[Se7enth]

Imagine if all this talk about BB applying the rebates as instant will cause Sprint to get rid of the MIR & have them process it all as instant.

[reyrey127]

Well then it was a fluke and is not general practice.

Come to California and buy a cell phone at BB...
For me they taxed on the retail...
let me know what happes to u please....

[reyrey127]

In many states sales tax is charged prior to any rebates. That is true.

Best Buy does not get to keep that money. So it is not more profit for them.

Sprint stores will most likly have more supply that the Best Buy. Best Buy stock will also probably go faster since they are including the MIR price automatically.

You might be right about this, but that was my thinking that they made money. The REASON I say this is because if I bought a car for 1,000 but I report to the DMV I bought it for 700, i would only be paying taxes for a 700 car. That was the only reason I thought BB would make money.. But I COULD BE WRONG....

if you dont like that thinking, how about this one.

Assume 8.25 %

You buy from Sprint paying a tax of 45.30 (549 retail) instead of the BB retail of 749. You save 16.50, which is 2 months TEP for $7 a month.

This was just my thinking and I COULD BE WRONG... like I said I just found that it was cheaper to go with Sprint at the end if the price came out to be the same.

Thanks.

[reminiz]

Imagine if all this talk about BB applying the rebates as instant will cause Sprint to get rid of the MIR & have them process it all as instant.

would be nice wouldn't it? probably afraid they'd lose to much money.

[Se7enth]

would be nice wouldn't it? probably afraid they'd lose to much money.

Yea, I don't see it happening either. But seeing as how Sprint is desperately trying to change their image, all this rebate backlash isn't helping them out.

Oh well.

[laravia18]

Oh, ok. Can Sprint possibly waive the activation fee even though I will be a brand new customer coming from T-Mobile?

Hmmm I have no idea but I think they might. It is certainly worth giving it a try.

Plus for everyone who is buying their phones at BB, use your reward zone cards. You can sometimes get double the points if you are switching service and those add up to coupons which you could later on use for accessories.

[wessock]

Come to California and buy a cell phone at BB...
For me they taxed on the retail...
let me know what happes to u please....

While I believe you that they charged you, I seriously doubt that they should have and that it's legal. You can't be taxed on a price number you're never actually being charged. An instant rebate is no different than a sale discount or a markdown on a clearance item. You can only tax on what is paid. At Best Buy, at no point in the transaction will you ever be charged more than $199 so they can't legally tax on a higher amount no matter what state you're in.

[fbeaumont]

Sounds like crap that they would make you pay sales tax on $799 when you only pay $199... but..

I know that Costco has some has "instant rebates" which it clearly says on the merchandise display that you pay sales tax on the gross amount.. usually it is a for $10-$50 rebate, not a $500 rebate..

so I guess it is possible that this gross up sales tax is standard procedure.

[prereferee]

The sales tax procedure is always determined by state law. In most states, rebates do not reduce the sales tax burden on the item, similarly with coupons. Though this can vary wildly from state to state, it would have nothing to do with corporate or Best Buy. You can check online what your state's rules are regarding taxes off discounted goods and bring it up with the retailer if you think there is a problem, but getting upset at the retailer for following the law is kind of misguided anger. Besides that sales tax revenue goes to the state not the retailer.

[reyrey127]

The sales tax procedure is always determined by state law. In most states, rebates do not reduce the sales tax burden on the item, similarly with coupons. Though this can vary wildly from state to state, it would have nothing to do with corporate or Best Buy. You can check online what your state's rules are regarding taxes off discounted goods and bring it up with the retailer if you think there is a problem, but getting upset at the retailer for following the law is kind of misguided anger. Besides that sales tax revenue goes to the state not the retailer.

Like I said I could be wrong I am not angry at BB at all, I am JUST saying that it came out cheaper at Sprint. I thought BB was making money but please see my earlier post above. That is all.

I am merely stating my expereince between BB and Sprint.

[prereferee]

I was just clarifying because there seemed to be continued confusion, that is all. I wasn't going after anyone.

[hparsons]

You might be right about this, but that was my thinking that they made money. The REASON I say this is because if I bought a car for 1,000 but I report to the DMV I bought it for 700, i would only be paying taxes for a 700 car. That was the only reason I thought BB would make money.. But I COULD BE WRONG....

if you dont like that thinking, how about this one.

Assume 8.25 %

You buy from Sprint paying a tax of 45.30 (549 retail) instead of the BB retail of 749. You save 16.50, which is 2 months TEP for $7 a month.

This was just my thinking and I COULD BE WRONG... like I said I just found that it was cheaper to go with Sprint at the end if the price came out to be the same.

Thanks.

If a retalier claims to be taking money for taxes, and then keeps it, that is fraud. You end up in jail for that.

[reyrey127]

If a retalier claims to be taking money for taxes, and then keeps it, that is fraud. You end up in jail for that.

Like I said if you dont like that thinking, how about this one.

Assume 8.25 %

You buy from Sprint paying a tax of 45.30 (549 retail) instead of the BB retail of 749. You save 16.50, which is 2 months TEP for $7 a month.

Is that better for you...

PS Fraud is everywhere, politicians are crooks, everyone cares for themselves, who knows what BB does, I don't know and no one knows but BB. I am merely stating my claim, and by NO MEANS defaming BB. I do not know their operations, but there is a deal for them somewhere.

I would buy at BB as long as it has a good deal.

SO IN CONCLUSION

You will save some if you go to a Sprint store (assuming the price is about the same), and ALSO receive the benefits of switching out phones easily from a Sprint store and receive the newer shipments since Sprint store would not honor BB phones unless you have TEP and even then they will ship it to Aurion rather than replacing it there on the spot depending on the guy. This was what I was told That is all. Thank you.

