Amazon Heads Up
 

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

1. The price Amazon offered on one tool was more than 40% higher
than that obtainable at a local big box during the height of the Xmas
season.
Sure, you have to shop around but the discrepancy was whopping
if you preconceive Amazon as reliably competitive.

2. Amazon sent me an email offering deals on certain tools it modeled
would be of interest. One tool was already in my shopping cart.
Separately checking the cart showed the tool pegged at
a figure $10 lower than their email offer.

3. Deciding to read all of the reviews on an item, I opened a new
page just for that purpose. After moving through a succession of
new windows--and seventy some reviews or so--I noticed the
price on the last review page for the merchandise was now measurably
higher than that featured on the original item-description page still
open.
Reloading the original item-description page did not make that price
leap to the higher figure on the last review page.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Amazon Heads Up
 

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Ignoramus29524" wrote in
message ...
I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

I:

I affiliates in other states are not being terminated, you have to
wonder what new
Illinois' law they disagree with and, if it isn't obvious, why.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?

Amazon Heads Up
 

On 2011-01-07, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?


Illinois wants Amazon to pay sales tax for items sold to IL
residents.

So they are passing a law that says that any web retailer that has
affiliates in IL, has "physical presence" or something like that, and
is obligated to pay. So, amazon said, it will just terminate all
Illinois affiliates.

Since I do not make any money from anazon affiliate program, I do not
personally care too much.

i

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
m...

"Ignoramus29524" wrote in message
...
I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

I:

I affiliates in other states are not being terminated, you have to wonder
what new
Illinois' law they disagree with and, if it isn't obvious, why.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey




Illinois isn't the only state that is attempting to collect taxes from
Amazon.

http://tinyurl.com/3y6xfjj

Max

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?



http://tinyurl.com/3y6xfjj

Amazon Heads Up
 

Edward Hennessey wrote:
In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

....[Note on Amazon web pricing elided for brevity]...

Amazon has turned into mostly nothing but a front for a zillion
different e-tailers instead of actually being something themselves.

Owing to that, I've pretty much given them the brush-off in preference
to a direct online distributor link that I can tell who it is upfront.

--

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
m...

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

I've bought quite a few tools from Amazon, and often they've had the lowest
price as well as free shipping. *But* you need to do your homework, as
sometimes you can find better deals elsewhere at a given moment. I also
dislike their use of "list" prices which are so ridiculously high that their
claimed discount is meaningless. Their prices really do go up and down too,
leave a few items in your shopping cart for awhile and note how the prices
change over the weeks and months.

Amazon Heads Up
 

Edward Hennessey wrote:
In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

1. The price Amazon offered on one tool was more than 40% higher
than that obtainable at a local big box during the height of the Xmas
season.
Sure, you have to shop around but the discrepancy was whopping
if you preconceive Amazon as reliably competitive.

2. Amazon sent me an email offering deals on certain tools it modeled
would be of interest. One tool was already in my shopping cart.
Separately checking the cart showed the tool pegged at
a figure $10 lower than their email offer.

3. Deciding to read all of the reviews on an item, I opened a new
page just for that purpose. After moving through a succession of
new windows--and seventy some reviews or so--I noticed the
price on the last review page for the merchandise was now measurably
higher than that featured on the original item-description page still
open.
Reloading the original item-description page did not make that price
leap to the higher figure on the last review page.

You mean you have to pay attention when you buy something online?

Jon

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Ignoramus29524" wrote in message
...
On 2011-01-07, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?


Illinois wants Amazon to pay sales tax for items sold to IL
residents.

So they are passing a law that says that any web retailer that has
affiliates in IL, has "physical presence" or something like that, and
is obligated to pay. So, amazon said, it will just terminate all
Illinois affiliates.

Since I do not make any money from anazon affiliate program, I do not
personally care too much.

i

They already pay sales tax in Washington state.

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 12:25:12 -0800, "DGDevin"
wrote:



"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
om...

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

I've bought quite a few tools from Amazon, and often they've had the lowest
price as well as free shipping. *But* you need to do your homework, as
sometimes you can find better deals elsewhere at a given moment. I also
dislike their use of "list" prices which are so ridiculously high that their
claimed discount is meaningless. Their prices really do go up and down too,
leave a few items in your shopping cart for awhile and note how the prices
change over the weeks and months.

I suspect they are doing that deliberately to grab your attention and
maybe get you to order the stuff.

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 12:40:45 -0800, "CW"
wrote:


"Ignoramus29524" wrote in message
...
On 2011-01-07, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?


