taxes

eBay prepares for new fight over Internet sales taxes

eBay is preparing to battle an Internet sales tax proposal targeting small businesses that do even $1 of online sales a year.

The San Jose, Calif.-based auction site is alarmed by forthcoming legislation, reported yesterday by CNET, that would allow states to require taxes to be collected from even very small out-of-state Internet retailers--some of eBay's best customers, in other words.

While similar tax proposals have circulated for years, earlier versions exempted small sellers with less than $5 million in revenue. Then the exemption dropped to $1 million. Now the proposed cutoff in a draft bill from Republican … Read more

The 404 938: Where crikey! That's so grouse, Gary! (podcast)

CNET Australia transplant Ty Pendlebury joins the cast of The 404 to talk about the brand-spanking-new GTA V trailer, online sales tax, and Aussie Rules Football.

It's been a while since Rockstar Games even mentioned the Grand Theft Auto franchise, let alone gave details on the next installment in what's widely regarded as the most infamous video game series in history. We'll chat about the new trailer and whether or not it impresses.

Next up we'll talk online sales tax and how it may become a reality for consumers who shop at sites like Amazon.com. We've been enjoying tax-free shopping for years now, but will that soon be coming to an end?… Read more

Senators rally opposition to Internet sales taxes

Two U.S. senators are trying to prevent their colleagues from rushing to embrace Internet sales taxes, CNET has learned.

Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) are planning to introduce a resolution today saying that no laws should be enacted that would let states impose "burdensome or unfair" taxes on Internet retailers.

Their resolution is a preemptive attack on a Republican-backed bill that, as CNET reported this morning, would allow states to force Amazon.com, Newegg.com, and other out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes. That bill is expected to be announced later this week … Read more

Republican senators push for Internet sales taxes

The days of tax-free Internet shopping may soon be coming to an abrupt end.

CNET has learned that two Republican senators are preparing to introduce new legislation that would allow states to force Amazon.com and other out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes.

Sens. Mike Enzi of Wyoming and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee are currently putting the final touches on their bill, which is backed by Wal-Mart Stores, Best Buy, Home Depot, and other companies that are currently required to collect sales taxes. It's a bipartisan concept: a related effort was embraced by Democrats including Sen. Dick Durbin … Read more

California governor signs Amazon sales tax bill

California consumers will have to become accustomed to paying for sales taxes on purchases from Amazon.com now that Governor Jerry Brown has signed a new bill into law regarding the controversial topic.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that all California consumers will see higher shopping cart bills today. Although the bill is supposed to become effective immediately, merchants--including Amazon--are not required to collect sales taxes until September 15, 2012.

The topic has had strong arguments from both sides. From the Amazon point-of-view, not charging sales taxes offers a competitive edge on top of already bargain prices. In weak … Read more

The 404 901: Where the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows (podcast)

Remember the "Tourist Guy" meme that popped up on the Internet after the attack on September 11? After 10 years, we finally have a name of the guy who started the hoax--35-year-old Hungarian Peter Guzli visited the World Trade Center back in 1997 and Photoshopped himself in front of the oncoming plane, fooling a lot of people into believing his lie.

On today's 404 Podcast, we'll explain all of that and dig into some tech stories that surfaced this weekend, like the NBC Twitter page hack on Friday, video game manufacturers getting huge tax breaks, and a study that claims "Spongebob Squarepants" may be dangerous to your children's mental development.

The 404 Digest for Episode 901

NBC News Twitter hacked! Hungarian apologizes for 9/11 hoax. Rich tax breaks bolster makers of video games. Science says Spongebob is killing your kids' brains. Video Voice Mail: Alessandro and his wife brushing their teeth in bed! Video Voice Mail: Kokesh will do anything to get on the air! Justin's Daily Bathroom Entertainment: Tickling a camel.

Episode 901 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The Amazon-California tax debacle: We all lose

In this winter, summer, spring, and fall of our discontent, every politician with a larynx is opining on how best to reduce the country's unemployment rate. All the more reason, then, for California to ram through a piece of tax legislation that could cost a lot of new jobs.

So it was that today, Amazon caved, dropping its opposition to California's plan to force cyberretailers to collect taxes on online sales. The plan, originally slated to start in July, now will take effect next year as part of a deal under which Amazon agreed to end its push … Read more

Amazon and California lawmakers cut sales tax deal

Amazon has cut a deal with California lawmakers, according to various reports, giving it another year to sell products to that state's residents tax free.

In exchange, Amazon agreed to halt efforts to overturn the new California law requiring it--and other out-of-state online retailers--to collect sales taxes, according to a Los Angeles Times report. That law, signed in June, requires any retailer who, "through a subsidiary," has any "place of business" in California to collect sales taxes.

Amazon is clearly betting that federal lawmakers will take on the issue before California can start collecting the … Read more

Amazon turns to voters on sales tax fight

Amazon is trying a new tactic in its bid to fight states that force online retailers to collect sales tax.

On Friday, the online retail giant filed a petition for a referendum with the California attorney general's office, the Associated Press is reporting. The referendum would ask voters to overturn a new California law that forces online retailers to collect sales tax there.

Amazon is especially concerned with one of the law's stipulations, which requires online retailers to collect sales tax if affiliates operating in California push customers to an online retailer's site to buy products.

Amazon … Read more

California targets Kindle lab in Amazon tax spat

Amazon.com said today that it's reluctantly severing ties with affiliates in California, a move that it hopes will let it continue shipping products to state residents without collecting sales taxes.

But a little-noticed clause in the legislation that Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, signed into law today gives California tax collectors a second, albeit legally untested, cudgel to use against the Seattle-based company. The law takes effect immediately.

The measure says that any retailer who "through a subsidiary" has any "place of business" in California must collect sales taxes. And--surprise!--Amazon has two subsidiaries … Read more