Reader Duke has forwarded us an email he got from Newegg explaining that as of yesterday they are no longer collecting New York state taxes. Hooray! Of course, you still have to pay your sales tax… but now it’s your responsibility.
Dear Valued Newegg Customer,
As a result of recent changes in New York State tax law requiring certain out-of-state retailers to collect and remit sales taxes to the State of New York, we began collecting applicable sales tax for all orders shipped to New York addresses starting June 1, 2008.After careful review and consideration, we are pleased to inform you that we have stopped collecting New York sales tax, effective August 21, 2008. This decision was driven by your direct and candid feedback and our continued commitment to you as our valued customers.
We appreciate your patience as we worked through this process, and would like to reiterate our commitment in offering our customers the broadest product selection, competitive pricing, fastest shipping, and award-winning customer service.
We look forward to continuing to provide you with the premier online shopping experience for all of your IT and consumer electronics needs.
Sincerely,
Bernard Luthi
Newegg.com
Company Spokesperson and
Vice President of MerchandisingDisclaimer: While Newegg no longer charges sales tax to its New York customers effective August 21, 2008, you may still have an obligation to pay New York State use tax on your purchases. Newegg cannot offer you any tax advice, so please refer to applicable law if you have any questions about use tax. Nothing in this email shall be deemed to approve the validity of any New York State law, including but not limited to section 1101(b)(8)(vi) of the New York State Tax Law, which purports to require Newegg to collect and remit New York State sales tax on its sales to residents of that state.
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Newegg is my favorite retailer ever!
I purchased a large screen LCD from them last year, when it came, UPS had destroyed it, I refused the shipment. I called Newegg to tell them about it, and told them how disappointed I was as I had been saving for this TV for a while. I told them to ship a new one if they could ASAP and charge my credit card if they needed to until they got the broken one back. They OVERNIGHTED me a new TV at their expense, and never charged me for the second one, they just took me at my word. They sucked up a $200 shipping charge to make a customer happy!!!!!!! I am loyal to Newegg, and tell everyone I know about them
@battra92: Here too. This is one example. Next time I need big furniture, I’m borrowing my buddy’s trailer and driving to Delaware (no tax).
How does David Patterson know he’s David Patterson? He look in the mirror or something?
Outstanding. NYS/NYC sales tax be damned.
NYS/NYC ought to get it’s act together by cutting expenses–starting with pork-belly supporting legislaters who also play the role of Santa Clause to special interests and the poor in order to get elected and stay elected.
Why ought a California company give a hoot about what kind of tax NYS/NYC wants to impose on it’s citizens? Let NYS/NYC collect it themselves if they want to try that.
@dieselman8: That’s why, when I come to Chi-town to shop, I ship everything home.. it’s still cheaper than paying the sales tax!
i’ll be curious to see how this plays out.
i can only see it ending in the supreme court one way or another.
i think it would be funny if new york starts trying to charge people who aren’t filing use tax on purchases.
I’m not sure about New York, but I know here in NC, there is a box on your income tax forms that asks if you made any purchases online where North Carolina State Sales Tax was not collected. If you have (and really, these days, who hasn’t?), you check a box and you’re billed $10 by the state for internet sales tax.
Seeing as sales tax in Mecklenburg county is 7.5% (the state’s is 4.25%), that’s sales tax on around 130 bucks. (though it is 4am, my math may be WAY off lol) I spent far more than 130 bucks online last year, so I am perfectly fine with just giving them the 10 bucks.
nicemarmot617 here on long island we have it worse then you do. Most of the taxes i ny come from long island we pay the most even out of the city but we get less tax dollars then even nyc does.
So what happens if I “forget” to pay sales tax?
so when’s amazon gonna stop charging tax?
“I just don’t see why I have to give them my money when the place I actually live is completely falling apart, infrastructure-wise. Does it seem wrong that the tax money I pay should pay for tax-funded items in my city? Or at least my general area? I guess it’s the state legislature who’s really the problem.”
@nicemarmot617: You’re right, it’s not fair to see your money not going towards your area. But it’s not just NYC. Almost every upstate city is falling apart too. Cities like Buffalo are being crushed by Albany’s unfavorable tax climate for businesses and residents. People are sicking of it and can’t afford it, so they’re fleeing the upstate (as they have been for decades). And Albany sees the people leaving and the economy tanking…but instead of cutting taxes, they raise them to make up for the revenues that left! And the cycle starts over again…
I’m liking NewEgg more and more…I don’t even live in NY but that is awesome…less money on taxes means more money on beautiful gadgetry.