Internet Sales Taxes Coming?

[LongBlade]

It looks like tax-free shopping online is about to go away.

The House Judiciary Committee recently held hearings on the Marketplace Equity Act of 2011 (H.R. 3179) - in fact, there are actually three federal bills relating to internet sales taxes floating around Washington, D.C. At the same time, Amazon seems to have dropped their vehement opposition to online sales taxes.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/2012/08/06/internet-sales-tax-coming-soon

[Staggerwing]

At the same time, Amazon seems to have dropped their vehement opposition to online sales taxes.

I'm sure it's not out of a sudden sense of National Fiscal Giving... No doubt there were/are/will be some tasty quid-pro-quos hammered out in the congressional back rooms.

[Bison]

Well its one of the only thriving and growing parts left in the consumer economy.  Might as well get the government involved to "fix" it and take something out of your pocket for using it.

[LongBlade]

Well its one of the only thriving and growing parts left in the consumer economy.  Might as well get the government involved to "fix" it and take something out of your pocket for using it.

I disagree with one of the points of the source: great pricing. Often I see the "great" prices are pretty much equal to retail after you add in shipping. A tax will just slow down whatever growth is happening. And in this economy that's the last thing we need.

[Steelgrave]

Is anyone here surprised? Our government has never seen a nickel in our pocket that it didn't think it could spend better elsewhere. Or simply redistribute  >:(

[MIGMaster]

Lotta Canadian retailers are charging sales tax.

[mirth]

I totally agree with this from the linked article -

I'm not sure about you, but this sort of legislation wouldn't change my shopping habits. I don't shop online to avoid taxes. I shop online for convenience, better prices, and the far (far, far, far!) better selection that you get vs. most brick and mortar retailers.

Yes, I realize that this puts me at odds with "shop local" movement, but the simple fact is that I can't find much of what I need at a local (much less locally-owned) store. Sad but true. Don't get me wrong... I do go out of my way to shop at a handful of local merchants (e.g., our local hardware store and a handful of downtown merchants) but it's tough when there are so few options left.

[OJsDad]

Does this mean the tax money will be used to run fiber to every home in the country.  Yippeee!!!!

[TheCommandTent]

Sadly unsurprising.  The government finding new streams of revenue for them to waste.  :-[