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Amazon dropping 10,000 affiliates in California

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BoomerD said:
Fucking whaaa...Amazon is going to have to realize that they can't continue to be exempt from collecting state sales taxes forever.

If they keep dumping their "affiliates" in states that want to collect sales taxes from internet sales, pretty soon, they're only going to have "affiliates" in 3 or 4 states...
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Amazon does realize it. They have clearly stated that this is a federal level issue. They want a fair playing field between online companies. Is it fair to tax amazon.com but not amazon2.com because of affiliations? Not really. This tax would cost Amazon lost sales which is the main reason.

Am I saying Amazon is perfect and has perfect motives? Hell no. However, they are right, this needs to be changed on a federal level not a state level.
 
zinfamous said:
yeah, that's kind of how I feel. I mean....I love Amazon and not paying sales tax and everything, but it is a loophole. That is a nice chunk of revenue that is essentially owed to the states.
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You really have to wonder just how much the states have lost in tax revenues due to the rise of online shopping. It has to be a lot so I have a hard time getting too upset over them trying to enforce something that I had no problem paying with in my purchases 15 years ago. It probably also presents a big burden on B&M. Not only do they have to deal with the fact that Amazon can get huge discounts from volume and shipping but they can also undercut a good couple of percent due to taxes alone. Makes a difference when it comes to shopping on big ticket items.
 
Time to register californazon dot com, set up a similar business model, and instantly have 10,000 people ready to say "fuck you" to Amazon who may join up?
 
Born2bwire said:
You really have to wonder just how much the states have lost in tax revenues due to the rise of online shopping. It has to be a lot so I have a hard time getting too upset over them trying to enforce something that I had no problem paying with in my purchases 15 years ago. It probably also presents a big burden on B&M. Not only do they have to deal with the fact that Amazon can get huge discounts from volume and shipping but they can also undercut a good couple of percent due to taxes alone. Makes a difference when it comes to shopping on big ticket items.
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You can still send a check to the government if you want.
 
Was it north carolina or south carolina that went through this same think about a year ago.

The states want more money to support their welfare / illegal immigrants. But it would cost amazon more money collecting the taxes, then what their making in profits.

Also, think it the auditing nightmare for amazon. If some state like california was able to audit amazon to make sure the taxes are being collected.
 
0roo0roo said:
how dare california apply sales tax for business done in california😛 who are they kidding right? some businesses shouldn't have to pay, while others do, that is how you ensure a "even" playing field😛
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As has been stated, it's a Federal issue though. California has no right to tax any interstate commerce. That is in the Constitution and the position Amazon is taking. So until the clueless Congress does something about it, the States can just suck a big one on this issue.
 
I am Governor Jerry Brown
My aura smiles
And never frowns
Soon I will be president...

Carter Power will soon go away
I will be Fuhrer one day
I will command all of you
Your kids will meditate in school
Your kids will meditate in school!

California Uber Alles
California Uber Alles
Uber Alles California
Uber Alles California

Zen fascists will control you
100% natural
You will jog for the master race
And always wear the happy face

Close your eyes, can't happen here
Big Bro' on white horse is near
The hippies won't come back you say
Mellow out or you will pay
Mellow out or you will pay!

Now it is 1984
Knock-knock at your front door
It's the suede/denim secret police
They have come for your uncool niece

Come quietly to the camp
You'd look nice as a drawstring lamp
Don't you worry, it's only a shower
For your clothes here's a pretty flower.

DIE on organic poison gas
Serpent's egg's already hatched
You will croak, you little clown
When you mess with President Brown
When you mess with President Brown
 
Texashiker said:
Was it north carolina or south carolina that went through this same think about a year ago.

The states want more money to support their welfare / illegal immigrants. But it would cost amazon more money collecting the taxes, then what their making in profits.

Also, think it the auditing nightmare for amazon. If some state like california was able to audit amazon to make sure the taxes are being collected.
Click to expand...
S.C. a couple of months ago. F-n politicians trying to hold Amazon by the short hairs. Comes out that Wal mart, target , lowes, home depot lobbies poured a ton of $$ into the political coffers to get the vote against Amazon(must collect sales tax). Amazon says F U, S.C. and leaves. Massive backlash against the politicians (10%+ unemployment here and it's 1200 jobs). Back to the table, Amazon promises 2000 jobs and gets no sales tax for 5 years. Also, after the fact, comes out that it's $1B net income for the state. F-n politicians.

