Just got back from Walmart and they only charged me tax on the purchase price of $197 for a 16gb! Not $599 like other stores. Remember I am talking tax. As opposed to paying $250 for the phone I only payed $212 total. I was very happy!
Buy from Walmart!
- Thread starter realpatmurphy
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Fausty82
Well-known member
Are you in California? I heard retailers were required to collect sales tax on the "list price", not the subsidized out the door price. California has screwy tax laws.
In Arizona, I paid $327.41 for the 32GB iPhone4.
Jellotime91
Well-known member
what? You guys get charged the tax of the unsubsidized price?? That makes no sense.
Here in Canada we pay the tax of the subsidized price. Last year I paid $226 for my 16GB 3GS, the year before that it was $339 for my 16GB 3G in 2008. Ontario taxes are about 13%.
Here in Canada we pay the tax of the subsidized price. Last year I paid $226 for my 16GB 3GS, the year before that it was $339 for my 16GB 3G in 2008. Ontario taxes are about 13%.
Fausty82
Well-known member
It makes perfect sense. Who cares what the device "costs"? The only thing that matters is the bottom line - the cash out of my pocket price. So if I pay $300 for a phone, I pay tax on that $300 price. Why should I pay tax on some arbitrary and inflated price? The only reason that I can think of is government greed.
big9erfan
Well-known member
Ordered through the AT&T website and was charged the "proper" amount of tax. My gf ordered through the AT&T store and also charged the "proper" tax amount.
California changed the tax law bc they felt they were missing out on what they were "due". This state ( yes I live here ) is so screwed up when it comes to how the government is run they need every dime they can squeeze out of it's residents. If we aren't careful the state tax will eclipse 10% AND we'll have one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation, all while our state legislators pass some bs bill for a "no swearing week" ( yes it's real )
California changed the tax law bc they felt they were missing out on what they were "due". This state ( yes I live here ) is so screwed up when it comes to how the government is run they need every dime they can squeeze out of it's residents. If we aren't careful the state tax will eclipse 10% AND we'll have one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation, all while our state legislators pass some bs bill for a "no swearing week" ( yes it's real )
Well Walmart rocks in this sense. I should only be paying for what actually comes out of pocket. Anyone else get from Walmart as well? I had mine priority listed at Apple but it took to long so I started calling Walmarts and got lucky. Now I am even more grateful I did because I saved $70 going here for the 2 phones as opposed to somewhere else.
If someone wants proof I will take a picture of the receipt when I get home. I even asked the lady behind the cell phone counter and she said specifically "we only tax on what you pay, not the original price of a product before discount"
If someone wants proof I will take a picture of the receipt when I get home. I even asked the lady behind the cell phone counter and she said specifically "we only tax on what you pay, not the original price of a product before discount"
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big9erfan
Well-known member
She works at Walmart, her register is wrong, in CA it should automagically tax on the unsubsidized price of the device. It's state law. If they didn't collect the proper amount in tax, Walmart is having to pay that extra $ / phone sold ( in CA and a few other states ) out of their pocket. I'm sure it's just an oversight and will be corrected. Corporations don't like to lose money.
cardfan
Well-known member
Well if I got lucky then thats fine. I am not going to go back to ask to pay more. If it is their screw up for all iPhones then that is their loss.
just picked up the last 16gig at one of the local walmarts. (got lucky and cold called) it's confirmed!! I paid $215.22. (9.25% tax on $197.00) thanks op!!! 
just picked up the last 16gig at one of the local walmarts. (got lucky and cold called) it's confirmed!! I paid $215.22. (9.25% tax on $197.00) thanks op!!!
Good to know I am not the only one!
BLiNK
Well-known member
just called my local walmart to see if they had any in stock. ended up speaking to some little punk who you can tell was pounded with people asking the very same question i asked:
me: "hello, could you tell me if you currently have any iPhone 4's in stock?"
walmart punk: "no"
me: "okayyyy, do you know when you might possibly be getting more in?"
walmart punk: "no"
me: "do you guys sell them at this location?"
walmart punk: "yes"
me: "can i speak to someone in charge of that department?"
walmart punk: "that would be me"
me: *hangs up*
just another reminder why i try to stay away from there
me: "hello, could you tell me if you currently have any iPhone 4's in stock?"
walmart punk: "no"
me: "okayyyy, do you know when you might possibly be getting more in?"
walmart punk: "no"
me: "do you guys sell them at this location?"
walmart punk: "yes"
me: "can i speak to someone in charge of that department?"
walmart punk: "that would be me"
me: *hangs up*
just another reminder why i try to stay away from there
walmart is very ymmv. the lady that helped me was not the sharpest tool. turns out she was the only one that knew they had them in stock. everyone else was saying they were out when in fact they were in stock!
Fausty82
Well-known member
What you say is true... and in fact, that's exactly how I got my Nintendo Wii several years ago... everyone said that they didn't have any... I asked another worker who walked into the back store room and came out carrying my brand new Wii.
But the fact that the employees/clerks don't know what is going on, in this case, is irrelevant. The law is the law, and in California, the law is that you charge sales tax on the VALUE of the item, NOT the purchase price. I suppose that it's automatic if the clerk rings it up correctly or as the correct item/category, and not if they don't. But California law if quite clear on this matter.
kilcher
Well-known member
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