Illinois wants Amazon to pay sales tax for items sold to IL
residents.

So they are passing a law that says that any web retailer that has
affiliates in IL, has "physical presence" or something like that, and
is obligated to pay. So, amazon said, it will just terminate all
Illinois affiliates.

Since I do not make any money from anazon affiliate program, I do not
personally care too much.

i

They already pay sales tax in Washington state.


And New York, unfortunately. Newegg is resisting, so far.

Amazon Heads Up
 

Subject

http://toolseeker.com/

is your friend.

Lew

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 12:25:12 -0800, "DGDevin"

wrote:



"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
news:l_udnV3bweGb9brQnZ2dnUVZ_rqdnZ2d@earthlink. com...

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

I've bought quite a few tools from Amazon, and often they've had the
lowest
price as well as free shipping. *But* you need to do your homework,
as
sometimes you can find better deals elsewhere at a given moment. I
also
dislike their use of "list" prices which are so ridiculously high
that their
claimed discount is meaningless. Their prices really do go up and
down too,
leave a few items in your shopping cart for awhile and note how the
prices
change over the weeks and months.

I suspect they are doing that deliberately to grab your attention
and
maybe get you to order the stuff.


Thanks to DGD for the comment. If you go to camelcamelcamel.com, you
can
plug in an Amazon URL and chart price movement among 3 classes of
resellers,
Amazon included. Price alerts can also be dispatched to you if you
register on
the site, AFAIK. Any report on the site would be worthwhile.

The correlations in price development among retailer groups
are interesting. As to price upswings, on the big A , part of
that may involve a calculation by Amazon that if they jump a
price notches higher a formulaic number of times,
a person who has placed it in their cart--along with other waiting
"wannabuys"--may be triggered to buy at some point on the apprehension
that the bill for a desired product is spiraling beyond reach.

Acsquisition and operating costs and
competition are other obvious drivers in this flux but what some may
say is shifty manipulation or gaming by Amazon is not apart from the
picture.

Hey, Sphero, for some reason your name is tolling the bell of
association with
one John Woodgate, either correctly or no. If rightly, do you know
what
became of him?

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 13:50:25 -0800, "Edward Hennessey"
wrote:



"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 12:25:12 -0800, "DGDevin"

wrote:



"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
news:l_udnV3bweGb9brQnZ2dnUVZ_rqdnZ2d@earthlink .com...

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

I've bought quite a few tools from Amazon, and often they've had the
lowest
price as well as free shipping. *But* you need to do your homework,
as
sometimes you can find better deals elsewhere at a given moment. I
also
dislike their use of "list" prices which are so ridiculously high
that their
claimed discount is meaningless. Their prices really do go up and
down too,
leave a few items in your shopping cart for awhile and note how the
prices
change over the weeks and months.

I suspect they are doing that deliberately to grab your attention
and
maybe get you to order the stuff.


Thanks to DGD for the comment. If you go to camelcamelcamel.com, you
can
plug in an Amazon URL and chart price movement among 3 classes of
resellers,
Amazon included. Price alerts can also be dispatched to you if you
register on
the site, AFAIK. Any report on the site would be worthwhile.

The correlations in price development among retailer groups
are interesting. As to price upswings, on the big A , part of
that may involve a calculation by Amazon that if they jump a
price notches higher a formulaic number of times,
a person who has placed it in their cart--along with other waiting
"wannabuys"--may be triggered to buy at some point on the apprehension
that the bill for a desired product is spiraling beyond reach.

Acsquisition and operating costs and
competition are other obvious drivers in this flux but what some may
say is shifty manipulation or gaming by Amazon is not apart from the
picture.

Hey, Sphero, for some reason your name is tolling the bell of
association with

More Spehro than Sphero.. now that I've lost ~50lb... ;-)

one John Woodgate, either correctly or no. If rightly, do you know
what
became of him?

True enough. John Woodgate (a Brit)... well, I suspect he got fed up
with all the US political BS on s.e.d. (not to mention rudeness and
low signal to noise ratio) and left some years ago. He's quite active
on one electronic simulation group that I subscribe to (posted within
the last 30 minutes- about 9:35 pm London time).

Here's John's website if you should wish to contact him- he is very
knowledgeable on matters of pro audio standards and such, and I think
Spanish translation.

http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk/

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 13:50:25 -0800, "Edward Hennessey"
wrote:

Hey, Sphero, for some reason your name is tolling the bell of
association with

More Spehro than Sphero.. now that I've lost ~50lb... ;-)

one John Woodgate, either correctly or no. If rightly, do you know
what
became of him?

