Amazon tells Arkansas "See ya."

[Adam West]

Wal-Mart has to charge sales tax because of their brick and mortar presence. Under the current laws (which are changing day by day), Amazon does not have to charge sales tax due to it's lack of physical presence aside from warehouses.

[jwyblejr]

I find it funny that Wal-Mart is one of the ones leading the charge for internet sales tax. They want to save the brick and mortar store. Considering how many stores they put under.

[Adam West]

A perfect example of this disaster was the passing of the Sarbanes-Oxley act. For those that aren't familiar with it; it forced public companies to spend enormous amounts of money to develop internal controls to become compliant. Big companies could absorb the cost but not small publicly traded companies. They delisted themselves from Nasdaq or NYSE and listed on FTSE in London which doesn't require compliance. Regulators realized the fiasco they created and quickly made compliance less restrictive.

[Adam West]

This issue will go all the way to the Supreme Court with a ruling that could have a profound effect on American business. This has to do with Interstate Commerce. Most companies are incorporated in Delaware for one reason...no state taxes. If states win this issue; it opens the door to charge taxes on just about everything. There are always loopholes...companies will simply move their "official headquarters" out of the U.S. to Bermuda or some other tax friendly country.

[livnxxxl]

This has been brewing for some time. I know that it is just a matter of time before all web sites will have to charge taxes.

The bottom line of why is this. Greed and BIG TIME mismanagement of money.

[Adam West]

I am familiar with this ongoing issue since I work in accounting. In most cases, you need to establish Nexus in a state for it to be taxable which generally means a physical presence. Amazon and others have been able to get around this because they don't have a true physical presence. That's why Amazon doesn't charge sales tax but buy something from B&N.com and you will pay sales tax. As a side note, Maine has the craziest sales tax laws I have seen to date. Their own sales tax auditors don't even understand their own rules and it has become a big enough nightmare that we have seriously considered not doing business in the state.

[thunderbolt]

I agree to a point. But in fairness to the online stores, they do have a different obstacle than brick and mortars and that would be shipping. So with that rational in mind I thinks fair to say the government was given an opportunity to make more money in that department, but they haven't. And actually that almost monopoly service is failing because of their own entitlement mentalities.

But in all actuality we are all taxed to death on every dollar that we earn and or invest. Not wanting to get on a soap boz or anything but honestly how many taxes are already paid on items before they got to market where they are again taxed.

shipping that the buyer usually pays for. Amazon does offer free shipping over 25 bucks as an incentive to spend more.

[MegoSteve]

You are getting on a soap box, and this isn't really the place to discuss your political views on taxes or the post office.

I mean, it's probably fine you started a thread about Amazon's actions since we all use it, but the problem is that it provokes political discussion which really isn't allowed here. The minute you start sprinkling political talking points in there ("taxed to death" and "entitlement mentality" specifically), it goes way over the NO POLITICS line, and this just isn't the place for political discussion.

[jimsmegos]

People hate paying taxes, but they love the benefits of them for sure. If it weren't for taxes, you wouldn't have the internet and, as a result, you wouldn't have the Mego Museum.

As much as I like Amazon, I think they and other companies like them should be collecting sales taxes in every state they do business in. It is an unfair advantage over local businesses when they don't charge sales tax. Even national chains have a hard time competing with that.

I agree to a point. But in fairness to the online stores, they do have a different obstacle than brick and mortars and that would be shipping. So with that rational in mind I thinks fair to say the government was given an opportunity to make more money in that department, but they haven't. And actually that almost monopoly service is failing because of their own entitlement mentalities.

But in all actuality we are all taxed to death on every dollar that we earn and or invest. Not wanting to get on a soap boz or anything but honestly how many taxes are already paid on items before they got to market where they are again taxed.

[MegoSteve]

People hate paying taxes, but they love the benefits of them for sure. If it weren't for taxes, you wouldn't have the internet and, as a result, you wouldn't have the Mego Museum.

As much as I like Amazon, I think they and other companies like them should be collecting sales taxes in every state they do business in. It is an unfair advantage over local businesses when they don't charge sales tax. Even national chains have a hard time competing with that.

[Tyme2tyme]

Politicians can't let their white-knuckled death grip of our money loose. Can't they think of ways to spend less instead of new ways to tax us more?

[VintageMike]

Amazon Shuts Down Associates Affiliate Program In Connecticut Over Online Sales Tax

Here's the primer article.

Amazon's Exit Spurs Tax Fight in Texas - WSJ.com

It's amazing short-term thinking. Once you start collecting online sales tax, forget the hit Amazon will take, the small guy is dead.

It sure is, but nobody cares anymore. Everyone is fighting for a dollar, today anyway they can can get it.

[hedrap]

Amazon Shuts Down Associates Affiliate Program In Connecticut Over Online Sales Tax

Here's the primer article.

Amazon's Exit Spurs Tax Fight in Texas - WSJ.com

It's amazing short-term thinking. Once you start collecting online sales tax, forget the hit Amazon will take, the small guy is dead.

[toys2cool]

wow, that's crazy

[jimsmegos]

Just saw this... Amazon Cuts Off Arkansas Affiliates, Blames Tax Bill – KRZK Local News

I'm a firm believer in the need for taxes to support this wonderful way of life3 of ours in the good ol USA and Arkansas in particualr but come on... we are already taxed to death on regular sales taxes... How much more do the states and feds need to continue doing the things we don't want them to do in the first place?!?!?!?