Author Topic: Amazon Thread (2011-2013)  (Read 5157 times)

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Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #100: September 25, 2013, 08:12:00 PM »
well, except for the fact said B&M store uses local resources, roads, emergency services, etc., that online retailers don't anywhere to the same degree.


Amazon has warehouses in VA and they have to get it from the warehouse to you (often involving local roads, hopefully not emergency services).

Amazon makes sense for me because I consume their content, without content, I'm not sure prime makes sense

Offline Coladar

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #101: September 26, 2013, 04:26:07 PM »
Amazon has warehouses in VA and they have to get it from the warehouse to you (often involving local roads, hopefully not emergency services).

Amazon makes sense for me because I consume their content, without content, I'm not sure prime makes sense

That definitely makes sense as far as Prime - see, I've had Prime since it launched... before they even had any content. Never really even used it for content. For me it was just paying $80 a year to have stuff second day, which balanced out by not having to pay sales tax. Basically, with what I spent it came to the same price as buying locally, just having to wait two days and not having to deal with idiot store employees. Balanced out.

This hurts, if not destroys Amazon for me, unless I start using the content. I have two choices - pay $80 more a year than buying local and wait two days, or pay the same price and wait a week. I rarely, rarely bought anything on Amazon unless it was a crazy sale before Prime. After Prime, it was so damn easy just to hit "buy" and in 48 hours whatever I wanted came right to me... Or if I really needed something, for just $4 with Prime I can have it overnighted.

So the sales tax thing is a pretty dramatic thing for me and the way I shop. It's probably going to cause me to drop Prime and go back to buying locally for most things.

Offline houston-nat

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #102: September 26, 2013, 04:28:53 PM »
Wait, you guys didn't get the sales tax thing yet? I think in Texas we've been paying sales tax for months, maybe even a year.

Offline Coladar

  • Posts: 2826
Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #103: September 26, 2013, 04:38:45 PM »
Wait, you guys didn't get the sales tax thing yet? I think in Texas we've been paying sales tax for months, maybe even a year.

No, it just started this month in Virginia.

But making it even more ungodly and painful, VA just upped their sales tax to 6% this July. I have no idea what Texas charges for sales tax, but I'd hope it isn't 6%.

So it's a double whammy - our sales tax had just gone up a full percent, making Amazon all the more attractive - and now Amazon charges sales tax.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #104: September 26, 2013, 04:47:24 PM »
I just look at is as closing a loop hole, you always owed the tax, people just never paid it

Offline Nathan

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #105: September 26, 2013, 05:00:49 PM »
No, it just started this month in Virginia.

But making it even more ungodly and painful, VA just upped their sales tax to 6% this July. I have no idea what Texas charges for sales tax, but I'd hope it isn't 6%.

So it's a double whammy - our sales tax had just gone up a full percent, making Amazon all the more attractive - and now Amazon charges sales tax.

MD raised their's to 6% like 5 years ago.

Offline houston-nat

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #106: September 26, 2013, 05:17:51 PM »
But making it even more ungodly and painful, VA just upped their sales tax to 6% this July. I have no idea what Texas charges for sales tax, but I'd hope it isn't 6%.

8.25%

But Texas has an income tax rate of 0% so nanny nanny booboo stick your head in doodoo.

Offline Coladar

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #107: September 26, 2013, 05:38:01 PM »
I just look at is as closing a loop hole, you always owed the tax, people just never paid it

Obviously that's the correct viewpoint, but I still feel the local services aspect does mitigate paying sales taxes somewhat. And yes, even if they only have one distribution node in your state they end up using local services. But nowhere to the same degree that your local Best Buy, Microcenter, Home Depot, etc uses. It's apples and oranges.

Hell, I just got two packages today from Amazon - both from Kentucky. I don't ever remember getting anything from Amazon from a VA warehouse. I'm not so sure it is fair VA is collecting sales tax for something that wasn't sold in VA. Now what I don't, absolutely not even a little, have a problem with? Charge me the sales tax of the state my item is located in. I got my bundle from Kentucky today? Fine. Kentucky is where the warehouse was, which is where local services are used for the commercial end of the transaction.

