Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Quebec government money-grubbing
I just learned that Quebec has changed the sales tax policy for items shipped over the internet as of Feb 1st.
Previously when you ordered from Ontario, for example, you only paid 7% GST, and that was it. Apparently as of Feb 1st, stores in Ontario must now charge you GST _AND_ QST. Which means that anything you buy online is now about 7% more expensive.
This has just removed the biggest advantage of ordering online. Up until now, the lower tax often compensated for shipping costs.
EDIT: It seems that the store who informed me of this was screwing me; please disregard the above post.
Previously when you ordered from Ontario, for example, you only paid 7% GST, and that was it. Apparently as of Feb 1st, stores in Ontario must now charge you GST _AND_ QST. Which means that anything you buy online is now about 7% more expensive.
This has just removed the biggest advantage of ordering online. Up until now, the lower tax often compensated for shipping costs.
EDIT: It seems that the store who informed me of this was screwing me; please disregard the above post.
Comments:
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Also, you interpreted this law incorrectly. This is not "anything" ordered over the internet. Read it. It's only in the case that what you ordered was ordered from a store in Canada. I don't know about you, but all the crap I order online is from the States. Or the UK.
Also, the only advantage to ordering online is a 7% savings? Bullshit. Stupid post.
Also, the only advantage to ordering online is a 7% savings? Bullshit. Stupid post.
# posted by 
: 12:19 p.m., May 05, 2005
: 12:19 p.m., May 05, 2005
I was not interpreting the law, but responding to what I had been told by a store I thought was reputable. Unfortunately it now seems that they were screwing me, as other stores have now told me that there was no change in the law.
I can't speak for you, but myself and my closest friends primarily order online from within Canada. Ordering from the US often produces enormous tarrifs and fees that make it significantly more expensive to buy from the US than to get a similar product from within Canada. As for the UK, the shipping would be a killer, so for ordering computer parts, I'll stick to Canada.
However, I fully agree with you knowing what I now know. My post is now pretty much bullshit. I think I'll post a retraction.
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I can't speak for you, but myself and my closest friends primarily order online from within Canada. Ordering from the US often produces enormous tarrifs and fees that make it significantly more expensive to buy from the US than to get a similar product from within Canada. As for the UK, the shipping would be a killer, so for ordering computer parts, I'll stick to Canada.
However, I fully agree with you knowing what I now know. My post is now pretty much bullshit. I think I'll post a retraction.
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