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Be like Joe: Don't deal with Amazon
Submitted by James on Tue, 06/30/2009 - 6:40am
In response to a question on antics of Amazon, Mark Binker captured this marvelous quote from Joe Hackney.
Amazon has a history of acting that way. I think they did that in New York and then they backed off and reversed themselves so I’m not sure we should take that too seriously. I have my own way of dealing with it, which is I just won’t deal with Amazon.
Check out Binkers's post and don't forget to listen to the audio, which includes a discussion of taxes in general. And while you're at it, please join me in boycotting Amazon.
Jesus Swept
I hate to have to do this, but I have removed all links to Amazon from the website for my novel. If ya really want to buy it, you can order directly from the publisher using PayPal.
Can't do it
I can't give up Amazon. Sales tax or no sales tax, when you live in a small town, Amazon has so many things you cannot get unless you drive an hour each way to get them.
Since UPS comes by my business every day anyway, it saves a lot of vehicle trips even if I could get the item at the local Wal Mart of Best Buy. I do try to buy as many books as I can from our local independent book store, but I don't feel guilty about not "shopping local" at Wal Mart any more than I have to.
Try Target.
n/t
45 minutes away
Like I said- small town
I meant online
My book, for example, is available through Target online, resold through the Amazon.com cloud. It's still Amazon, but one step removed from their corporate bullying.
Wait....Amazon uses Target as a rep?
What...will they no longer do business through Target? We do have Target stores in North Carolina.
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Currently lacking a witty signature.
I'm not sure what their contractual relationship is
but if you buy a book through Target, there's a whole bunch of disclaimer about how you're really buying it through Amazon.com, sort of.
Hmmmmmm
Interesting...eh? Might be worth buying a book through them to see, but if Target collects sales tax on it I guess that is their out.
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Currently lacking a witty signature.
Try this one!
http://www.target.com/Jesus-Swept-James-Protzman/dp/0979270073
:)
I will now buy more from Amazon
About time "Big Business" stood up to "Big Government"...you go Amazon!
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
Please stop! You're killing me. Seriously...
So big business has been having trouble getting its way? O....M....G....
No wonder I've been seeing all these odd goatees. This parallel universe I'm living in has Cartman loving the kiddees AND Big Government turning the tables on the Corporate Masters of the Universe and Financial Wizards.
Wait, you say banks STILL aren't lending?
Amazon will lose
They've already caved in New York, also fighting a losing battle in Hawaii. They are not paying their fair share of taxes. So sure, go ahead and buy all you want from them. Your neighbors - the local businesses that pay taxes honestly - they're the ones getting screwed by the tilted playing field.
You might want to stop in at one of your independent bookstores and let them know you're working to put them out of business.
Amazon has no "physical" presence in NC
The only way they will lose is if the heavy hand of government completely ignores interstate commerce law. If it were up to me, James, the "independent bookstore" would not be required to collect any type of sales tax...or as stated before, I would be in favor of a "Fair Tax".
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
Hmm... "Fair Tax"
What could that mean?
Corporation uses so-called affiliate program to reap profits in jurisdiction -- using roads, bridges, and other publicly supported infrastructure in said jurisdiction to enhance private profit -- all the while avoiding paying any share (fair or not) for corporation's use of said jurisdiction.
Amazon doesn't use any infrastructure
The affiliates do and they are paid a commission upon which they are supposed to pay state and federal income taxes. Nuff said.
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
So Amazon reaps no reward from the affiliate program?
Of course they do.
That's why they created it.
That's why they started this lobbying campaign.
NC is just being used as an example in Amazon's war in other states.
NC affiliates: Amazon doesn't give a whit about you. You're proxy for wars in Hawaii and New York and others coming down the line.
NC affiliates were pawns and Amazon sacrificed them.
That's odd
A big UPS truck just pulled up to my neighbor's house delivering seven packages from Amazon. I guess maybe they have magic dust that keeps trucks with Amazon deliveries from touching the roads?
UPS Pays Taxes in NC
No further comment needed.
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
I suppose the gas burned in
I suppose the gas burned in moving that truck is tax free? Or the truck itself? or the driver doesn't pay income taxes? etc, etc, etc.
