Isn't student discount totally pointless?

[hojoon0724]

Ok.. Am I missing something?
I think the student discount by apple is totally pointless because if you include tax, it runs more than buying on amazon at regular price.
Amazon doesn't charge tax and it's free shipping

Even with the iPod discount I don't think it's going to turn out any cheaper because people on craigslist are mostly a$$es about lowballing.

Agree? Or not? Any thoughts?

 

[dukebound85]

you are supposed to pay taxes from amazon purchases when you do your yearly taxes. most don't though

 

[Mord]

apple has multiple educational discounts depending on how you do it, I think if you buy from within your campuses network or something you get a fair bit more off, usually 15% or so. It's well worth it in the UK.

 

[Omni Geno]

Keep in mind that if you buy from Apple's online store w/ a student discount, the discount also applies in the case of a CTO (configure to order). This includes changing the stock RAM, hard drive, video card, etc.

I'm not sure if Amazon does CTO; other resellers like MacMall can do CTO but once you do that the low price deals they have go out the window.

 

[hojoon0724]

you are supposed to pay taxes from amazon purchases when you do your yearly taxes. most don't though

interstate commerce is never taxed

Keep in mind that if you buy from Apple's online store w/ a student discount, the discount also applies in the case of a CTO (configure to order). This includes changing the stock RAM, hard drive, video card, etc.

I'm not sure if Amazon does CTO; other resellers like MacMall can do CTO but once you do that the low price deals they have go out the window.

For video cards and hard drives yes. But for RAM they're much much cheaper buying retail and upgrading it yourself.

 

[aristobrat]

interstate commerce is never taxed

Just to dispel any theory dissolving that old ‘Death and Taxes’ quote, internet purchases are not tax free. That’s right. As the wording goes, most internet companies don’t have to collect out of state sales tax. However, consumers, businesses and any end users still must pay a “Use Tax” on non-taxed purchases that they make through mail-order or online.

If you'd like to see the 45 states where this is true, here's a link:
http://www.ecommerce-blog.org/archives/the-myth-of-tax-free-internet-sales/

 

[dukebound85]

interstate commerce is never taxed

Sorry, but you are mistaken (unless you lived in a tax free state like Oregon but you don't)

edit: Thanks aristobrat for doing the legwork

 

[Omnigray]

i bought an i7 imac from a local apple store last week and since I'm a student i saved 120 on the purchase price and got an ipod touch + a printer for free (with rebate)

not very pointless

 

[hojoon0724]

Sorry, but you are mistaken (unless you lived in a tax free state like Oregon but you don't)

edit: Thanks aristobrat for doing the legwork

Technically, yes. But practically, no.
Which leads to the point, you're not forced to pay taxes on it.

 

[dukebound85]

Technically, yes. But practically, no.
Which leads to the point, you're not forced to pay taxes on it.

haha true that though some states (ny, co and others) are making strides to enforce it so enjoy it while you can!

 

[hojoon0724]

i bought an i7 imac from a local apple store last week and since I'm a student i saved 120 on the purchase price and got an ipod touch + a printer for free (with rebate)

not very pointless

And how much tax did you pay on that? Over 120 I assume.
If not taking account a free iPod touch and printer, it turns out more expensive than buying it on amazon or Internet retailer.

I'm saying few years back it used to be a bigger discount that ended up cheaper than buying at regular price online even taking taxes into account.
Now since it's only $100 or so, it's a bit pointless in terms of practicality.

haha true that though some states (ny, co and others) are making strides to enforce it so enjoy it while you can!

Is any member of the congress pushing towards taxing Internet retailers? Coz I'll be pissed off if they pass it before they clean up the oil spill.

 

[Willdta]

And how much tax did you pay on that? Over 120 I assume.
If not taking account a free iPod touch and printer, it turns out more expensive than buying it on amazon or Internet retailer.

I'm saying few years back it used to be a bigger discount that ended up cheaper than buying at regular price online even taking taxes into account.
Now since it's only $100 or so, it's a bit pointless in terms of practicality.

not really, because the discount covers all configured specs.when you have large add-ons like a 2tb HD and i7 cores,it can make a difference. besides if something went wrong i would rather deal with people at a apple store than online support.so online purchasing isnt really a good option either way unless its your only option.

