Good Service Story

[BarryBobPosthole]

I heard this old adage at MCI way back in the late 70's: Customers usually won't tell anyone about good service, but will tell ten people about bad service.

So, having worked in the service industry my whole career I've tried to be the exception to that rule.

My wife and I love coffee from this Canadian firm called Kicking Horse Coffee. We buy it at a local grocery store but the kind we like is sold out much of the time. I found it on Amazon for a few cents less, but by the time you add the 15% discount for subscribing and the 8% sales tax you don't pay I end up saving almost 30% on it. When I placed the subscription, I mistakenly ordered the ground coffee instead of whole bean and realized MY mistake when I received my first order yesterday. So I went in today and made a new subscription for the beans but the system wouldn't let me cancel the old one for some odd reason. So I emailed customer service at Amazon. I recieved a response in less than an hour. He cancelled my old subscription, and without me ever asking for it, credited my account for the first incorrect order and said don't worry about returning it. And this was all my own dumbass mistake.

That's what I call good service!

I'm liking this Prime service. I honestly think it (and other services like it) are going to create a challenge on the sales tax side of things for cities and states, and its going to put a real burden on brick and mortar businesses, but as a consumer its hard to pass on a minimum 23% savings on shit thats delivered right to your front door.

BKB

[quercus alba]

Like fly fishing and duck hunting it's a narcotic.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Its getting that way with me.

I haven't even searched 'fishing equipment' on Prime yet. I'm askeert.

BKB

[Thumper]

Like you P-hole, I spent my whole working life in the service industry. I'm pretty much opposite of the norm I guess. It's very common for me to go on-line and leave a good review for good customer service. My problem is, I normally don't complain about bad service, I just never go back. Lynn usually handles the service complaints, so I suppose we pretty much balance each other out.

Coincidentally, I just left a good review (both at the hotel and on-line) for the desk clerk at the hotel we stayed at in Ft. Meyers last weekend. We checked into our room and found the a/c was frozen up. (Probably low on freon) We called the desk and the clerk not only upgraded us to a suite, but he also gave us coupons for free meals in the hotel restaurant. Two for Saturday and two for Sunday. I think he went above and beyond imo.

[airbud7]

Thump we all know you let the freon out for the upgrade....;)

[Arty]

Its getting that way with me. I haven't even searched 'fishing equipment' on Prime yet. I'm askeert. BKB
Don't do it.
But if you do, wait until that first social security check comes.

[Thumper]

Thump we all know you let the freon out for the upgrade....;)

I didn't ... but that ain't a bad idea. ;)

[LJ3]

Welcome my nizzle. I just heard the ups guy drive by. I have 3 boxes sitting in my porch.

There's no way this can't significantly impact most consumer markets. Time will tell how we adjust I suppose.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Brick and mortar stores mght turn into brick and mortar distribution centers where you drive to pick up stuff you order online.

The sales tax issue is the biggest. We pay for a lot of shit with it. Adding sales tax to online business will have to happen.

BKB

[Arty]

Brick and mortar stores mght turn into brick and mortar distribution centers where you drive to pick up stuff you order online. The sales tax issue is the biggest. We pay for a lot of shit with it. Adding sales tax to online business will have to happen. BKB we pay Virginia sales tax on most things we buy off Amazon. Must vary by state Here's something I just ordered tonight (they had a big sale on Danskin spandex, and I had to jump on it )

[LJ3]

Innersting article on "Amazon laws"

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/50-state-guide-internet-sales-tax-laws.html

[Bwana]

Posthole,
My wife apparently figured this one out several months ago. Just last Friday she asked the UPS driver if he was sick of backing into our driveway yet. No joke.

[LJ3]

We're on a first name basis with our UPS guy. He's good people.

[DeputyDog]

We pay sales tax on Amazin her in Indiana too.

[BarryBobPosthole]

we pay Virginia sales tax on most things we buy off Amazon. Must vary by state Here's something I just ordered tonight (they had a big sale on Danskin spandex, and I had to jump on it )

Here's my summary of one of my subscribed orders.

BKB

Order Summary
Item(s) Subtotal: $37.79
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Subscribe & Save: -$5.67
Total before tax: $32.12
Estimated tax to be collected: $0.00
Grand Total: $32.12

[quercus alba]

yeah Posthole, but did you order Danskin spandex?

[BarryBobPosthole]

They must have a tranny tax in Virginia is all I can figure. To pay for new restroom signage I suppose.

BKb

[Arty]

They must have a tranny tax in Virginia is all I can figure. To pay for new restroom signage I suppose. BKb
Way to tie it all back to the bathroom thread! Good job!

[BarryBobPosthole]

Its what I do for nothing, not even a modicum of respect.

Thanks for noticing.

BKB

[LJ3]

I got your modicum, right here.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I got your modicum, right here.

Another happy Virginia taxpayer heard from.

BKB

[airbud7]

I heard people form Virginia wont even give you a reach around.

[LJ3]

You heard correctly. However comma Jimmy will let you play the rusty trombone all night down in Fla.

[airbud7]

hahaha^

[BarryBobPosthole]

You heard correctly. However comma Jimmy will let you play the rusty trombone all night down in Fla.

That beats a Cleveland Steamer any old day!

BKB

[Thumper]

Youse dufes are sick puppies!

We don't pay tax on internet orders unless the item is shipped from Florida. Anything shipped from out of state has no sales tax. There may be some exceptions, but none that have affected me personally.

As a consumer, I love it. If I were a retailer, I'd be screaming my head off! I suppose it's whatever side of the fence you're on.

They've been trying to slap a sales tax on eBay also, but they've been fighting it tooth and nail. I think if I looked at the situation from a "principles" stand point, it seems to me that internet sales SHOULD be taxed (NOT that I want that). As for eBay, there are people with eBay stores who sell nothing but new merchandise, not unlike a brick & mortar store. I can see where a tax there would make sense. Now, not to sound selfish, but I have no clue why sales tax should be paid on USED items. Supposedly, sales tax has already been collected when the item was purchased new. How can the gov't. expect to collect tax a dozen times on the same item through the years?

[LJ3]

How can they tax a dead guys estate the way they do?

I say we start a Tea Party!

No wait...
ummm... shit. Nevermind.

[Chicken Dinner]

I could go all tax wonk on you. But, I'll spare you fuckers and keep it brief. First, it's actually a "sales and use" tax. So, just because you don't get charged it by an online retailer doesn't mean you don't owe it. That's not generally an issue for individuals, but companies get audited all the time on whether they've paid the "use" tax on out of state or online purchases. (Virginia actually asks you on your individual income tax return if you had any purchases that weren't charged and asks you to pay it. Yeah, right!). Any company that has "nexus", which is generally a physical presence, in your state is required to collect it and remit it regardless of where it ships from. However, there's lots of tax planning that goes on to ensure companies don't have nexus as it puts them at a competitive disadvantage.

[DeputyDog]

The Indiana state tax return has a line where you are supposed to enter the value of items purchased online or out of state where sales tax wasn't collected.

Good thing I don't buy untaxed items.