Purchases in the US


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Hoky

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Mar 17, 2004
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hoky.multiply.com
I'm in the US now and I just got myself a notebook.
The taxes are really high where I am now (San Jose, CA).

Just wondering if I can get tax refunds when I leave this country?
 

The answer is no. Only one state in US offers tax-free shopping (Louisiana) and you're not in it.
 

if you are a tourist, yes you can.
but i am not sure about the rest.... :dunno:
 

I seriously doubt if you can get a refund on the sales tax. It is dependant on the city and state that you are in, not the country, then again I could be wrong. But from what I know the answer is no.

BTW, how much is sales tax in San Jose,Ca. Dude, you picked probably one of the most expensive states to make a purchase, sales tax wise. You probably could have saved more if you bought it through the internet, but then again don't know how long you are going to be there for in order for you to get it. Oh well, done is done.
 

waileong said:
The answer is no. Only one state in US offers tax-free shopping (Louisiana) and you're not in it.

Erm, delaware also offers tax free shopping. :D
 

i heard that oregon has tax free shopping as well ..

:dunno:

if you have a way to buy online, usually its tax-free as well
 

hondasleeper said:
I seriously doubt if you can get a refund on the sales tax. It is dependant on the city and state that you are in, not the country, then again I could be wrong. But from what I know the answer is no.

BTW, how much is sales tax in San Jose,Ca. Dude, you picked probably one of the most expensive states to make a purchase, sales tax wise. You probably could have saved more if you bought it through the internet, but then again don't know how long you are going to be there for in order for you to get it. Oh well, done is done.

Sales tax is about 8% here.
Yah, I know it's very expensive over here. But no choice lah, I'll be here for at least another 3 months before I can go back Singapore.
 

trlnlty said:
i heard that oregon has tax free shopping as well ..

:dunno:

if you have a way to buy online, usually its tax-free as well

Actually it's not true. If you buy online, not only you incur sales taxes, there's also delivery charges.

Worst of all, there's this 8 dollars environmental tax in California which the consumer have to absorb.
 

Any sales tax in the US is NOT refundable to anyone.

At the end of the day, you compare the net price, including all taxes, service charges, delivery charges etc and make the comparison if it's cheaper here or there.
 

Ditto - forget about sales tax, etc, the only thing you need to know is how much do you have to pay to get it into your hands, is it cheaper here or there, end of story.

And what's the big deal about 8% anyway - it's only $80 in $1000 - if $80 dollars is a problem, then don't spend the $1000. Try buying stuff in Denmark where GST is 25%, that's on top of almost 70% income tax (top bracket).
 

Hoky said:
Actually it's not true. If you buy online, not only you incur sales taxes, there's also delivery charges.

Worst of all, there's this 8 dollars environmental tax in California which the consumer have to absorb.


you sure about that buddy? as far as i know.. only dell charges tax for online orders

some examples of mine

Thank you for shopping at MyDigitalDiscount.com Inc..

Your order no. 460-28288 has been received.

Order Summary:

Item Qty Description Options Price Total
- NP-E3 12V/2200mAh for Canon With Cap 2 - NP-E3 12V/2200mAh for Canon With Cap $22.99 $45.98
Subtotal $45.98
Shipping $7.50
Tax 0.00
Total

Item(s) Subtotal:
$9.99
Shipping:
$3.26

-----
Total Before Tax:
$13.25
Estimated Tax: $0.00
-----
Grand Total:
$13.25
See tax and seller information
SKU Brand Product Qty Price Total
-------------------- ---------------------------------------- --- ----------- -----------
OTPLSBK Op/Tech Pro Loop Strap - Black 1 20.95 20.95







----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------

Subtotal: 20.95
Tax: 0.00
 

Hoky said:
Actually it's not true. If you buy online, not only you incur sales taxes, there's also delivery charges.

Worst of all, there's this 8 dollars environmental tax in California which the consumer have to absorb.

You only incur sales tax if the online store that you order from has a physical presence in the state. So like for example if you order online from B&H or Adorama, which are based in NYC, you wouldn't have to pay sales tax if you order and ship to CA. Some stores such as Apple and Dell has physical presence in most of the states in the US, so they charge sales tax for most states.
 

I stayed in Oregon during my college years. Since u r in california, oregon is the nearest. Perhaps the domestic flight cost u US$200 round trip. I don't think it's advisable to do so for the sake of sales tax.
 

frenchbean said:
You only incur sales tax if the online store that you order from has a physical presence in the state. So like for example if you order online from B&H or Adorama, which are based in NYC, you wouldn't have to pay sales tax if you order and ship to CA. Some stores such as Apple and Dell has physical presence in most of the states in the US, so they charge sales tax for most states.

Duh, no wonder I pay for Ipod and books.. Darn.
 

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