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I always order from Trent at Tilt...he's been great to me, and I'm a loyal customer.
A lot of my friends order from JJ at Game Exchange, and I've heard nothing but good things.
I think Chris and Melissa at Cointaker are great people, and I've bought a lot of LEDs from them over the years.
Quoted from TigerLaw:Wow! Since when did the shipping company become obligated to do that (as I am certain that was not voluntary)?
Someone PM'd me about this, and I have people on ignore and can't see the whole conversation. I just want to say that getting hit with the Use Tax has nothing to do with the distributor. Trent was completely unaware about it. The CA Use Tax Board apparently gets copies of shipping receipts and randomly picks ones to go after. I was contacted when I had 2 Metallicas delivered to my house (one for a friend so we could save on shipping)...they saw that I got a 500 lb delivery from Stern Pinball in Chicago, and said I had to pay tax on it. I actually had to pry that info out of them - they said it's my responsibility to keep track of my purchases and pay tax on them. Clearly they don't want to keep tabs on everything you buy - but since it's the first time this happened, I had no idea what they were talking about or how much they wanted. So - she begrudgingly read the shipping invoice to me, and I knew it was for the 2 Metallicas.
They contacted me again for another game...again, wanted me to tell them what I owed them...and I'm like "C'mon, help me help you...tell me what I owe you and I'll pay"...again, begrudgingly, she told me (I think it was Iron Man this time).
I asked her "what if I buy a use game from a friend out of state". She said I'd have to pay tax on that...I'm like "but there's no invoice, it's between friends...that's like saying I have to pay tax on things I buy on a garage sale", which of course got the standard reply "It's up to you to keep track of your purchases and pay tax on them".
Bleh.
Quoted from snyper2099:This is exactly why you don't have pins shipped.
There isn't a "Stern of California" factory, so I have no choice. If I want a Stern, it ships from Chicago.
Quoted from Gexchange:Have it shipped to a local dock..... =)
So far for the few who have tried this with me its worked
Might be a coincidence - even if you get it at the dock, I'm pretty sure they still have your home address and info - as you have to show ID to pick it up.
Quoted from Jaybird815:I just picked up from a dock, no id required.
So anyone could have just shown up and taken your game? Your name wasn't on the shipping invoice? Weird.
Anyway, this "Use Tax Problem" is specific to California.
Quoted from YeOldPinPlayer:Texas has a similar law.
http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/faq_use.html.
1. What "purchases" are subject to use tax?
...You used property purchased from an out-of-state retailer. In general, if you purchase a taxable item from an out-of-state retailer without paying Texas tax and use the property in Texas the purchase is subject to use tax and must be reported.
Seems like CA Pinsiders are the ones who've been contacted to pay up....has this happened anywhere else?
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Los Angeles, CA