If I have helped then good, if I have confused I am sorry, and if you hate me then... I dunno... anyways.. CHERRIOS!

[hparsons]

Like I said if you dont like that thinking, how about this one.
...

It wasn't that math that I questioned, it was the implication that Best Buy was making money off it. They aren't. If someone from Best Buy saw you posting that on a public forum, I'm sure they'd be none too happy.

The action you seem to be implying is illegal. A retailer cannot claim they are collecting sales tax, and then convert it for their own use.

[reyrey127]

It wasn't that math that I questioned, it was the implication that Best Buy was making money off it. They aren't. If someone from Best Buy saw you posting that on a public forum, I'm sure they'd be none too happy.

The action you seem to be implying is illegal. A retailer cannot claim they are collecting sales tax, and then convert it for their own use.

Like I said I do not know what they are doing but that was what I was thinking... Whether BB is doing that or not.. I HAVE NO CLUE...

I see your point but the point I am trying to make which was MY INTENT of this post was not to see how BB benefitted from our purchase, but the PROBLEMS or POSSIBLY HIGHER COST associated with purchasing from BB. That is all.

I assumed they might profit from tax or marked up retail price, but I do not KNOW. I am merely stating my opinions and experience. I will let you guys to decide how you want to purchase your PRE (either Sprint or BB).

[reyrey127]

the last phone i bought from sprint, tax was charged on the total b4 the MIR, and i just checked my last BB receipt for my wife's Pro... the only charged tax on the price of the phone.... must be an area thing....

MY POINT EXACTLY... thank you!!!

[Aero]

No offense but you are wrong on your facts and conclusion.

There is zero difference in quality of phone shipped to Best buy. They have the same average build dates as well. to say otherwise is untrue.

There is zero difference in swapping out your phone at a sprint store whether you bought it at a sprint store or Best buy if you have a problem. They don't care at all. (you do realize most sprint stores are not owned by sprint, right?)


The taxes if any different will be less at Best Buy, your net cost will be less at best buy.
In most states you are taxes on mail in rebates but not taxed on instant rebates .

My last sprint purchases I was charged sales taxes on $100 mail in rebate whereas with my Sprint purchase at Best buy was taxed an the amount after the instant rebate, ie less tax at best buy.

No offense but you are spreading misinformation of the kind pitched by Sprint store salesmen. I don't blame them, but they will say anything to get a sale, including the full set of incorrect information in your post.

You are also forgetting that returning is easier at best buy since you don't have the rebate problem.

On top of that your purchases at best buy accrue to reward points. A $200 purchase is worth around $10

I urge those who go to Best Buy to NOT go to Best Buy only because of my experience. Don't get me wrong Best Buy is fine but there are 2 reasons I would avoid it if possible. I am not a Sprint or Best Buy employee, just a consumer watching out for us little guys.

1. The quality of their Pre shipment vs the quality of the Pre shipment to Sprint stores. Sprint tends to get the newer shipment and are more willing to change out phones bought from the sprint store if there was a known or possibly known defect to the device. I have had problems changing out my Touch Pro at a Sprint store since they claimed I had not purchased from either Telesales or an authorized Sprint store. The reason I had problems was because even though I bought in late Feb and early March, I still had a late October build phone from the previous year which had numerous problems that were fixed later next year in the January builds. Unfortunately Sprint stores does NOT honor Best Buy phones so I was stuck exchanging at Best Buy for the same ****ty phones (older built). YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR I suppose. I do not blame Best Buy since their shipment was probably given to them by the direction of Sprint.

2 The list price. What people DO NOT know or forget is that even though Sprint has it for 549 for the retail price, BESTBUY will markup that price to possibly 250 dollars more, making it 799. Guess which price you will be paying tax for?? Exactly, 799!!! That is how Best Buy makes their money since MIR are not real money makers unless the consumer forgets and does not follow up. I find the MIR at Sprint to be fine since you can always track it. I rather have the safety net of being able to go to Sprint to switch out for a newer build phone than go back to Best Buy and deal with the early build phones. I believe sprint taxes are different since their tax price is the 299 price (before MIR), meaning rather than (assuming 10% tax) 30 dollars, you are paying 80 dollars at Best Buy, 50 dollar more net difference without the hassle of a MIR. Being that i am a PENNY PINCHER, I can use that 50 dollar and get TEP for 7 months and then cancel since by that time I can get a new phone with the early BUGS fixed and very easily (from what I have read) go into a Sprint store and change it out and go home and play with my BRAND new phone (BUG free hopefully). BUT if i am mistaken about the taxes and it maybe the 549 price that is taxed and and in that case you would pay a net difference of 25 dollars (80-55 = 25). So rather than 7 months, you get 3 months ($7 (TEP) *3 (months) = 21). In 3 Months if they can't fix the problem, they should be out of business and in the cell phone world, 3 months is a quarter of a year, which is LONG in the cell phone market these days.

The math is there guys. PLEASE do not take this as an attack on Best Buy. I am merely stating my 2 cents. Take it or leave it but PLEASE READ THIS!!!

[Xyg]

I'll save on sales tax by living in Oregon.

[Aero]

Come to California and buy a cell phone at BB...
For me they taxed on the retail...
let me know what happes to u please....

Bull.

Your whole post is bull.

Instant rebates are equivalent of a mark down. Mail in rebates are not.

You have it exactly backwards.

[imthatguy704]

Bull.

Your whole post is bull.

You have it exactly backwards.

+1