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Cabela's....won't buy from them!!!

michael minarikmichael minarik Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
edited August 2002 in General Discussion
I live in a state where Cabela's has a store which means residents have to pay sales tax. So I asked them if they charge sales tax on shipping and their response was we charge on the "ground total". To me this means (example) $300 item, $20 dollar's shipping $320 PLUS SALES TAX on shipping... seems illegal to me! Since when is there a tax on service in this state? I will save money shopping outside of this tax-me-to-death-state... Will someone in Iowa let me use their home address to receive...heheheheeeee

Edited by - michael minarik on 08/18/2002 19:29:26

Edited by - michael minarik on 08/18/2002 19:32:15
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Comments

  • Spring CreekSpring Creek Member Posts: 1,260 ✭
    edited November -1
    Are you referring to NE?
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  • michael minarikmichael minarik Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, talked with them not 20 minutes ago!
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's the govt's interstate tax law, which I personally believe to be unconstitutional. I can find anything that Cabellas has at my local gunshop. It costs more, but when you figure in the shipping and handling, which is based upon price rather than pure shipping cost, I come out ahead. Bill's Sports Shop in Lomira, WI is a great place to do business.
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  • michael minarikmichael minarik Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am not sure about Cabela's taxing a shipment on shipping: If I return to Cabela's an item from Cabela's via UPS or USPS THEY
    (UPS/USPS) DO NOT cjarge me TAX on SHIPPING. Why should Cabela's charge me tax if they use UPS or USPS -who does not charge met to ship- to ship to me......what is the difference?

    I really don't know?
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    The difference may be in how the tax laws in your state are worded.

    In Texas, if the buyer pays shipping, tax is figured on the total with shipping. Seems screwy to me too, but that is the law.

    Today, I packaged up an item the buyer (in Texas) bought for $1.00.

    Shipping (my estimate) was $4.00. Total with shipping was $5.00.

    Because the buyer was in Texas, he had to pay an additional $.35 tax on the $5.00 total.

    It works the same way if you order from Sears or any other business that has an outlet in your state.

    So, let's say I need a tool. If I order from Sears or Northern Hydraulic, which have outlets in Texas, I pay tax on the total on top of shipping. If I order the same tool from Harbor Freight, I pay shipping only. Unless it is over $50, then shipping is free.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Northern Hydraulic and Granger rules!! Good choice, Nunn, you must build lotsa stuff, other members, check those places out, if you want just about everything that you can make something out of!!!
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    I think everybody should move to Alaska, no State sales tax, no State income tax and each city makes it's own sales tax rate, depending on what the voters will let them get away with. And the state even gives us money each year for living here. On second thought everybody stay where your at because that would change my share of the states wealth.

    AlleninAlaska

    He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
    -- Thomas Paine
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  • michael minarikmichael minarik Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nunn, if a resident business sells to a resident, sale tax is charged. If a resident business sells to an outta state resident and there is no business affiliate(seller's affiliate) in the residents (who is buying) state...no sales tax! This I understand.

    What I don't quite understand is a business in this scenerio adding the shipping cost and then taxing the total...especially when that businsses shipper does not charge them sales tax for the shipping cost!!! I am guessing...this collected sales tax money on shipping charges...seems double dipping to me! They make money on the item AND they are making money on tax revenue they charge on shipping costs...because the shipper they use whether it be FedX, UPS or USPS DOES NOT CHARGE THEM SALES TAX!!!

    IT JUST SEEMS SCREWY TO ME...AND wrong!!!


    Edited by - michael minarik on 08/18/2002 23:49:39
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Agreed. It is screwy, but it is the way the State taxing authorities tell the merchants to collect it.

    We want to stay in business and not be harassed with audits, so we do it their way.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    You want to hear something even screwier?

    If I do purchase an item out of state, for personal use, and have it shipped to me, I am supposed to pay the State Comptroller sales tax on its value. It is in the law. I don't know anyone who does this, nor can I imagine how it could be enforced.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • sundownersundowner Member Posts: 1,198 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:I think everybody should move to Alaska,

    quote: On second thought everybody stay where your at because that would change my share of the states wealth.

    If I lived in Alaska, I reckon I could think of better reasons than that to tell folks to stay put. Like the folks that elected Hillary & Bill, Swinestein, and oh so many others . . . Like what has been happening to AZ, OR, WA, and even TX for the past couple years. Soon we will need to buy our own island and play like Taiwan to keep the Bill of Rights alive. Puerto Rico, the last free state . . . Wouldn't that be a hoot!
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    In reference to what Nunn said about paying the Comptroller the tax for an item bought out of state, I was forced to do that in a very round-a-bout way.