True enough. John Woodgate (a Brit)... well, I suspect he got fed
up
with all the US political BS on s.e.d. (not to mention rudeness and
low signal to noise ratio) and left some years ago. He's quite
active
on one electronic simulation group that I subscribe to (posted
within
the last 30 minutes- about 9:35 pm London time).

Here's John's website if you should wish to contact him- he is very
knowledgeable on matters of pro audio standards and such, and I
think
Spanish translation.

http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk/


SP:

Please have my apologies for the global nymshift but I'm sure you get
that conversion to the less-unique lookalike with some frequency.

Congratulations putting some of the ponderous pounds behind you.
You'll live longer; that's often the preference.

John and I are well-acquainted. If you get a chance to inform him
of my inquiry, he may find the fond sentiment tolerable.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...

I suspect they are doing that deliberately to grab your attention and
maybe get you to order the stuff.

Maybe, retailers sometimes play games with prices for such reasons. But it
could also be because they noticed a competitor cut their price and so
Amazon is going to beat them by five bucks, or because they bought a
trailer-load and got a deal, or the wholesaler raised the price....

Amazon Heads Up
 

Edward Hennessey wrote:
"Ignoramus29524" wrote in
message ...
I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

I:

I affiliates in other states are not being terminated, you have to
wonder what new
Illinois' law they disagree with and, if it isn't obvious, why.


Illinois just announced they were moving to collect sales tax on internet
purchases.

In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled a state cannot do so unless the company
they are attacking has some sort of physical presence in the state (Quill v.
North Dakota). Amazon is terminating affiliates in order to disconnect from
any possible physical presence.

If Amazon allowed its affiliates to remain part of the Amazon family, Amazon
would be obliged to collect the Illinois sales tax and forward it to the
state.

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75% for the next four years, and
* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.

Amazon Heads Up
 

Jon Danniken wrote:

You mean you have to pay attention when you buy something online?


Yep. As Abraham Lincoln once said: "The problem with internet quotations is
that many are not genuine." (Hat Tip to Clayton Cramer)

Amazon Heads Up
 

Edward Hennessey wrote:
In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

1. The price Amazon offered on one tool was more than 40% higher
than that obtainable at a local big box during the height of the Xmas
season.
Sure, you have to shop around but the discrepancy was whopping
if you preconceive Amazon as reliably competitive.

2. Amazon sent me an email offering deals on certain tools it modeled
would be of interest. One tool was already in my shopping cart.
Separately checking the cart showed the tool pegged at
a figure $10 lower than their email offer.

3. Deciding to read all of the reviews on an item, I opened a new
page just for that purpose. After moving through a succession of
new windows--and seventy some reviews or so--I noticed the
price on the last review page for the merchandise was now measurably
higher than that featured on the original item-description page still
open.
Reloading the original item-description page did not make that price
leap to the higher figure on the last review page.

And that ain't all. Amazon is associated with 'TRS Recovery
Services' which is an organized crime extortion ring.

Beware!

--Winston

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Ignoramus29524" wrote in message
...
On 2011-01-07, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?


Illinois wants Amazon to pay sales tax for items sold to IL
residents.

So they are passing a law that says that any web retailer that has
affiliates in IL, has "physical presence" or something like that, and
is obligated to pay. So, amazon said, it will just terminate all
Illinois affiliates.

Since I do not make any money from anazon affiliate program, I do not
personally care too much.

i

This has always been the law for Illinois sales tax. A company with some
physical presence in the state is responsible for collecting the tax on
Illinois retail sales. Amazon dodged around it by using "affiliates". Amazon
didn't collect, but technically, any Illinois affiliate shipping to an
address inside the state was required to collect it.

There is also a "use tax" in Illinois. It has been in effect since '55. In
effect if you buy items from out of state for use in Illinois, the purchaser
is supposed remit the tax. (you get credit for sales taxes paid to other
states). Reporting this has been on the honor system, and as a result nobody
ever does it.

Amazon could have probably stayed ahead of the curve by only connecting
interstate buyers and sellers.
But it would not have lasted forever.
The bottom line is that you owe tax on all purchased items used in Illinois.
They have not chased after mail order and internet sales because the
paperwork would be a nightmare.

The computer revolution is changing that.

