Amazon Prime

[Bullaholic]

Amazon Prime is a pretty good deal. $79 a year and you get free 2-day shipping from Prime vendors, plus lots of free (not new release) movies and books online. Of course, I would still encourage everyone to buy from your poor old, struggling, small independently-owned local sources every time you can---they are the ones who support our kids locally, and actually care about you as a customer.

[Emerson1]

Sucks we are about to have to pay sales tax.

[Bullaholic]

Sucks we are about to have to pay sales tax.

Yep--starting in July in Texas.

[SintonFan]

Sucks we are about to have to pay sales tax.

Is Amazon opening a distribution hub here? What gives? Amazon is my favorite... :(

[Pendragon13]

Is Amazon opening a distribution hub here? What gives? Amazon is my favorite... :(No, they caved in to demands from Austin. They used to have a distribution center in Texas, but closed it down when the state started hounding them about sales tax.....but now they're throwing up the white flag anyway.:dispntd:

[Yoe_09]

I had Amazon Prime for free as a student. Saved quite a bit of money on books and such, and the two-day shipping is always nice to have.

[Saggy Aggie]

I had Amazon Prime for free as a student. Saved quite a bit of money on books and such, and the two-day shipping is always nice to have.+1

The free prime membership for students is pretty sweet

[Ville-D]

I've been a prime user for several years. We have been buying everything we could through Amazon to save on tax and shipping and to not have to go to Wal-Mart 10 times a week.

I guess as long as the price plus tax is still the cheapest then it will be OK, if not then I'll find something else.

http://www.dailytech.com/Amazon+to+Collect+Online+Sales+Taxes+in+Texas+Star ting+July+1+2012/article24571.htm

[FB-fanatic]

+1

The free prime membership for students is pretty sweet

Five years, $100,000, 300 books later you go and tell me that Amazon Prime is free to college students. I have lived in Amazons living room (or stockroom) for half my life.... Available to Aggies too? I saw the deals available from Microsoft and Dell for students, but never Amazon.

[FB-fanatic]

+1

The free prime membership for students is pretty sweet

Wait a minute, Medical School is *still* college. Woo Hoo, maybe I/we can still save some money.

[Saggy Aggie]

Lol sorry fb fanatic. I think if you have a valid student email then you can get a free membership. And yes, I know for a fact it works for tamu students

[Emerson1]

Wait a minute, Medical School is *still* college. Woo Hoo, maybe I/we can still save some money.
If you have an .edu address that's all you need. It's only good for a year though. Then you can get it for like $39 a year.

[Yoe_09]

Five years, $100,000, 300 books later you go and tell me that Amazon Prime is free to college students. I have lived in Amazons living room (or stockroom) for half my life.... Available to Aggies too? I saw the deals available from Microsoft and Dell for students, but never Amazon.

Yeah, all you need to have is your university email and your in. I have bought maybe 1 or 2 books from the bookstore on campus. I know I have saved over $2,000. Not much compared to the $35,000 a year here, but it's something.

[SintonFan]

No, they caved in to demands from Austin. They used to have a distribution center in Texas, but closed it down when the state started hounding them about sales tax.....but now they're throwing up the white flag anyway.:dispntd:

Who do I kick? Pubs or Dems or both?!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

[FB-fanatic]

Actually, I don't use Amazon for buying most of my son's books. I use it to get some refence pricing and the right ISBN number. For later semester, expensive Chem, Biology, Anatomy books, I have found the secret is Addall.com with the ISBN, which usually takes me to Abes Books. The secret is International Editions. New book on Amazon - $150. International edition, brand new in plastic in 3 days - identical material - $55. Use for one semester. Sell on Amazon as Like New for $55.

[Blastoderm55]

Actually, I don't use Amazon for buying most of my son's books. I use it to get some refence pricing and the right ISBN number. For later semester, expensive Chem, Biology, Anatomy books, I have found the secret is Addall.com with the ISBN, which usually takes me to Abes Books. The secret is International Editions. New book on Amazon - $150. International edition, brand new in plastic in 3 days - identical material - $55. Use for one semester. Sell on Amazon as Like New for $55.


I used to buy on Half.com and sell to Textbooks.com. I stopped buying from AbeBooks after being sold an international version of a book that was marketed as domestic.

[Blastoderm55]

Who do I kick? Pubs or Dems or both?!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Thank The Alliance for Mainstreet Fairness. The very same retail goliaths (Walmart, Best Buy, etc) who have forced thousands of independent businesses to shutter their storefronts finally successfully lobbied their way to level the playing field and regain traction against online retailers such as Amazon.

Legislators will have to answer to voters who will see this as a new tax. However, an argument can be made that this is not a new tax, but rather one that should have been collected all along. Amazon's concession to begin collecting sales tax will allow them to expand investment in Texas and will generate badly needed revenue for the state, both wins for our cash-strapped state. Plus, the leveling of the field should lead to more competitive pricing among the brick and mortar stores and Amazon.

www.standwithmainstreet.com

[Pendragon13]

Thank The Alliance for Mainstreet Fairness. The very same retail goliaths (Walmart, Best Buy, etc) who have forced thousands of independent businesses to shutter their storefronts finally successfully lobbied their way to level the playing field and regain traction against online retailers such as Amazon.