    I got the rifle online at GB and had it shipped to a local dealer. The only thing was that when it got here, the dealer asked how much I paid, I hesitated to tell him so I asked why he wanted to know. He then told me he needed to charge me the State sales tax because he had been recently audited by the State and had almost gotten in trouble for not charging tax on transfers.

    I told him to urinate on someone else's back and tell 'em it was raining.

    I also told him if he needed to tell folks that in advance, not after it arrived and he had sour grapes in his craw, just because he didn't make the sale. I told him that I would pay his $25.00 transfer fee, nothing more. He did charge me nearly $70.00 for the tax and I did pay him. The next thing I did was leave the store and, now, whenever I talk to anyone about firearms, I mention Dave's Guns in 9 Mile Falls WA, I let them know very clearly what I think of the proprietor and the store's policies.

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Matt, he may have been doing exactly as required by law.

    The law in Texas puts the responsibility in a case like that on the PURCHASER, not the facilitator. Therefore, I have to collect sales tax on the transfer fee only. I don't ask what the gun cost. None of my business. Now, if the Comptroller changes the responsibility to me, then I will have to start asking and collect the tax as required.

    Good for now though.

    I don't know if your dealer was hosing you or not, but if not, it ain't fair to blame the messenger for bad news.



    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • doomsknight62doomsknight62 Member Posts: 239 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No-one here will buy from Cabela's. But they will steal from it, apparently. They have been trying to open a store here in Kansas City for quite some time...but haven't had any luck because they keep getting robbed. Their grand opening is supposed to be sometime soon, but I will be suprised if they have any merchandise left!

    " God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "
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  • michael minarikmichael minarik Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    this state does not have a another g...oll darn tax on shipping service if that be the case then the United States Post Office will be charging tax on a 34 cent stamp..if the logic is followed!
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    Michael the US Post Office is already charging tax on a 34 cent stamp, they now cost 37 cents.

    AlleninAlaska

    He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
    -- Thomas Paine
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    David-

    Allow me to put this into perspective for you, so you understand why I feel the way I do.

    When I picked up the ink signed copy of the FFL to send to the seller (LTS), I asked, "So, when it arrives, just the $25.00 paperwork fee and that's all?" He said yes. He was not on the phone, distracted, nor was there anyone else in the store, so I'm sure he was paying attention. He then also tried to get me to buy an Olympic Arms AR for about $400.00 more than I paid for my Bushy, and there was not any real noticable difference between the rifles.

    After all of this had happened, I had my wife, an accountant by trade, investigate this and she showed me the law. I am responsible for the tax, not the transferring dealer or anyone else. I purchased the rifle out of state, and simply had to do the FFL paperwork through the dealer. There was no transaction between the dealer and myself other then that of me paying for his time to do the paperwork.

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To put it bluntly, yes--services are taxable and are taxed in many cases unless your state has a special provision for certain services. If I lock my key in my vehicle, I pay a tax on the overall cost for "Pop-A-Lock" to come out and unlock it. I had some dimples drilled out of an 870 so that I could screw on an extended mag tube and was charged tax on that service. It's Accounting 101.
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  • tesla85tesla85 Member Posts: 728 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I stopped using Cabellas long ago, not because of tax on shipping, but because they're prices are so damn high! All of you people should check out cheaperthandirt.com They have the best prices i have seen on gun accessories, outdoor wear, hunting accessories, and ammunition. Good luck and happy hunting!
    -Casey
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  • wundudneewundudnee Member Posts: 6,108 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Kansas City Cabela's opened up Tuesday. It's supposed to be the second largest Cabela's store. 190,000 sq. feet I think they said. Each store has it's own special theme. This one's theme is mule deer. I guess they have a fantastic display of muley mounts. It is just off of I-70 west of K.C. near the new NASCAR track. They say they expect 4 million visitors in the coming year. It looks like a good way to spend a day.

    ....................
    AD ASTRA PER ASPERA

    To the stars through difficulties
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Now it sounds like your dealer was mad at you for not buying his rifle, and was determined to penalize you as much as possible.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    David-

    That's what I'm saying.......I think the thing the guy really didn't get, was that I was about to spend about $150.00 on ammo and some other odds and ends before he pulled this stunt. After I paid the tax I drove an extra 40 miles, went to Wal-Mart and got the ammo.

    Matt

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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