[idon12no]

Just giving you guys the heads up that Best Buy is going to charge you taxes on the full $500+ price of the phone. I had ordered my wife's phone online but I canceled the order because there was some weird issue that delayed it. I figured I would go to Best Buy since the phone was on sale, but I found out the hard way that I had to pay $50 of taxes on my $100 phone. Sucks. Just letting you know.

[Spencerdl]

Interesting, I purchased my Sprint Bold 9930 from BestBuy in April for $99.99 (+7% sales tax) and the total cost was $107. I guess in Georgia they charge tax towards the sale price and not the original price.

[juststart]

Hm, that doesn't sound right. I've never had that happen in Georgia.

[starchit]

WOW! I sure would have disputed this with Best Buy. "Sales Tax" is calculated on what an item sells for. Can you imagine the uproar from the public if all retailers did this?

Sent from my Bold Dakota

[k1ward]

In California, sales tax must be collected on the retail value of the phone.

[Hgouck]

I would have a problem paying taxes on more than the sale price of the item i am purchasing. Is this just on phones or anything? If i bought a TV on sale do they charge tax on the full retail? How about a car? You get $6000 manufactures rebate and than through negotiations another $1000 or $2000 but pay tax on full manufacturer list? I don't think so. Sounds odd to me.

[FF22]

I got my 9930 from Best Buy for FREE during their President's Day Sale. I paid no sales tax and I know WA state gets its share of my various online purchases when I buy from Amazon or others with a presence in this state including other Best Buy purchases.

[Benjamin84]

Same here in California, bought the 9900 and had to pay taxes for the 500 something Dollar retail price, which is about 50$ on top for a 100$ phone.
Another reason avoiding Best Buy in the future!

[FF22]

Same here in California, bought the 9900 and had to pay taxes for the 500 something Dollar retail price, which is about 50$ on top for a 100$ phone.
Another reason avoiding Best Buy in the future!

While somewhat off topic, as someone asked above, it a TV was selling for $500 the day before President's Day and $400 on President's Day, you'd have to pay sales tax on the $500 in Calif?

What if permanently marked down? Closeouts?

Well, at least your liquor prices are much cheaper than ours!

[idon12no]

This cell phone purchase is the only thing I've ever bought here in California that had this tax trap.

[Atentozedten]

In California, sales tax must be collected on the retail value of the phone.

This!
Unfortunately I have to charge and explain this to my customers all the time.

[zeeten]

This cell phone purchase is the only thing I've ever bought here in California that had this tax trap.

This is because they can "claim" that you are actually paying the full retail price over the length of your contract and therefore paying the tax up front.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9860 using Tapatalk

[jarbootsy]

In the long run, its much cheaper though in California. When paying the actual bill, pre-paid for example, there are no additional taxes.

[Jay Hopkins]

Thats messed up. I just got my 9930 today from verizon directly, *cert pre owned * for $49.00 , with tax it was like $50.60 or something....... Best buy man may be lying and pocketing the extra.

[eve6er69]

Thats messed up. I just got my 9930 today from verizon directly, *cert pre owned * for $49.00 , with tax it was like $50.60 or something....... Best buy man may be lying and pocketing the extra.

So I take it you didn't read any of the replies about california rules?

Carry on.....

Sent from my game boy color

[Emu the Foo]

While somewhat off topic, as someone asked above, it a TV was selling for $500 the day before President's Day and $400 on President's Day, you'd have to pay sales tax on the $500 in Calif?

What if permanently marked down? Closeouts?

Well, at least your liquor prices are much cheaper than ours!

Excellent question. No. You would not pay the full retail price on that tv because its an actual sale price. You follow? Where as on the phone its not always a sale price because you have the 500$ phone but you pay 100$ with a 2 year contract. So in a sense they are giving you a "deal". Its not a sale price. So they are basically take money off the retail price instead of changing the price for the day. That's why we have to pay so much taxes for our phones. I'm in LA county where I live and its 9.75% sale tax. So 10% really. But I live in long beach so I can drive to orange county where the tax is 7.25%. Worth it for a 5 min longer drive. Hope this makes sense.

Short story is sale price, close outs and mark downs are not ful tax but unless the phone is on sale we pay the full retail since its not a sale with a contract, its just a deal they cut you.

Thankfully, OUR LIQUOR IS DIRT CHEAP!!!

Do I complain about the taxes? Yes. Would I move from here? Naaaaawwwww. I live 7 miles from the ocean and the weather, well when it gets cold I have to wear an extra tank top to work and my winter flip-flops :}