Amazon alternative

[taters]

I shop all the time on amazon.com

Mainly because of free shipping, no sales tax,

And the convenience of having products

Delivered right to my door.

But starting in 2013 nj made a deal with amazon

To start collecting nj sales tax.

Is there anything similar to amazon out there?

I like going to one stop shopping. And amazon has great

Customer service. So I guess I'm gonna have to shop around

To get free shipping and no sales tax. Any suggestions?

[Bob Palin]

You were probably always supposed to be paying sales tax (or something like it) on all online out of state purchases. I pay the Utah tax on my Amazon purchases every year with my state tax return, it's the law and it's the right thing to do. I wonder if there's a reward for turning you in for previous years...

[chrisolson]

AZ instituted a specific internet purchases tax line on the state returns last year. Its voluntary ... sorta. With all the tracking going on who knows how long before someone sells States a list of folks who've purchased anything over the internet that triggers an audit flag next time you submit a return with zero internet tax paid.

 

Maybe you could just convince yourself the additional cost is not a tax, its just a Convenience Premium.

[upflying]

Ca is doing the same thing and Amazon is fighting back.

Personally I think everyone should be paying sales tax for online shopping.

Why should a local camera store show merchandise to people who intend to buy it online for less?

Just a matter of time before the IRS software hooks up with our credit card statements.

[taters]

Oops!

Now let me see if I can guess who you all are voting for.

Now I'm gonna assume that if I find some comparable sites you all don't want me posting their web addresses. Lol

[chrisolson]

Actually, you don't ... ... but post to your heart's content. There's lots out there, but I haven't found many as efficient, convenient and wide ranging as Amazon.

 

Newegg comes close, but only for computer and electronic stuff and not everything is free shipping.

[Shaman97]

So if I shop on-line, never going into a brick and mortar store, make my decision based on the specifications of the widget, and the return policy of the on-line store, on a product I cannot purchase locally in the state, county or city I live in, why pay sales tax?

[Matts_12GS]

So if I shop on-line, never going into a brick and mortar store, make my decision based on the specifications of the widget, and the return policy of the on-line store, on a product I cannot purchase locally in the state, county or city I live in, why pay sales tax?

 

My thoughts exactly.

[10ovr]

You were probably always supposed to be paying sales tax (or something like it) on all online out of state purchases. I pay the Utah tax on my Amazon purchases every year with my state tax return, it's the law and it's the right thing to do. I wonder if there's a reward for turning you in for previous years...

Ok Bob,,We well need to see your last 10 years of tax returns,,,,,,

[taters]

YIKES! Am I the only capitalist here?

[upflying]

YIKES! Am I the only capitalist here?

Nope, I'm still a conservative but buying online to avoid paying sales tax is violating the law in Ca. You must declare the online purchase on your CA state franchise tax 540 form..although I suspect few do. Consult your financial representative for further advice.

[JayW]

My accountant's annual questionnaire always asks if I have purchased items online and paid no sales tax. I truthfully answer yes, but do not track my specific online purchases. He uses an algorithm (based on income?) to estimate the tax and I pay it at tax time. Sounds fair to me, and comes free of guilt. The additional tax owed is pretty small as I recall.

 

Amazon is a model of how online shopping should work.

 

Jay

[markgoodrich]

You were probably always supposed to be paying sales tax (or something like it) on all online out of state purchases. I pay the Utah tax on my Amazon purchases every year with my state tax return, it's the law and it's the right thing to do. I wonder if there's a reward for turning you in for previous years...

 

What Killer says.

[BULLman]

rethought smart a## remark

[Mike]

Back to the original question . . . I haven't found anything as comprehensive as Amazon, or anything that reliably works as well. However, I often find that Amazon's prices are far from the best. If it's an expensive item, I'll do a web search for the SKU number or the model, and see what I come up with.

[BFish]

i look at no sales tax as a bonus. once florida gets hit i'll semi-gladly pay it with my amazon orders.

[elkroeger]

Two things are certain: Death and taxes.

 

You might as well get used to the idea.

[Matts_12GS]

i look at no sales tax as a bonus. once florida gets hit i'll semi-gladly pay it with my amazon orders.

 

I think it's one more reason why REAL honest to goodness tax reform is both necessary and unlikely in the US.

 

The representative class seems to only think in terms of punishing specific behaviors instead of trying to make an entire system more functional.

[BFish]

i look at no sales tax as a bonus. once florida gets hit i'll semi-gladly pay it with my amazon orders.

 

I think it's one more reason why REAL honest to goodness tax reform is both necessary and unlikely in the US.

 

The representative class seems to only think in terms of punishing specific behaviors instead of trying to make an entire system more functional.

 

if you're implying that we should have a national sales tax you don't have my vote. if amazon sales should be taxable in all states that have a sales tax, i'm ok with that. in our case (florida) it's really a consumption tax. in any event, based on how we handle out of state purchases it's taxable. however, if a florida company ships to another state no sales tax is collected in florida. amazon is the "poster vendor" for multistate tax revenue generation.

[Matts_12GS]

National sales tax no. Something more akin to a flat tax or the fair tax yes.

[Bob Palin]

YIKES! Am I the only capitalist here?

Doesn't have anything to do with being a capitalist, has to do with being a criminal.

[Bob Palin]

You were probably always supposed to be paying sales tax (or something like it) on all online out of state purchases. I pay the Utah tax on my Amazon purchases every year with my state tax return, it's the law and it's the right thing to do. I wonder if there's a reward for turning you in for previous years...

Ok Bob,,We well need to see your last 10 years of tax returns,,,,,,

 

I can do that, I have them back to 1997 on this computer...

[upflying]

I'll bet flegz and awoofshop won't charge sales tax.

[tallman]

I always thought oos purchases should pay sales tax.

 

Your order has to get to your door and roads/infrastructure etc have some elemt of cost to the state and sales tax helps offset that.

Besides it is supposed to be a type of voluntary compliance.

Sort of like buying an off road bike out of state and bringing it home and never registering it.

 

I would not mind a national tax flat rate on these transactions, perhaps with some deductible component to encourage compliance and stimulate the economy.

Perhaps buying a BMW online and out of state should be tax deductible.

 

Amazon seems to have provided a lot of convenience for low cost.

The only way I've found comparable is from some vendors who constantly have free shipping deals, but those are limited consumption items for me.

[taters]

Mod Edit: Comment removed.

Thank you to all who viewed it and resisted the bait.