Why does Apple charge sales tax?

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manwichmanwich
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I just bought a new Powermac G5 dual 2GHz using my student developer account. With the bluetooth module it came to $2439.00. To my surprise I saw the total price read $2609.73.



That makes $170.73 in sales tax! First of all, where it's being shipped (PA) it's 6% sales tax, Apple is charging 7%, second of all I thought that sales tax was only applicable if the company you're purchasing from is in your state of residency.



Anyone good with all that legal mumbo-jumbo that can make sense of this for me?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    qaziiqazii Posts: 305member
    Sales tax is estimated. I think you will only be billed 6%.



    Apple has a retail store in PA, so they have to charge sales tax (I think).



    Or maybe Apple's just being a good corporate citizen, unlike a lot of other companies which exploit tax loopholes.
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  • Reply 2 of 25
    cowerdcowerd Posts: 579member
    "A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision said states can only require sellers that have a physical presence or "nexus" in the same state as the consumer to collect so-called use taxes."
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  • Reply 3 of 25
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Be glad your not in California. When I bought my eMac, the $999 model, I paid $99 tax!
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  • Reply 4 of 25
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Within 5 years I'd bet everything we buy in the internet will have state tax applied it to. The reasons for not charging it, too complex a system, is moot now.
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  • Reply 5 of 25
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    The next mac I get will most likely be through Smalldog.com not only do they have a lot of refurb gear, but they don't have sales tax, so it's all good.
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  • Reply 6 of 25
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    If you buy a computer from New Hampshire there is no sales tax. MacConnection is literally right down the road from me.
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  • Reply 7 of 25
    salmonstksalmonstk Posts: 568member
    Yes Apple even has a section on their web page that explains the tax thing. They must charge the tax since they have stores in PA.



    I have comparison shopped and often (not always) the free shipping from Apple makes up for them charging sales tax say vs. ordering from MacMall or some distributer w/o a presence in your state.
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  • Reply 8 of 25
    malokatamalokata Posts: 197member
    I just don't understand why they charged sales tax for Arkansas. There's no Apple store around here, anywhere.
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  • Reply 9 of 25
    coolmaccoolmac Posts: 259member
    I was in Portsmouth NH for a few days last week.

    I called the store in Salem but they didn't have any G5's not even a demo unit yet (like most or all Apple Stores).



    Too bad.
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  • Reply 10 of 25
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by salmonstk

    Yes Apple even has a section on their web page that explains the tax thing. They must charge the tax since they have stores in PA.



    I have comparison shopped and often (not always) the free shipping from Apple makes up for them charging sales tax say vs. ordering from MacMall or some distributer w/o a presence in your state.



    that is not true



    apple has always charged sales tax and that was before they had any retail stores
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  • Reply 11 of 25
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    Well, that's not true again applenut. Apple charged sales tax in states where they had offices, including New York.
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  • Reply 12 of 25
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by coolmac

    I was in Portsmouth NH for a few days last week.

    I called the store in Salem but they didn't have any G5's not even a demo unit yet (like most or all Apple Stores).



    Too bad.



    What does that have to do with sales tax?
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  • Reply 13 of 25
    coolmaccoolmac Posts: 259member
    There's no sales tax in NH.
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  • Reply 14 of 25
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by coolmac

    There's no sales tax in NH.



    Oh, I see.
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  • Reply 15 of 25
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Fran441

    Well, that's not true again applenut. Apple charged sales tax in states where they had offices, including New York.



    they had no retail presence in NY. I don't think that's accurate.



    I dont know though.
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  • Reply 16 of 25
    kennethkenneth Posts: 832member
    No sales tax in Oregon (OR) too.



    That's why I drove South to Portland, OR to purchase my G4 from Seattle, WA (8.8% sales tax).
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  • Reply 17 of 25
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Of course you'll remember to write that in on your state income tax
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  • Reply 18 of 25
    brunobruinbrunobruin Posts: 552member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott

    Of course you'll remember to write that in on your state income tax



    I was going to point that out as well...



    manwich, isn't there an additional 1 percent sales tax in parts of PA? Maybe that's why Apple charged you 7 percent.
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  • Reply 19 of 25
    the generalthe general Posts: 649member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by coolmac

    There's no sales tax in NH.



    Yep, and thats why I drive up to New Hampshire when i go to get new systems, that way I dont have to pay tax on it. got my 1ghz Imac in NH. saved me about $100 in taxes versus if I had gone to boston to get it.

    (plus, the NH store is only like 20 mins away from boston, and is easier to get too).
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  • Reply 20 of 25
    the generalthe general Posts: 649member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott

    Of course you'll remember to write that in on your state income tax



    the state can blow me.



    if I am in another state and buy something, they arent getting a dime out of it! thats why I nh right over the MA border, they also have the state owned booze stores on the highway, they know people will go there to get their booze and cigs
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