Isn't it the argument of luring folks like Apple, Dell, Global Transpork, that any economic activity generates revenue that we wouldn't have otherwise had?
If it were up to you
Police protection would be delivered on a "pay to play" business model, along with fire protection, public schools, public universities, etc.
Poor, mentally ill and crippled would be shunted away to ... where? The clean up of toxic dumps left by bankrupt corporations would be handled by ...
Please...
The "emotional" dog doesn't hunt with me. You want European Socialism and I don't...why don't we just leave it at that.
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
Yeah, kids dying does get kind of emotional
Yes, let's just leave it at that.
wow!
Talk about arrogance. A lot of folks that either make a living via the Amazon Affiliates or use it to supplement their income are now up a creek without a paddle and the Speaker of the House says, "I just won't deal with Amazon"? I guess when you can get away with anything, what to the little peons who actually have to earn a living matter?
Amazon may or may not be paying their "fair" share, but they are following the tax laws to the letter and paying their "legal" share.
"legal"
Why in quotes? Amazon is quite simply not paying its fair share and they could easily accommodate this change if they wanted to. This isn't about the affiliates, this is about Amazon using the affiliates as canon fodder for their own economic agenda.
The quotes where just to draw
The quotes where just to draw attention to the fact that _LEGAL_ and _FAIR_ are not the same thing. I'd also say the _FAIR_ is a loaded term open to definition. The only _FAIR_ tax load is that defined by law. Amazon is following the law in their collection of sales tax.
It should be noted that vendors don't pay sales tax. Consumers pay sales tax. Perhaps you should correct yourself and say that those who purchase from Amazon don't pay their fair share? LOL @ Use Tax.
Talk about arrogance!
because Amazon closed its affiliate program in North Carolina last week before a final version of the budget ever came out.
Today? Still no new tax policy (not even in the proposed continuing resolution), but Amazon still has their affiliate program shut down.
Amazon closed the affiliate program before even seeing what the state has in mind.
Suffering because the affiliate program is shut down? Blame the ones who shut it down...Amazon.
I'm with PackMan97 here
Amazon has no presence here but a lot of their affiliates here are now suffering due to this shortsighted bill. Yet if Amazon dropped the slightest hint of building a warehouse here the NC Leg would bend over backwards to hand over the keys to the state treasury.
I greatly admire Amazon. I don't buy books from them but I buy almost everything else, and Amazon's speed and efficiency at fulfilling orders is nothing short of stunning.
Many small N.C. businesses depend on Amazon for their affiliate income. I don't blame Amazon for yanking the program, I blame a legislature that still does not understand fundamental concepts about the Internet.
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Mark Turner
www.markturner.net
www.markturner.net
Overstock.com also pulls affiliate program
Good for them, maybe Bev and her gang of thieves will get the message before it is ruled unconstitutional.
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Government crises are usually manufactured to pick your pocket.
Overstock sucks anyway
At least Amazon has good customer service. I already miss being able to buy from them. Overstock? Bleh. My experiences with them have ranged from crappy to very crappy.
No tax, but Overstock and Amazon shut down anyway
June 26: No new tax policy passed by state. Amazon shuts down affiliate program.
June 30: Continuing resolution passed by NC General Assembly and signed by Governor that does NOT contain a tax on affiliates. Amazon still keeps affiliate program shut down.
July 1: No new tax policy (or budget) by state at beginning of fiscal year. Amazon affialite program still shut down.
July 2: News reports that lawmakers are taking a break from budget negotiations and will leave General Assembly for the weekend. No new tax policy, yet Overstock and Amazon still shut down their affiliate programs.
So, why have Amazon and Overstock closed their affialiate programs when no new taxes have been implemented?
No new tax policy is in the offing for at least another week or two at the bare minimum.
Reminder: The state's budget continuing resolution with no affiliate tax runs through July 15.
Amazon and Overstock just don't care about their NC affiliates.
The so-called tax issue doesn't matter to them or they would have kept the programs live since there is no new tax currently in effect.
My guess...
they are probably pulling these tactics to try and get that part of the law shut out before it is even passed so that they can use people who will be affected by it to do their griping for them.
Too bad I won't be buying the things in my shopping cart from Amazon. I don't like the way they are yanking us around.
Progressive Democrats of North Carolina