Did you get your email from Amazon yet?

[greenego]

I'm still not intimidated. Maybe it's just me, but I've never been intimidated by any valid form of correspondence which legitimately states that I owe money. And when I receive notification in writing that I owe the aforementioned money, I do my best to pay that particular debt as promptly as possible. I just don't find email particularly intimidating. OTOH, if they send a 7'-14" gorilla to my door and he threatens to shoot my goats and burn down my hen house if I don't give him 'X' amount of dollars right now... then yeah, I'd find that to be slightly intimidating.

I have to agree with what you are saying. My biggest problem is getting the email in the first place. If Amazon believed their TN customers should pay sales tax on items they purchase from them, then Amazon should, like every business in TN, collect the sales tax. Am I intimidated by this. NO. But when someone asks me if they should pay it, what should i tell them?

[Timestepper]

I have to agree with what you are saying. My biggest problem is getting the email in the first place. If Amazon believed their TN customers should pay sales tax on items they purchase from them, then Amazon should, like every business in TN, collect the sales tax. Am I intimidated by this. NO. But when someone asks me if they should pay it, what should i tell them?

Hmmm... A buddy of mine told me once that he got a bill from a towing company when his insurance company refused to pay them. I said, "Did they tow your pickup?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Did the insurance company say they'd pay for it?" He said, "Well nooooo, but..." I said, "So they towed YOUR pickup and sent you a bill?" He said, "Ummm, yeah I guess." I said, "So pay the barstewards and shut up."

I agree that it's more convenient when companies collect sales tax at the time of sale, but if they don't and you know they didn't - even though they should have - then the obligation is on you to pay the tax you owe. If, on the other hand, it was specifically stated that no sales tax was ever to owed or collected on said transaction (and you have that in writing), then screw it - delete the email and show the aforementioned agreement to the state when they come to collect.

[Guest pfries]

The only thing intimidating me is this thread....

[greenego]

Hmmm... A buddy of mine told me once that he got a bill from a towing company when his insurance company refused to pay them. I said, "Did they tow your pickup?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Did the insurance company say they'd pay for it?" He said, "Well nooooo, but..." I said, "So they towed YOUR pickup and sent you a bill?" He said, "Ummm, yeah I guess." I said, "So pay the barstewards and shut up."

I agree that it's more convenient when companies collect sales tax at the time of sale, but if they don't and you know they didn't - even though they should have - then the obligation is on you to pay the tax you owe. If, on the other hand, it was specifically stated that no sales tax was ever to owed or collected on said transaction (and you have that in writing), then screw it - delete the email and show the aforementioned agreement to the state when they come to collect.

Don't know where Amazon said you did owe it when you made the purchase. But here is the link to your obligation as a resident of TN.

https://apps.tn.gov/usetax/

Again my problem is not paying the tax. It's getting the email in the first place and having yet something else looking over my shoulder.

[Timestepper]

Guess my filters are too tight - I've sometimes gotta' check my junk folder even just for confirmation emails. No way an email like that is going to get through into my main inbox unless I've previously marked the sender as 'safe.' OTOH, I haven't ordered anything from Amazon in a couple of years, so I guess I don't have to worry about it.

Still, with all the press this gotten in the past year or so, it doesn't really come as much of a surprise (to me) that they're doing this - although I will readily admit that I'd much prefer to get a certified notice via snail mail, rather than an email which I might, but probably won't see or read.