Internet taxation

Barnes and Noble is one online retailer who collects sales taxes, among many. They are required to collect sales taxes for the states their customers live in. The states (mine included) are digging for sales tax revenues that they have been losing from internet purchases. B&N just settled a 9million dollar tax bill with California.

You can read the publishers weekly article here:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6597118.html?nid=2286&source=link&rid=1609285953

I have to wonder how much this influences online sales. Not just for books, but for other merchandise as well. Has this had an impact on your online purchasing?

That was expected. Internet sales made a big dent in sales tax revenues. Previously, a company had to collect sales tax only for sales made to people within the ship from state. That is now a burden for the sales company and it was bound to happen. That should really clobber a company like Amazon.

I do buy a lot online because I'm usually working in my store 7 days a week and can't get out to shop very often. I also like to do a lot of research before I purchase anything. Sometimes I'm charged sales tax, but mostly not. In Massachusetts on our state income tax form, we have to pay sales tax on non-taxed purchases made online and in New Hampshire because they have no sales tax, according to our income. I don't think that's fair at all!!

It is, or soon will be, that way in every state. If you live in Ohio and buy a car in Pennsylvania you must still pay the sales tax to Ohio. It seems fair to me. The only other solution is a national sales tax with states getting their share from the federal government. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of us if someone living in Union City, Ohio made all their purchases in Union City, Indiana and thereby avoided paying the taxes the rest of Ohioans must pay. The same should apply to online purchases. If it doesn't, then local businesses pay a heavy price when more and more people shop online to avoid paying their fair share of state taxes.