 

[Gregg2]

Technically, yes. But practically, no.
Which leads to the point, you're not forced to pay taxes on it.

haha true that though some states (ny, co and others) are making strides to enforce it so enjoy it while you can!

I don't find that funny at all. Sorry.
Scam the system so eventually it catches up to everyone, and we all pay more. Great attitude! not

 

[hojoon0724]

I don't find that funny at all. Sorry.
Scam the system so eventually it catches up to everyone, and we all pay more. Great attitude! not

well, yes and no.
Yes because what you say is really valid.
But also it's the ineptitude of the government to create and enforce a reasonably understandable tax code.
I don't think people don't pay because they don't want to.
In fact, it was my first time hearing about the use tax.
People don't pay the use tax because the majority wouldn't know about its existence.

How long is the tax code for just your state only?
Then add the federal tax code. Then add the income tax code.
And then every year, they add thousands of pages.

That said, if everyone found a way to skip the system and you're the one not doing it, then you should get on the bandwagon because no one is giving you a medal for it.

 

[santaliqueur]

I don't think people don't pay because they don't want to.
In fact, it was my first time hearing about the use tax.
People don't pay the use tax because the majority wouldn't know about its existence.

If you do your own taxes, they ask you to declare purchases not already reported or paid for via sales tax. That's the use tax.

If someone else does your taxes, they ask you if you made any purchases, so the use tax can be paid.

The tax ALWAYS has to be paid, no matter if you are ignorant of the law or not.

 

[hojoon0724]

If you do your own taxes, they ask you to declare purchases not already reported or paid for via sales tax. That's the use tax.

If someone else does your taxes, they ask you if you made any purchases, so the use tax can be paid.

The tax ALWAYS has to be paid, no matter if you are ignorant of the law or not.

who does their own tax?
who keeps all receipts for all their purchases?

Apple student discount = pointless; because US Tax code = illogical

 

[gauchogolfer]

who does their own tax?

*raises hand*
Sorry, I don't have a CPA or anything to do my taxes for me, it's TurboTax all the way. Having said that, I don't think many people (regardless of how they file) pay individual use taxes, for the very reason that they are difficult to enforce/audit.

 

[Gregg2]

That said, if everyone found a way to skip the system and you're the one not doing it, then you should get on the bandwagon because no one is giving you a medal for it.

What? Your mamma never said, "If everyone else was jumping off a cliff.... "?

who does their own tax?

+2

 

[LittleRedRiding]

I bought my iMac for £840 from Apple online with the student discount, I just checked Amazon and it's £1046.

 

[santaliqueur]

who does their own tax?
who keeps all receipts for all their purchases?

Apple student discount = pointless; because US Tax code = illogical

Who DOESN'T do their own taxes? Also, do you just throw away receipts of large purchases? You might need those for warranty work.

You seem to want to debate US tax code, and you are in the wrong place for that. The law is, YOU MUST PAY EITHER SALES TAX OR USE TAX. You may not agree, you probably don't understand, but you still must do it. Whether or not everyone does is another story. I wonder how you'd be able to explain that if you got audited. "Well, nobody else ever paid that tax, soooo"

The student discount has absolutely nothing to do with tax, and your only argument is trying to link them.

 

[hojoon0724]

The student discount has absolutely nothing to do with tax, and your only argument is trying to link them.

Yes it does.

Apple's Student discount price of base iMac 27" = $1754.90 in CA
Amazon's Regular price of base iMac 27" = $1699.00

Assuming you don't know about use tax, which I highly doubt the majority would, it has $55.90 of relevance.

The argument is that Apple used to give $200 discount on iMacs but now they only offer $100.
It makes buying on Amazon more appealing for everyone who either doesn't know about use tax or doesn't pay them.

btw, using turbo tax isn't doing your own taxes. it's turbo tax doing them for you.
have you heard of anyone in any other country who has to use a software to figure out how much tax you are responsible for?

I bought my iMac for £840 from Apple online with the student discount, I just checked Amazon and it's £1046.

well, that makes more sense.

