[nmnita]

Originally Posted by kdb05f

I could be completely wrong because I don't actually pay much attention to this but I think the state sales tax on food is only 3% or 3.5%. Counties and cities add their own local sales taxes in much of Arkansas which accounts for why in most places what you pay is higher than that. Mike Beebe made cutting the sales tax a big goal of his. Before he came in office it was about 7%. The state sales tax on food is scheduled to be cut further to either 1% or 0.5%, the only reason it won't be eliminated because of an amendment to the state constitution requiring that minimum amount. The smaller localities will continue to have their own policies about local sales taxes.

No, you are not wrong, you are pretty close to right...obviously you pay more attention than you think you do. Thanks for clarifying this.

[ArkansasTgirl]

The only problem I see with it is that a lot of people will buy food locally and buy just about everything else online.

I'm getting free two day shipping from amazon for six months just for being a college student, all you have to have is a working .edu address.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by FriendlyFeller

The only problem I see with it is that a lot of people will buy food locally and buy just about everything else online.

I'm getting free two day shipping from amazon for six months just for being a college student, all you have to have is a working .edu address.

I am probably one of the few who think when we order on line we should pay state sales tax. think of how many of us order on line and have figured out ways we can get around paying shipping or taxes. This hurts the local merchants.

[ArkansasTgirl]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I am probably one of the few who think when we order on line we should pay state sales tax. think of how many of us order on line and have figured out ways we can get around paying shipping or taxes. This hurts the local merchants.

Unless you count walmart as a local merchant I don't think many where I'm at would shop at local merchants anyways. I meant more that it hurts local tax revenue than local merchants.

Not to mention prices are usually just lower when you take the time to shop around online anyways. Unless its something I need right away I will look on ebay etc to make sure I'm getting a fair price.

I thought about buying hdmi cables at walmart the other day, cheapest they had was about $14. I decided to look on ebay and I can get them for 2 something with free shipping. I'd probably buy them on ebay even with the extra twenty cents or so in sales taxes.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I am probably one of the few who think when we order on line we should pay state sales tax. think of how many of us order on line and have figured out ways we can get around paying shipping or taxes. This hurts the local merchants.

When we order on line we pay shipping and handling costs. Think how that hurts on-line merchants, who are, after all, local merchants somewhere.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

When we order on line we pay shipping and handling costs. Think how that hurts on-line merchants, who are, after all, local merchants somewhere.

and this is the dilemma most of us face: which way to go? I have to admit, I rarely pay handling costs unless I order from EBay, yes, I do pay shipping unless they are offering a special, which I usually try and get. I know this is a very debatable and hot topic....

[AZgarden]

Yes, and thanks to all of us on line (Amazon) shoppers, they are hiring 5000 more warehouse employees some of whom will be in AZ.

[Luvvarkansas]

Where I live, the law is that you must report all online purchases when you file your state taxes and the tax on them is added to your total. It's called the "Consumer Use Tax" or something like that. I keep all emails from ordering something and add them up when I do the taxes.

Is this not the law in every state? Oh wait, some states don't even have state income taxes, right?

But anyway, having the internet to order stuff is definitely a plus....for example, our refrigerator's icemaker is out and my husband just ordered a new one online and it will be here in a couple of days....can you imagine the hassle of trying to get one through where we bought the refrigerator (Lowe's) or having to call a repairman to do it? It's just a simple matter of a couple of screws and a little plug on the electrical line!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

Where I live, the law is that you must report all online purchases when you file your state taxes and the tax on them is added to your total. It's called the "Consumer Use Tax" or something like that. I keep all emails from ordering something and add them up when I do the taxes.

Is this not the law in every state? Oh wait, some states don't even have state income taxes, right?

But anyway, having the internet to order stuff is definitely a plus....for example, our refrigerator's icemaker is out and my husband just ordered a new one online and it will be here in a couple of days....can you imagine the hassle of trying to get one through where we bought the refrigerator (Lowe's) or having to call a repairman to do it? It's just a simple matter of a couple of screws and a little plug on the electrical line!

wow, I never thought about checking for an ice maker, ours has been out for about 6 months, we just go to $ general and buy ice every couple of weeks. Thanks for the idea.

Now, as for the law, technically you are right, it is just 99% of the people do not report the purchase and no one seems to really care. This may change in the future...

[ArkansasTgirl]

Originally Posted by nmnita

wow, I never thought about checking for an ice maker, ours has been out for about 6 months, we just go to $ general and buy ice every couple of weeks. Thanks for the idea.

Now, as for the law, technically you are right, it is just 99% of the people do not report the purchase and no one seems to really care. This may change in the future...

How do you enforce it, dig through everybody’s emails looking for purchases?
Sure you can start requiring American companies to report stuff but what about shopping sites who have their servers in China?