Aliexpress collecting tax now?

That about sums it up. That SCOTUS ruling opened the door (thanks Colorado) for online retailers, regardless of whether they’re in the US, to collect sales tax at-will. Not a requirement, but if I were someone like AE, with nearly zero accountability to report earnings to the US or remit any money to the government, do you think Id’say no to sales tax? No they take it to the bank. I get texed on every online sale except a few: if I buy from Oregon (no sales tax), or another state with no tax and some online retailers don’t charge it either. It just depends. All the Chinese retailers, AE, BG, Kaidomain have all added sales tax (for me at least).

If you think AX is remitting sales tax (to Kansas or any other state), I have some lakeside property I’d like to sell you in Arizona. :disguised_face:

I doubt they are. Makes sense because they’re making millions per year on it.

I have made Ebay purchases from Chinese sellers where PayPal charged separately for the tax and the seller’s charge. I assume the tax portion went directly to Pa.

If a seller is collecting a state tax and not remitting that money to the state government, they would have some huge liability. I don’t believe it’s some scam, and unless you have evidence that the Chinese venders are cheating the government by collecting tax but not remitting it, I’d be very careful about casually libeling someone.

If your state collects taxes, it would be damned unfair to make all of your local storefront sellers collect and pay it but someone who is located out of state to not have to do the same and pay it for the same sale. If someone doesn’t like the tax, work to reduce or eliminate it for all.

Nothing casually implied… If nobody in the world BUT AX collects tax for MY state (so far), they ARE scamming ME (and my state). I’m not speaking for other countries here btw.

I have been a manufacturer and reseller and submitted taxes in several states and China has no obligation to submit sales taxes to the US any more than I did to buyers out of the US. BUT AE will collect it from those who are willing to pay it! :stuck_out_tongue:

Correct. Ebay, as a US-based company under the IRS are required to report all earnings, including tax, to both state and federal governments. I’ve had refunds from Chinese sellers come as 2 transactions- one for thr purchase price, and another, directly from eBay for the sales tax.

I wish there was a way to say definitively where AE tax ends up. I would think because of their size alone they would play by the rules.

Well, there are no international rules on sales taxes (in the US) on general purchases sold OUT of the USA. Import taxes yes, sales taxes- no. Those taxes are BETWEEN states (sometimes), and IN EACH STATE (all the time) and yep… they will include product SOURCED out of the US, but (key point) SOLD in the US.

Yes, yes, they are working on it I’m sure, but it’s just not happening in real life right now folks.

IF (BIG IF!)… AX DID REALLY collected these “imaginary” sales taxes off sales to the US (AND remitted them)… then they would NOT be charging this 10% scam fee calling it a “tax”. In fact: 6.5% WOULD be the correct “intrastate” sales tax rate for sales IN my state of Kansas).

Bottom line: If AX were legit here… they would play by the SAME rules as the states (and major companies: eBay, Amazon, etc.) DO play by. And they are not, so it’s clear they are pulling the old “bend-over” on a lot of buyers this year when they started this scam.

So this is the tell-tail for any doubters as to if AX isn’t picking your pockets. :stuck_out_tongue:

Taxes only applies if item is shipped to USA. No taxes apply if shipped to Canada.
Because of COVID restrictions, can’t cross the line to pickup my order from AE.

Not wanting to be political, but didn’t Trump play tough with China about economic imbalance? Always thought this hidden tax is to compensate.

Not all do, though. FT still doesn’t.

And no need for any “tax”, as prices are normally just jacked up to make up for shipping costs, etc.

Like airlines hitting people with a “fuel surcharge” when the cost of Jet-A goes up, or just jacking up prices without.

Correct.
Aliexpress charges 10% tax on the cost of item(s) + the shipping costs.

How this tax actually gets back to the Australian government is unknown.

It’s the new tax regimen for private import, that EU has started to implement. This because it’s unfair that foreign online shops could sell their products without tax, while domestic shops had to pay tax. Tax demanded by Aliexpress, iHerb etc. at purchase, is refunded to customs office in destination country. Before they had to handle one by one, now it will become more streamlined, and there will be no additional handling tax. In many countries cheap products under ie. 40 usd will become 10-20 to 25 % more expensive (depending on destination country), while products with higher price will become somewhat cheaper as there will be no more handling tax. I’m not sure, in USA there is no vat / tax on products / services as in EU , and there should be no added tax on packages sent to USA, still some states demand states tax and country/city sales tax, while others not.

It’s in the service section on aliexpress: Notice on American States Sales Tax

I for one, don’t carry a grudge towards AE. Their prices and wide selection offsets any small additional cost. They have just so recently made some changes to the login and is better. This was a more contentious item than a 5 to 10 % price hike as I’ve had with FTs web page price vs. cart. And so recently, Ali Express Shipping is using Hong Kong Air Hub which makes for much better transit times - 10 to 16 days which was 3 to 5 weeks. Compared to FastTech’s PostNL which takes 8+ weeks.

Whether or not AliExpress hands over the "tax money," I will continue shopping there.

I will shop at almost anywhere (that is reputable) if they have the lowest price or offer something I cannot get elsewhere.

Copy and pasted (probably from a US site) and edited to show (add) states that do NOT require interstate withholdings (like Kansas). Again… tax rate is ALSO incorrect. They are just slapping one rate across the board and loading the Brinks truck up with succa’ money daily.

I hold a “grudge” against liars and if US buyers stopped buying from these liars (maybe they’d drop the fake tax game pretty quick).

BUT… to each their own and I just can NOT smell a rat- when I smell one :expressionless:

They are showing the correct sales tax rate for Pa. on my receipt.

I don’t disagree with you on grudges. However, I can assure you based on the Aliexpress notice: “According to the law of American states, for orders shipped to below states are subject to sales tax, including states tax and country/city sales tax. Aliexpress is required by law to collect sates tax and remit to these the relevant local tax authories. The states which are required by law to collect states tax include (updating) : Washington state— From 1 October 2018” that if they are collecting Washington state tax but not remitting it to Washington State, those state officials would grab those small Ali testicles and you would be able to hear the screaming, squealing and wailing as far away as Kansas.