Who DOESN'T do their own taxes? Also, do you just throw away receipts of large purchases? You might need those for warranty work.

Apparently an estimate of 60% of Americans don't do their own taxes.
The rest who say they do their own tax use TurboTax or some software to do it for them.
NO ONE sits down with a pen and 1040 form and DOES their own tax.

And no I don't throw away receipts but I don't file them for later either.

You seem to want to debate US tax code, and you are in the wrong place for that. The law is, YOU MUST PAY EITHER SALES TAX OR USE TAX. You may not agree, you probably don't understand, but you still must do it. Whether or not everyone does is another story. I wonder how you'd be able to explain that if you got audited. "Well, nobody else ever paid that tax, soooo"

In NYC you cannot make a right turn on a red light. Just because you don't know it doesn't mean you won't get fined. But those who don't know about them do them and sometimes get fined.
Now, had you made that mistake in the past, would you go to the police and confess you've ran a red light and ask for a ticket?

On a side note, if I get an audit, I'll be happy coz I'll be getting a foreign car.

 

[santaliqueur]

Apparently an estimate of 60% of Americans don't do their own taxes.
The rest who say they do their own tax use TurboTax or some software to do it for them.
NO ONE sits down with a pen and 1040 form and DOES their own tax.

And no I don't throw away receipts but I don't file them for later either.



In NYC you cannot make a right turn on a red light. Just because you don't know it doesn't mean you won't get fined. But those who don't know about them do them and sometimes get fined.
Now, had you made that mistake in the past, would you go to the police and confess you've ran a red light and ask for a ticket?

On a side note, if I get an audit, I'll be happy coz I'll be getting a foreign car.

Sooner or later, someone with no real answer comes up with a car analogy.

Listen. You must pay the tax either way, EVEN IF YOU RECEIVE THE STUDENT DISCOUNT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU PURCHASE FROM. Get it? I can only make the letters so big, and say it so many times.

It has nothing to do with red lights or cars or doing your own taxes. If you live in a state that collects sales tax, then you must either pay that tax, or pay the use tax when you (or whoever you choose) file your income taxes.

But if you have to keep this thread going with your non-sequiturs, just keep going.

 

[DoorMouse]

NO ONE sits down with a pen and 1040 form and DOES their own tax.

I sit down with a pen and tax form and do my own tax- 'no one' is a fairly big assumption to make. Of course, I live in Australia, but i'm sure that some people in America do their own tax as well

 

[santaliqueur]

I sit down with a pen and tax form and do my own tax- 'no one' is a fairly big assumption to make. Of course, I live in Australia, but i'm sure that some people in America do their own tax as well

Don't feed him. Sitting down with a pen and tax form is identical to using Turbo Tax. His point makes no sense, since everyone owes the same tax, whether or not they are a student.

 

[Bodhi395]

Sooner or later, someone with no real answer comes up with a car analogy.

Listen. You must pay the tax either way, EVEN IF YOU RECEIVE THE STUDENT DISCOUNT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU PURCHASE FROM. Get it? I can only make the letters so big, and say it so many times.

It has nothing to do with red lights or cars or doing your own taxes. If you live in a state that collects sales tax, then you must either pay that tax, or pay the use tax when you (or whoever you choose) file your income taxes.

But if you have to keep this thread going with your non-sequiturs, just keep going.

The problem is the use tax is so complicated, and its difficult for the average consumer to know 1) that there is this use tax in the first place, as i'm sure if you polled people the vast majority would have no idea what it is, 2) once they know about the use tax, they would have trouble figuring out whether they owe it or not, because some websites charge sales tax and some don't, and people just buy things without looking at the fine print usually, 3) If they know there is a use tax, and then what products they should pay the tax on, they then probably don't know what they actually owe, or how to actually pay the tax, since there probably are a bunch of complicated forms to fill out.

Therefore, you are right, the law is the law and people are legally obligated to pay any use tax, no matter what. BUT, the logistics of the current use tax system are horrible and I'd imagine hardly anyone pays the use tax. I think the better system is for the people selling the goods to have to charge the sales tax of whatever state they are selling to, and I'm unsure why Amazon.com doesn't do that, while most other e-sellers do.