Paul K. Dickman

Amazon Heads Up
 

"CW" wrote

They already pay sales tax in Washington state.
That is because Amazon is physically located in Washington state. Their
headquarters and some warehouses are here. They took over the big, old
public health hospital on Beacon Hill in Seattle for their headquarters.
Much of their shipping for the book business used to be here too. Until
they hired a guy from California.

He pointed out that they were in an earthquake zone. And as per cooperate
earthquake rules, you never have more than a third of your corporate
business function in an earthquake zone. So they started backing everything
up in several locations and making plans for moving people if a big
earthquake happened. And they started establishing warehouses and shipping
centers elsewhere. It was a big deal because, wherever they built, they
would have collect sales tax on local sales.

And they did. But they draw the line on a referral sale. I wonder how much
money is being lost by the state who insist on doing this. They know that
they can't charge tax to folks outside of the state. The do collect taxes on
the various businesses in the state no matter who they sell to. And they
now are losing that tax.

Apparently they are upset that they don't get to double tax the sale.

Amazon Heads Up
 

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Amazon Heads Up
 

CW wrote:

* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point
is reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new
criminal enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they
no longer going to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be
quite expensive as law enforcement have then got something else to
deal with. I don't smoke myself but when it gets to that point, I
will buy one case of cigarettes a month (maybe more depending on
price) to support the black market.

There's a loophole. The federal definition of "cigarette" is "blah-blah-blah
and contained within a paper sleeve."

I buy faux CIGARS that are not subject to the Draconian cigarette tax.
They're the same size as a cigarette, have a filter, come in Menthol, are
twenty to a pack, taste exactly the same as a cigarette, but are contained
in a TOBACCO sleeve (or at least paper made from tobacco).

They cost $10.90 per carton instead of the $45-$60 cost of the traditional
fags. I get 'em at Sam's (and probably Costco or any Stop-And-Rob bodego).

Amazon Heads Up
 

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
CW wrote:

* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point
is reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new
criminal enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they
no longer going to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be
quite expensive as law enforcement have then got something else to
deal with. I don't smoke myself but when it gets to that point, I
will buy one case of cigarettes a month (maybe more depending on
price) to support the black market.

There's a loophole. The federal definition of "cigarette" is
"blah-blah-blah and contained within a paper sleeve."

I buy faux CIGARS that are not subject to the Draconian cigarette tax.
They're the same size as a cigarette, have a filter, come in Menthol, are
twenty to a pack, taste exactly the same as a cigarette, but are contained
in a TOBACCO sleeve (or at least paper made from tobacco).

They cost $10.90 per carton instead of the $45-$60 cost of the traditional
fags. I get 'em at Sam's (and probably Costco or any Stop-And-Rob bodego).


Until I quit, I was rolling my own. The brand of tobacco I used was sold
labeled in two different ways. One said cigarette tobacco and the other said
pipe tobacco. Exactly the same stuff but the pipe tobacco was less than half
the cost.

Amazon Heads Up
 

"CW" wrote in message
m...


"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a pack
$13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the tax receipts
are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html

Amazon Heads Up
 

"CW" wrote in message
m...

"Ignoramus29524" wrote in message
...
On 2011-01-07, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:34:13 -0600, Ignoramus29524
wrote:

I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

Why? Some kind of ****ing match about income reporting?


Illinois wants Amazon to pay sales tax for items sold to IL
residents.

So they are passing a law that says that any web retailer that has
affiliates in IL, has "physical presence" or something like that, and
is obligated to pay. So, amazon said, it will just terminate all
Illinois affiliates.

Since I do not make any money from anazon affiliate program, I do not
personally care too much.

i

They already pay sales tax in Washington state.


They have to, their HQ is there.

--
"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
Brian's Mum

Amazon Heads Up
 

What is the brand name.


On 1/7/2011 8:19 PM, HeyBub wrote:
CW wrote:

* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point
is reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new
criminal enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they
no longer going to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be
quite expensive as law enforcement have then got something else to
deal with. I don't smoke myself but when it gets to that point, I
will buy one case of cigarettes a month (maybe more depending on
price) to support the black market.

There's a loophole. The federal definition of "cigarette" is "blah-blah-blah
and contained within a paper sleeve."

I buy faux CIGARS that are not subject to the Draconian cigarette tax.
They're the same size as a cigarette, have a filter, come in Menthol, are
twenty to a pack, taste exactly the same as a cigarette, but are contained
in a TOBACCO sleeve (or at least paper made from tobacco).

They cost $10.90 per carton instead of the $45-$60 cost of the traditional
fags. I get 'em at Sam's (and probably Costco or any Stop-And-Rob bodego).