Why the hell should Virginia be getting their pound of flesh just because a package ends up on my doorstep in VA? I already pay real estate taxes, income taxes, etc. I paid my shipping to compensate the moving of said items from KY to VA. I don't see, when the item came from Kentucky, what enables VA to take 6% of the transaction via sales tax.

Here's an added bonus of charging sales tax from the state where the item resides originally - it would make states think twice about their taxation. I've read that Amazon's fulfillment centers in particular are insane generators of local jobs and income. It literally changes small towns entire economy if Amazon decides to open up shop. This way states would have to think twice about gouging on sales tax, lest online retailers simply avoid them like the plague.

VA, nor any other state, should be collecting sales tax if the item sold isn't originating from that state. Quite frankly, it's screwing over the state where the warehouse is, a commercial property which is draining local resources without being compensated via sales tax, while VA reaps what's rightfully KY's to claim.

At least for states with income tax/real estate tax. As far as I'm concerned, when an item ships from KY and I pay the USPS for shipping, VA real estate and income tax - VA has no further claim to even a dime of any online transactions. Just because Amazon has some building on VA land?

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18484
Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #108: September 27, 2013, 10:33:58 AM »
8.25%

But Texas has an income tax rate of 0% so nanny nanny booboo stick your head in doodoo.

Doesn't Texas have extremely high residential property taxes.

Offline houston-nat

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #109: September 27, 2013, 10:37:18 AM »
Doesn't Texas have extremely high residential property taxes.
I rent ;)

EDIT: I think you're right, but there's also a system where you can go in and bargain by arguing that your house isn't worth as much as they think. A few years ago the county assessor actually changed the database to say my parents' house was 20 years old when it was built in 2005.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #110: October 01, 2013, 06:37:02 PM »
Amazon just sent me an email that the originally estimated delivery date of October 15th for my new Paperwhite has been changed to October 3-4 :woop:

Offline Frau Mau

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  • Good boy!
Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #111: October 01, 2013, 08:57:32 PM »
I love me some Amazon. I can get cases of cat food, hot jerky, and shoes, all delivered to my doorstep!! Prime, baby!!

Offline tomterp

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Re: Amazon Thread (Amazon's new Lala-type service)
« Reply #112: October 01, 2013, 09:08:45 PM »
Obviously that's the correct viewpoint, but I still feel the local services aspect does mitigate paying sales taxes somewhat. And yes, even if they only have one distribution node in your state they end up using local services. But nowhere to the same degree that your local Best Buy, Microcenter, Home Depot, etc uses. It's apples and oranges.

Hell, I just got two packages today from Amazon - both from Kentucky. I don't ever remember getting anything from Amazon from a VA warehouse. I'm not so sure it is fair VA is collecting sales tax for something that wasn't sold in VA. Now what I don't, absolutely not even a little, have a problem with? Charge me the sales tax of the state my item is located in. I got my bundle from Kentucky today? Fine. Kentucky is where the warehouse was, which is where local services are used for the commercial end of the transaction.

Why the hell should Virginia be getting their pound of flesh just because a package ends up on my doorstep in VA? I already pay real estate taxes, income taxes, etc. I paid my shipping to compensate the moving of said items from KY to VA. I don't see, when the item came from Kentucky, what enables VA to take 6% of the transaction via sales tax.

Here's an added bonus of charging sales tax from the state where the item resides originally - it would make states think twice about their taxation. I've read that Amazon's fulfillment centers in particular are insane generators of local jobs and income. It literally changes small towns entire economy if Amazon decides to open up shop. This way states would have to think twice about gouging on sales tax, lest online retailers simply avoid them like the plague.

VA, nor any other state, should be collecting sales tax if the item sold isn't originating from that state. Quite frankly, it's screwing over the state where the warehouse is, a commercial property which is draining local resources without being compensated via sales tax, while VA reaps what's rightfully KY's to claim.

At least for states with income tax/real estate tax. As far as I'm concerned, when an item ships from KY and I pay the USPS for shipping, VA real estate and income tax - VA has no further claim to even a dime of any online transactions. Just because Amazon has some building on VA land?