Legislators will have to answer to voters who will see this as a new tax. However, an argument can be made that this is not a new tax, but rather one that should have been collected all along. Amazon's concession to begin collecting sales tax will allow them to expand investment in Texas and will generate badly needed revenue for the state, both wins for our cash-strapped state. Plus, the leveling of the field should lead to more competitive pricing among the brick and mortar stores and Amazon.

www.standwithmainstreet.comSo, exactly how is Amazon being forced to have higher prices (via state tax) going to lead to more competitive pricing at brick and mortar stores?:thinking:

[Blastoderm55]

So, exactly how is Amazon being forced to have higher prices (via state tax) going to lead to more competitive pricing at brick and mortar stores?:thinking:

With the sales tax competitive advantage of Amazon no longer a factor, the market will shift closer toward perfect competition. However, Amazon is not going to give up the market position it has established without a fight. It will use its' lower overhead costs and innovative leadership team to continually drive incremental returns for it's investments. They will do this by lowering prices and exerting even more pressure on competing retailers.

Brick and mortar stores will have the option of either continuing to stand on their hands or they will slash prices in hopes of remaining relevant to consumers. Look at companies like Best Buy, JCPenney, and Sears as examples. Best Buy is employing better strategy by realizing that store count and square footage is no longer the key to success, and has announced the closure of its monstrous big-box stores in favor of opening more Best Buy Mobile stores and increasing its focus on internet sales. Meanwhile, JCPenney and Sears have proven time and time again to be totally out of touch with consumers and their recent stock demonstrates this.

Walmart on the other hand will see this as opportunity to regain market share in the consumer electronics category, and will continue to squeeze every penny out of its suppliers to offer the lowest price possible to its' customers.

[Pendragon13]

With the sales tax competitive advantage of Amazon no longer a factor, the market will shift closer toward perfect competition. However, Amazon is not going to give up the market position it has established without a fight. It will use its' lower overhead costs and innovative leadership team to continually drive incremental returns for it's investments. They will do this by lowering prices and exerting even more pressure on competing retailers.

Brick and mortar stores will have the option of either continuing to stand on their hands or they will slash prices in hopes of remaining relevant to consumers. Look at companies like Best Buy, JCPenney, and Sears as examples. Best Buy is employing better strategy by realizing that store count and square footage is no longer the key to success, and has announced the closure of its monstrous big-box stores in favor of opening more Best Buy Mobile stores and increasing its focus on internet sales. Meanwhile, JCPenney and Sears have proven time and time again to be totally out of touch with consumers and their recent stock demonstrates this.

Walmart on the other hand will see this as opportunity to regain market share in the consumer electronics category, and will continue to squeeze every penny out of its suppliers to offer the lowest price possible to its' customers.I still don't see how crippling your biggest competitor is going to translate to lower prices for everyone....if the B&M stores were going to slash prices then maybe they should have done that when Amazon had the clear advantage. Also, Amazon isn't going to slash prices across the board to make up the tax difference simply because Texas now demands sales tax, (not every state does)...but they might be forced to take other measures such as offering extra incentives if all 50 states start taxing internet sales. The only winners with this new law are the executives and shareholders of the giant brick and mortar companies...the same companies that killed off the mom and pop businesses and now want to play hardball when someone invades their turf.

[Blastoderm55]

I still don't see how crippling your biggest competitor is going to translate to lower prices for everyone....if the B&M stores were going to slash prices then maybe they should have done that when Amazon had the clear advantage. Also, Amazon isn't going to slash prices across the board to make up the tax difference simply because Texas now demands sales tax, (not every state does)...but they might be forced to take other measures such as offering extra incentives if all 50 states start taxing internet sales. The only winners with this new law are the executives and shareholders of the giant brick and mortar companies...the same companies that killed off the mom and pop businesses and now want to play hardball when someone invades their turf.

I suppose time will tell. Keep in mind Texas is not the only cash-strapped state that can benefit from the additional revenues, and TAMF is pushing hard for similar sales tax measures across the Union.

I do share in your recognition of the double-standard that exists with the corporations who destroyed mainstreets across the nation and now lobby under the pretense that they represent independent, local investment. It was actually a point I made on the senior project on Best Buy I submitted last December for my Strategic Management course.

[Pendragon13]

I suppose time will tell. Keep in mind Texas is not the only cash-strapped state that can benefit from the additional revenues, and TAMF is pushing hard for similar sales tax measures across the Union.

I do share in your recognition of the double-standard that exists with the corporations who destroyed mainstreets across the nation and now lobby under the pretense that they represent independent, local investment. It was actually a point I made on the senior project on Best Buy I submitted last December for my Strategic Management course.If all 50 states (or most all) start demanding sales tax on internet sales from companies with no physical presence in the state, some internet retailers will compensate by lowering prices a little further, or maybe offering free shipping on most everything (Amazon already does this, but it can be extremely slow)....but the fact is that there will be no return to the consumer friendly days of much lower starting price, free shipping and no tax if bought from an out of state company. If anything, the pressure will be off the brick and mortar stores to match internet prices since the sales tax will bring the final prices closer...and they have the advantage of not making people wait to receive what they bought. Like you say, time will tell....but moves like this are rarely to the the advantage of consumers who are also cash strapped.