the airport on the way out overseas and avoid sales tax.
 
KiwiAdventure said:
Apple should have a shop at LA airport for international travellers. In Australia and New Zealand we can buy Apple at the airport on the way out overseas and avoid sales tax.
Click to expand...

Well, Im flying back after 2 weeks from now and I'm too impatient to wait. ;)
Apart of that - there's no apple store from what I know at Miami airport.

Nice offtopic. ;)
 
temen said:
Well, Im flying back after 2 weeks from now and I'm too impatient to wait. ;)
Apart of that - there's no apple store from what I know at Miami airport.
Click to expand...
There are generally ways to 'defer' the state/provincial sales tax. However, they generally rely on the store shipping the product out of state/province. Several on-line stores will ship tax free, as you know. In your case you've got a much bigger problem, however.

Your credit card billing address is not the shipping address if you are temporarily staying at a hotel. I am pretty sure that just about any north american on-line store is going to refuse the order on that basis, right there, alone. Which means, you will need to shop in person.

I don't know if it will work in Florida, with Apple products. But in Ontario, generally if you buy a piece of photographic equipment and then ask them to ship it to you in BC because then you can save the provincial sales tax they will just hand you the camera and write on the invoice "Shipped to BC - PST exempt." You become the 'shipping agent' in essence. The risk is that you will actually have to pay to ship the item to yourself in Europe, of course, if things don't go according to plan. You need to chat up the sales staff for about a half an hour about your home province (nation in your case), and you need to pick a sales person who has the authority to make that decision. And they have to like you and trust you. And you have to be interesting. But if you have nothing else better to do, maybe it is worth the effort.

Good Luck, eh!
 
According to: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/common/travellers/enter_eu/index_en.htm

a person can import goods to the EU and not pay VAT or customs:
Up to a value of €430 for air and sea travellers
Up to value of €300 for other travellers

so, almost any Apple computer would be subject to VAT and failure to declare could result in penalties...

Customs might be alert to the plug if it is US style and if the computer smells new.

Also, the keyoard will be US version...
 
dukebound85 said:
surprised many here are assisting with not paying taxes. Not exactly legal:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
If you are from out of state, as the OP is, it is perfectly legal to not pay the state/provincial sales taxes in many (if not most) cases. What is (usually) not legal is then not declaring and paying the taxes due in your home jurisdiction. In this case the VAT when the poster returns home.
 
Last edited:
snberk103 said:
If you are from out of state, as the OP is, it is perfectly legal to not pay the state/provincial sales taxes in many (if not most) cases. What is not legal is then not declaring and paying the taxes due in your home jurisdiction. In this case the VAT when the poster returns home.
Click to expand...

In the U.S., typically there are two different taxes: sales tax, and use tax. Sales tax is collected by the seller. Use tax is paid by the buyer in cases where a sales tax was not collected by the seller. They are usually (but not always) the same percentage.

Liability varies state-by-state, so a blanket statment cannot be made about legality or liability.
 
jtara said:
In the U.S., typically there are two different taxes: sales tax, and use tax. Sales tax is collected by the seller. Use tax is paid by the buyer in cases where a sales tax was not collected by the seller. They are usually (but not always) the same percentage.

Liability varies state-by-state, so a blanket statment cannot be made about legality or liability.
Click to expand...

ooops.... missed the qualifier in the 2nd sentence. Fixed.

The other complicating factor is the arcane US sales tax system that can see different taxes levied in different cities and different counties within a state. Keeping track of the different rules can cause a major headache.
 
temen said:
Maybe there's some shop where I can order online, pickup local and don't have to pay tax?
Click to expand...

It doesn't work that way unless you're picking it up from the post office or UPS or something of that sort. If a retailer has a brick and mortar presence in your state, you pay sales tax. Otherwise you may still be technically liable for use tax. Anyway the point is that it varies by shop, so you may have to double check when it comes to calculating shipping. Keep in mind that you are also limited by the return policy of that reseller. Most of them do not have Apple's 14 day no questions asked policy.
 
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