I can sum this up in one word:

Nexus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_income_tax#Nexus

Offline UMDNats

  • Posts: 18063
Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #113: October 29, 2013, 10:50:21 PM »
have to bump this

so in march i pre-ordered battlefield 4 for ps3. to ship to my address in NYC.

well, i moved to a different address in june. totally forgot about the order. Then i pre-ordered a ps4 & battlefield 4 for it.

last night i got an email saying that my order had shipped, i was confused. well, it was my ps3 BF4.

i contacted Amazon Customer Service and a lady told me she'd contact the carrier and have it returned to them and refund my purchase. ok, sweet!

but then tonight it showed up as "delivered," which means someone at my old address signed for a package that was not theirs.

i contact customer service again, explain what happened, and they refunded me my full purchase, no questions asked! i love amazon.

Offline saltydad

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #114: October 30, 2013, 02:25:24 AM »
I love my (old version) paperwhite. I may have already posted this, but due to my order not arriving after a week past the expected date, Amazon cancelled it and sent me a wifi/3G free paperwhite for the same price overnight.  Now wondering if I should go the larger Fire HDX instead of a laptop to replace my desktop. Reviews are great.Then I just rec'd a shipment today of an aquarium filter and a book that wasn't due until 11/8! I love me some Amazon!

Offline Nathan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #115: October 30, 2013, 02:53:15 AM »
Not a huge fan of the Fire devices.

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #116: October 30, 2013, 06:47:26 AM »
I don't think you'll find any tablet a suitable replacement for a laptop, although I guess that depends on your needs.  You can buy laptops so cheaply now anyway. I like my tablet, but we couldn't live without a computer. 
love my (old version) paperwhite. I may have already posted this, but due to my order not arriving after a week past the expected date, Amazon cancelled it and sent me a wifi/3G free paperwhite for the same price overnight.  Now wondering if I should go the larger Fire HDX instead of a laptop to replace my desktop. Reviews are great.Then I just rec'd a shipment today of an aquarium filter and a book that wasn't due until 11/8! I love me some Amazon!

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21606
Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #117: October 30, 2013, 08:59:00 AM »
I like my fire and I'm trying to decide between upgrading to the new 7 or 8.9 inch, but you can't really type on it, I'm sure there's a way to print, but I have no idea how to go about that. Amazon is bad about abandoning previous generations (my fire has gone a very long time without even a security patch), so I'm not sure I'd want to do banking or even e-mail on it. It's great for surfing, reading, and videos, but I can't see it replacing a computer

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #118: October 30, 2013, 08:59:18 AM »
Not a huge fan of the Fire devices.

when is the last time you used one?

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #119: October 30, 2013, 09:14:34 AM »
It's not the fastest hardware with the most open ecosystem, and the latest, geekiest OS. Nathan will never like it. :)

when is the last time you used one?

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21606
Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #120: October 30, 2013, 09:23:13 AM »
It's not the fastest hardware with the most open ecosystem, and the latest, geekiest OS. Nathan will never like it. :)


it actually is the fastest hardware this time around- newer/faster processor and larger battery than the nexus 7 with  almost identical screens (but the OS is user friendly on the kindle, so nexus does get the geek factor ;))

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #121: October 30, 2013, 09:24:55 AM »
Really. That's surprising. Better processor than the *new* Nexus 7?

it actually is the fastest hardware this time around- newer/faster processor and larger battery than the nexus 7 with  almost identical screens (but the OS is user friendly on the kindle, so nexus does get the geek factor ;) )


Offline UMDNats

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #123: October 30, 2013, 09:44:48 AM »
Not a huge fan of the Fire devices.

i have had a kindle fire since it launched and absolutely love it. it's obviously outdated now, but i use it probably every night. love it.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Amazon Thread
« Reply #124: October 30, 2013, 11:59:40 AM »
It's not the fastest hardware with the most open ecosystem, and the latest, geekiest OS. Nathan will never like it. :)


Mostly because of the skinned, mucked-about-with version of android.