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Califbill" wrote in message
m...
"CW" wrote in message
m...


"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer
going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke
myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a pack
$13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the tax
receipts are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html



These twits always claimed that the goal of taxing cigarettes so high was to
encourage people to quit. Anybody with half a brain knew better. I think
cigarettes is just the tip of the iceberg. ****'s about to hit the fan and
the politicians are getting scared. Go smugglers!

Amazon Heads Up
 

In article ,
says...

"CW" wrote in message
m...


"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a pack
$13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the tax receipts
are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html

Quit smoking. It's bad for you.

s

Amazon Heads Up
 

In ,
sam spewed forth:
In article ,
says...

"CW" wrote in message
m...


"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point
is reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new
criminal enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are
they no longer going to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to
be quite expensive as law enforcement have then got something else
to deal with. I don't smoke myself but when it gets to that point, I
will buy one case of cigarettes a month (maybe more depending on
price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a
pack $13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the
tax receipts are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html

Quit smoking. It's bad for you.

s

if everybody quits, do you think the gvnmt will cut the billions they
recieve in taxes from their budgets or just find someone or something else
to tax?
be careful what you wish forg

Amazon Heads Up
 

In m,
Edward Hennessey spewed forth:
In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

1. The price Amazon offered on one tool was more than 40% higher
than that obtainable at a local big box during the height of the Xmas
season.
Sure, you have to shop around but the discrepancy was whopping
if you preconceive Amazon as reliably competitive.

2. Amazon sent me an email offering deals on certain tools it modeled
would be of interest. One tool was already in my shopping cart.
Separately checking the cart showed the tool pegged at
a figure $10 lower than their email offer.

3. Deciding to read all of the reviews on an item, I opened a new
page just for that purpose. After moving through a succession of
new windows--and seventy some reviews or so--I noticed the
price on the last review page for the merchandise was now measurably
higher than that featured on the original item-description page still
open.
Reloading the original item-description page did not make that price
leap to the higher figure on the last review page.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

not to mention that if you buy something and the price drops within a few
days they won't honor a credit like so many others do.

Post-Order Price Match Policy

With the exception of TVs, we do not offer post-order price matching when an
item's price drops after you buy it. Our prices regularly change, and the
price you paid when your order shipped was the lowest price we were able to
offer at the time. We consistently offer competitive prices on everything we
carry because we know low prices are very important to our customers.

Amazon Heads Up
 

sam wrote:
In article9KudnXf7v4KDQbrQnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@earthlink .com,
says...

"CW" wrote in message
m...


wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a pack
$13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the tax receipts
are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html

Quit smoking. It's bad for you.

s

That's not the point of course. After that, they will go after alcohol,
lottery tickets, video games...

Bill

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 13:50:25 -0800, "Edward Hennessey"
wrote:



"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in
message
. ..
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 12:25:12 -0800, "DGDevin"

wrote:



"Edward Hennessey" wrote in message
news:l_udnV3bweGb9brQnZ2dnUVZ_rqdnZ2d@earthlin k.com...

In general, Amazon offers some good deals.

But there is a "however" documented by recent
observations that deserves elaboration:

I've bought quite a few tools from Amazon, and often they've had
the
lowest
price as well as free shipping. *But* you need to do your
homework,
as
sometimes you can find better deals elsewhere at a given moment.
I
also
dislike their use of "list" prices which are so ridiculously high
that their
claimed discount is meaningless. Their prices really do go up and
down too,
leave a few items in your shopping cart for awhile and note how
the
prices
change over the weeks and months.

I suspect they are doing that deliberately to grab your attention
and
maybe get you to order the stuff.


Thanks to DGD for the comment. If you go to camelcamelcamel.com, you
can
plug in an Amazon URL and chart price movement among 3 classes of
resellers,
Amazon included. Price alerts can also be dispatched to you if you
register on
the site, AFAIK. Any report on the site would be worthwhile.

The correlations in price development among retailer groups
are interesting. As to price upswings, on the big A , part of
that may involve a calculation by Amazon that if they jump a
price notches higher a formulaic number of times,
a person who has placed it in their cart--along with other waiting
"wannabuys"--may be triggered to buy at some point on the
apprehension
that the bill for a desired product is spiraling beyond reach.

Acsquisition and operating costs and
competition are other obvious drivers in this flux but what some may
say is shifty manipulation or gaming by Amazon is not apart from
the
picture.

