When did STAPLES ONLINE start charging taxes?

[1greatguy]

I bought a m130 from staples the other day online and through the entire order they never once mentioned taxes. I got the m130 the yesterday and right there on the invoice was a $20 tax!

I couldn't believe it, when did they start this?

Of course I immediately called and told them I wanted to ship back my m130 for a full refund.

I had used a $40 off coupon for anything over $200, so the $280 m130 was $240 (+ $20 taxes) and shipping was free. I checked my credit card statement online the day after I asked for a refund and Staples added $40 onto my credit card!. This was on top of the $260 that was already there. I called and asked why, and they gave me some run-around story on how I got $40 off so they had to add it back on and they'll credit me for the entire $300. But I'm wondering, if my total at Staples was only $260, why couldn't they just refund me the $260? Why did they need to charge me the $40 and credit me $300 instead?

I'm not very happy with Staples right now, if they're charging taxes on everything their "Hot Deals" won't be very hot much longer.....

 

[fr]

They always charge me tax, but never show it on the final checkout page. It does mention that local taxes may be added.


The taxed amount shows on my e-mail confirmation. If they have a physical presence in your state, they can charge tax.

 

[pcdealz]

I hate taxes....

To answer your question, they usually start charging sales tax when they open a store in your state. If they are retailing (or about to), then they have to charge state sales tax. That's why some of us pay taxes to Gateway or Dell and others don't.:frown::Q

 

[XFreebie]

staples has always charged SALES tax, they are in EVERY STATE! (well on the contiguous 48)

if u dont want to pay taxes, complain to YOUR government, not to us!

wrong forum!

dont run out of a kmart screaming! "@!#% THEY CHARGED ME TAX!!!"

 

[hoihtah]

i never got charged tax from staples before.

hmmm. did they change the policy? or is it just a MA thing?

 

[1greatguy]

hmm, well then maybe i just missed it, it's just such a shock to see taxes being charged for an online purchase....

do places like walmart and best buy online charge taxes too?

 

[kermalou]

always have been and always will be charged tax

 

[1greatguy]

<< staples has always charged SALES tax, they are in EVERY STATE! (well on the contiguous 48)

if u dont want to pay taxes, complain to YOUR government, not to us!

wrong forum!

dont run out of a kmart screaming! "@!#% THEY CHARGED ME TAX!!!" >>



I guess you're right, I checked some orders I made a year ago and sure enough, taxes are on there.

comparing online shopping to local shopping is very different, I've start considering sales tax a "convenience" tax for being able to drive a few miles and pick up what you want that day instead of waiting for shipping.

that doesn't answer my second question: why did Staples deduct the value of the coupon from my credit card? Is this an old practice too?

 

[Azurik]

Actually, I never got charged in taxes from Staples online before. I live in New Hampshire and it's a tax-free state

 

[carmann]

1greatguy, if the company has a physical presence in your state, you'll get charged tax.

hoihtah, I believe other people in MA have mentioned that they don't get charged tax when buying from Staples.com.

 

[MrEnigma]

Not only if that company has a physical presence in your state, but if the e-commerce is outsourced (i worked for a company that outsources Staples.com software things), you'll get charged tax on physical shipments from that location. If it's something for downloading, like software, you will only get charged tax if there is a location you are downloading from in your state. If that makes any sense. So in other words you could buy from one company who has a physical presence in your state, but the actual company might not be in your state, yet you will still be charged. Then again you are supposed to claim tax on things bought across state lines anyhow, so by not and avoiding tax it is really illegal. There is no such thing as "no" tax, you always have to pay it, they just sometimes don't charge you up front.

 

[Justincase]

Staples has always charged tax in the 3 years that I have been buying from them online, in every state where they have a store presence. As noted by others, tax did not show up on the order page, but has always appeared in the order status if I remember correctly, and on confirmation emails and even on the credit card charge :Q

I'm puzzled that this would even be an issue, though I did speak to a representative of a major shopping service (which shall remain nameless) this afternoon about their Best Price Guarantee, and the subject of Staples and Sales Tax happened to come up...this particular shopping service has been paying out pricematches of 200% and not factoring in Staples' tax...costing them quite a bit of money @ 200%. Somehow, they too were unaware of it until now. :Q :Q

 

[tops2]

i hate when i do those free after rebates items, then realize that i'm still paying tax after..
its alright though..

 

[Maverick762]

The part i don't like is that they don't inform you what your total bill including tax is until after you have placed the order. Though they say that local taxes may apply, they don't tell you what your final charge is going to be. I suppose I could figure it out myself, but I didn't even see their tax notice the first time around, and since it was an online order, I didn't think twice about not being charged tax. It seems very misleading and not very reputable. They are required by law to charge tax... fine, just make it obvious to consumers exactly how much it is.

 

[1greatguy]

<< I'm puzzled that this would even be an issue, though I did speak to a representative of a major shopping service (which shall remain nameless) this afternoon about their Best Price Guarantee, and the subject of Staples and Sales Tax happened to come up...this particular shopping service has been paying out pricematches of 200% and not factoring in Staples' tax...costing them quite a bit of money @ 200%. Somehow, they too were unaware of it until now. >>



So now they pricematch after taxes? Isn't that illegal somehow? I mean it's a government tax, to pricematch after the taxes were added seems wrong somehow....

 

[1greatguy]

<< The part i don't like is that they don't inform you what your total bill including tax is until after you have placed the order. Though they say that local taxes may apply, they don't tell you what your final charge is going to be. I suppose I could figure it out myself, but I didn't even see their tax notice the first time around, and since it was an online order, I didn't think twice about not being charged tax. It seems very misleading and not very reputable. They are required by law to charge tax... fine, just make it obvious to consumers exactly how much it is. >>



agreed. How difficult is it to automatically calculate taxes online based on state ? Most sites calculate shipping online, so I don't see how taxes would be that much more difficult. Besides, if they can make automated e-mails that figure out the tax, surely they can do it online too.

That's another thing: the e-mail qouted a cheaper tax too, about $4 cheaper infact.

I still don't like the idea of paying taxes online, it feels like a double-whammy since you're already paying shipping, then taxes too? All it does is push buyers to sites that don't have a "local presence", so they don't have to pay local taxes. And if they do start enforcing taxes over state lines then that'll just push more people to auction sites and push small businesses underground.

 

[Justincase]

>>>So now they pricematch after taxes? Isn't that illegal somehow? I mean it's a government tax, to pricematch after the taxes were added seems wrong somehow.<<<

Huh??? Illegal? I seriously doubt that...the price match is based on the fully delivered cost, including tax & shipping, if any. That is what the price comparison is based on. There's nothing at all wrong with that.

 

[Lars]

Thanks for the hot deal.

 

[hans007]

i cant believe you returned it just because you got charged tax.

 

[XFreebie]

staples cant calculate tax on the spot because... they are not fully competent web merchant... remember all those coupon fiascos for $150 off $150...

at least they are not like buy.com which had charged tax on shipping to cali folks

 

[Wiser007]

lolz, online vendors always charge tax if they have a store/factory/warehouse in your state.

 

[WDK]

First off, this is not a hot deal, nor ever will be a hot deal. Second, Staples has always charged taxes whenever they are required to because they have a presence in your state. In conclusion, IN BEFORE THE LOCK!

 

[djlevyii]

Also in before the lock

 

[GeneT]

Staples has charged taxes on internet sales for a long time. Their website tells you that taxes will be charged, because they have a "presence" in every state. Unless you live in Oregon , or another "no sales tax" state.

 

[marill999]

since forever they charge tax! hers how it works: tax is charged by online merchants if there is a local store for that merchant in your state!