2 other companies threatened to not come here because of the states crap. don't know what the final outcome was on them.
 
highland145 said:
S.C. a couple of months ago. F-n politicians trying to hold Amazon by the short hairs. Comes out that Wal mart, target , lowes, home depot lobbies poured a ton of $$ into the political coffers to get the vote against Amazon(must collect sales tax). Amazon says F U, S.C. and leaves. Massive backlash against the politicians (10%+ unemployment here and it's 1200 jobs). Back to the table, Amazon promises 2000 jobs and gets no sales tax for 5 years. Also, after the fact, comes out that it's $1B net income for the state. F-n politicians.

2 other companies threatened to not come here because of the states crap. don't know what the final outcome was on them.
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i was told that lower taxes did not equal jobs.
was i lied to?
 
Looks like it's not just Amazon who is pulling the plug on people in California. I have an Android app called Deal Drop and he's going to have to pull the app. The app basically lists out all of the daily deal sites from around the web (newegg, Yahoo, ebay, etc) and most websites are cancelling his accounts now that this law is going in.
 
Let's be honest here. While states like California, Texas, Illinois, and North Carolina may be playing heavy-handed, it's not like Amazon is without fault. They purposely use the "affiliate" model as an excuse to avoid collecting legally-owed taxes. What do I mean?

Take Nevada. Amazon has no physical presence in Nevada so there is no sales tax collected. Yet just outside Reno there is a GIGANTIC Amazon warehouse. There is a ton of merchandise shipped all over the west coast daily from Reno. The warehouse hires hundreds of seasonal workers every October-December. The warehouse is branded "Amazon". Seasonal employees are hired by "Amazon". Billboards advertise it as "Amazon". Yet somehow Amazon has no 'physical presence' and no nexus in Nevada?

Amazon has classified the warehouse as an "affiliate warehouse". The company claims that even though it's branded as theirs, employees are theirs, advertisements are theirs, etc. that none of the merchandise is theirs so technically the warehouse isn't theirs. It's a complete bullshit argument. It's also counter to the argument posited in California. In California, affiliates just provide referrals, but in Nevada affiliates have a 300,000 sq ft warehouse full of merchandise?

Liar liar, pants on fire.
 
sactoking said:
Let's be honest here. While states like California, Texas, Illinois, and North Carolina may be playing heavy-handed, it's not like Amazon is without fault. They purposely use the "affiliate" model as an excuse to avoid collecting legally-owed taxes. What do I mean?

Take Nevada. Amazon has no physical presence in Nevada so there is no sales tax collected. Yet just outside Reno there is a GIGANTIC Amazon warehouse. There is a ton of merchandise shipped all over the west coast daily from Reno. The warehouse hires hundreds of seasonal workers every October-December. The warehouse is branded "Amazon". Seasonal employees are hired by "Amazon". Billboards advertise it as "Amazon". Yet somehow Amazon has no 'physical presence' and no nexus in Nevada?

Amazon has classified the warehouse as an "affiliate warehouse". The company claims that even though it's branded as theirs, employees are theirs, advertisements are theirs, etc. that none of the merchandise is theirs so technically the warehouse isn't theirs. It's a complete bullshit argument. It's also counter to the argument posited in California. In California, affiliates just provide referrals, but in Nevada affiliates have a 300,000 sq ft warehouse full of merchandise?

Liar liar, pants on fire.
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they've got a 100% owned subsidiary filling amazon.com orders (not affiliate) from a warehouse here in texas and claim they have no presence in the state.
 
I love living in CA, but our government is all out of whack. I don't know if it's the same for all states, but the whole guarenteed retirement and pension for state workers, wasting tons of money, giving tons of money away, it's ridiculous. I really feel bad for my kids. By the time they start working they'll be lucky to take home 40% of their pay. Then sales tax will be 18% for anything they buy. They government will end up taking ~80% of their money. Socialism really. There is no incentive to work, save, or spend.
 
This whole ordeal just played out here in CT about a month ago.

I don't mind paying them sales tax for buying something, I just hate the BS that it gives them an unfair advantage which gives them lower prices. Last time I compared prices between them and a local place such as Best Buy on something, Amazon was cheaper BEFORE even looking at sales tax because of the type of business model they run, not because they save some people from paying sales tax.
 
dfuze said:
This whole ordeal just played out here in CT about a month ago.

I don't mind paying them sales tax for buying something, I just hate the BS that it gives them an unfair advantage which gives them lower prices. Last time I compared prices between them and a local place such as Best Buy on something, Amazon was cheaper BEFORE even looking at sales tax because of the type of business model they run, not because they save some people from paying sales tax.
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yea but bestbuy tries to screw you all day everyday through sunday.
 
Amazon would lose 99% of my business if I had to pay sales tax. Amazon doesnt have the lowest price most of the time but because of the sales tax savings they're usually cheaper than local B&M.
 
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