Hey, Sphero, for some reason your name is tolling the bell of
association with

More Spehro than Sphero.. now that I've lost ~50lb... ;-)

SP:

My wonderment gives. If it is not intrusive or unwanted, could you
do me the favor of explaining the origin and meaning of your full
handle? Not since going to court with one Pratsersak Vathavornchotni
--a moniker than eventuated as intelligible--has a name captured
so much unknown in its composition.

Regards and "Dum spiro, spero",

Edward Hennessey

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Bill" wrote in message
...
sam wrote:
In article9KudnXf7v4KDQbrQnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@earthlink .com,
says...

"CW" wrote in message
m...


wrote in message
m...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new
criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer
going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as
law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke
myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a
month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.

Reply:
Is already happening in NYC. Their extra tax made the price of a pack
$13-15. There are still as many cigarettes being sold, but the tax
receipts
are down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804682785163691.html

Quit smoking. It's bad for you.

s

That's not the point of course. After that, they will go after alcohol,
lottery tickets, video games...

How long after that will it be before the people declare open season on
politicians?

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 17:16:50 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

Edward Hennessey wrote:
"Ignoramus29524" wrote in
message ...
I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

I:

I affiliates in other states are not being terminated, you have to
wonder what new
Illinois' law they disagree with and, if it isn't obvious, why.


Illinois just announced they were moving to collect sales tax on internet
purchases.

In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled a state cannot do so unless the company
they are attacking has some sort of physical presence in the state (Quill v.
North Dakota). Amazon is terminating affiliates in order to disconnect from
any possible physical presence.

If Amazon allowed its affiliates to remain part of the Amazon family, Amazon
would be obliged to collect the Illinois sales tax and forward it to the
state.

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75% for the next four years, and
* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.

The tax bill has pass the Illinois house, has yet to pass in our
Senate. If it does, the governer will sign it as it was his baby.

Mark

Amazon Heads Up
 

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 17:27:39 -0800, "CW"
wrote:


"HeyBub" wrote in message
om...

In addition to the internet business, the Democrat-controlled state
legislature intends:

* To raise the state income tax by 75%

That sounds totally democtrat.

for the next four years,

Right. Get used to paying that tax. It will be permanent.


* Add $1.00 / pack tax on cigarettes.


They're going to continue to do crap like this until a tipping point is
reached. Once it is reached (they aren't far from it now), a new criminal
enterprise will appear: Tobacco smuggling. Not only are they no longer going
to be able to collect tax on it, it is going to be quite expensive as law
enforcement have then got something else to deal with. I don't smoke myself
but when it gets to that point, I will buy one case of cigarettes a month
(maybe more depending on price) to support the black market.


Black market already exist in Illinois, "Da Outfit" in Chicago has
been making money that way for the past 20 years.

Mark

Amazon Heads Up
 

"Markem" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 17:16:50 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

Edward Hennessey wrote:
"Ignoramus29524" wrote in
message ...
I also recently received an email from them warning me that they will
be terminating all Illinois Amazon affiliates.

i

I:

I affiliates in other states are not being terminated, you have to
wonder what new
Illinois' law they disagree with and, if it isn't obvious, why.


Illinois just announced they were moving to collect sales tax on internet
purchases.

In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled a state cannot do so unless the company
they are attacking has some sort of physical presence in the state (Quill
v.
North Dakota). Amazon is terminating affiliates in order to disconnect
from
any possible physical presence.

If Amazon allowed its affiliates to remain part of the Amazon family,
Amazon
would be obliged to collect the Illinois sales tax and forward it to the
state.

Kind of jumping in the middle here... orders from Buy.com and Amazon.com
have incurred New York state and local sales tax for a number of years
now... My order volume from them dropped as it took away the price
advantage. Other out of state companies have taken up the slack...

Amazon Heads Up
 

Martin Eastburn wrote:
What is the brand name.



My, there's lots of brands (now). Just go to Sam's (or wherever) and ask.
Start with the cheapest and work up.

Here are a couple of examples:

Clipper
http://www.gothamcigars.com/Clipper-.../products/233/

Supreme (these are $16/carton on this web site but I pay $11 at Sams)
http://www.gothamcigars.com/Supreme-.../products/200/

If you're a smoker, I recommend you invest less than $20 and experiment. If
the new brand is palatable, you'll save $2,000 a year. If you just can't
stand them, you're out a double sawbuck. Twenty dollars to possibly save
$2000 sounds like a reasonable gamble.

It's a better deal than switching to CFLs!