Cactus Music
It's always been kinda weird for me here sitting 1 mile from the US border. 
If I order something from a US company like Sweetwater  and they ship it to my home address in BC I pay $36-$360  shipping. 
If I have it sent to 1 mile away in Danville Washington I get free shipping.

 
Well, that is a little bit Europe in North America! We have exactly the same things happening with shipping (rarely free in the origin country), except that our countries are much smaller and borders are everywhere! Also many shops have even 2 different shipping fees for the other EU contries and sometimes they even do not send items to Sweden (that's EU)!
 
When I order something from Germany I pay a lot for shipping, but if I send it back I pay about 150% for the same thing with the same carrier, strange! (I am talking about orders from private persons or small shops that do not subsidize shipping).
 
Marc

marled
It was not my attempt to say that the status before the EU was better (at least concerning trade). I just like to compare it to the U.S. and there it is really inferior for customers and small business, too many rules and taxes! The main advantage of the EU is for big business, just see shipping prices as example. There is not many folks in the EU buying things in other countries and this proves its benefit for simple people.

Shipping costs are largely related to the volume of business - economy of scale.

I guess you’re Swedish? If so you might be unaware of the UK’s network of small engineering businesses that supply parts and machinery and carry out sub-contract work for large companies across much of the EU, especially in the motor and aerospace industry. To give one of many examples.

And lots of individuals buy things from companies based in other EU member states or that are shipped from another member state. Much of what Amazon sells is now stored in warehouses across Europe, and can usually be delivered from e.g. Germany into e.g. the UK in 24-48 hours. Not without the customs union and single market they couldn’t.

That’s a large business, but I know quite a few musicians, artists, artisans and others who pretty much self-promote and sell their stuff across the EU.

JohanSebatianGremlin
Likewise convenience is far and away the number one reason online sales hold the market share that they do. So saying the tax thing will level the playing field is a tad optimistic IMO. This is not going to bring back any brick and mortar stores nor will it do much to save any that are currently dying due to online competition. All this is going to do is give the states more tax revenue.

I never said it would bring back brick and mortar commerce, just that it would level the playing field a bit.  When you purchase a $200 item and you realize you'll pay 18 bucks more if you buy it at a local store courtesy of sales taxes, plus you may well have to pay additional shipping costs, then it makes the online purchase more attractive.  But I am not suggesting this will change the inevitable.
 
By the way, it's not so much state tax revenue, at least here in CA.  A great deal of sales tax results in local revenue that funds things like fire departments and city road maintenance.  I'm not adverse to paying my fair share when it comes to things like that.  But I do want it to be a fair share, and imposing sales taxes for on-line goods is one way to make things equitable across the board, IMO.  Still, I'll probably prefer to buy the online goods as long as the no-tax incentive remains in place.

Two comments:
* many US software re-sellers simply ignore international rules, f.e. they sell without VAT to EU. I mean existing rules do not mean everyone use them.
* Internet is funny in that respect. At the moment I am sitting at place where WLAN you select influence "where you are": with one WLAN I am in "EU" (France), with another I am in Switzerland (not EU). So most on-line shops are "sensitive"   to my WLAN. Add to that VPN into Germany I periodically switch on

JohanSebatianGremlin

abacab
Another question I have, is will this have less of an impact on companies operating outside of the USA?
 
For example, say I'm in the USA and make a purchase from a company in the EU.  What legal recourse will my state have over a company in Germany that sells me something online?

Well everything coming in has to clear customs and I believe the shipper has to declare the value of the item in the shipping documents. Customs already holds items in cases where tariffs need to be collected or sometimes they release the item to the post office who collects the tariff before handing the package over. I see no reason why the same couldn't be done for state sales tax. Especially if customs and/or the post office was allowed to tack a processing fee on top for themselves.

Last time I checked there was no US Customs inspection for my downloaded bits from the EU.  In any case, most of the small plugin shops don't ship any hardware. 
 
Hardware manufacturers and music equipment retailers may be a different story, as to the point you have made.
 
Maybe I wasn't entirely clear in my post that I was referring to software only (in other words why would I be ordering hardware from overseas + international shipping costs?). 

JohanSebatianGremlin

Why wouldn't you? I get things shipped in all the time. Some things are only available from overseas suppliers.

Yup, I can imagine we are rather spoiled here in the states, regarding international manufacturers.  I cannot think of any that do not have a domestic distributor for their product.  If you cannot find it at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, or Sweetwater, it probably doesn't exist, LOL!

abacab
2. Use an ecommerce and payments provider to facilitate all sales transactions in the USA, such as Digital River or Amazon, or something like that.  There are probably a few that cater to small businesses.  This is probably the safest solution, but one that might put a dent in the profits or survival of those barely staying afloat.

Amazon --- sorry, but not really much help at all (emphasis added below) unless there is some other service available that I missed suggested by item ii) immediately below.  Is there actually such a service for ALL jurisdictions?
 
"Tax policies

"As between the parties, you will be responsible for the collection and payment of any and all of Your Taxes, except to the extent that (i) Amazon automatically calculates, collects, or remits taxes on your behalf according to applicable law (Washington, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma ONLY - DC)  (for more information, see Marketplace Tax Collection FAQ); or (ii) Amazon expressly agrees to receive taxes or other transaction-based charges on your behalf in connection with tax calculation services made available by Amazon and used by you. Any and all fees payable by you pursuant to this Agreement are exclusive of all sales, use, and similar taxes, and you will pay any taxes that are imposed and payable on such amounts. All payments made by you to Amazon under this Agreement will be made free and clear of any deduction or withholding (including but not limited to cross-border withholding taxes), as may be required by law. If any such deduction or withholding is required on any payment, you will pay such additional amounts as are necessary so that the net amount received by Amazon is equal to the amount then due and payable under this Agreement.

"Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement (Washington, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma ONLY - DC), you agree that Amazon is not obligated to determine whether taxes apply, and Amazon is not responsible to collect, report, or remit any taxes arising from any transaction.  However, if a taxing authority requires us to pay any of your taxes, you will promptly reimburse us for the amounts paid. If the product is shipped from outside your elected country, the recipient of the product may be required to pay, upon delivery, an amount related to assessed sales, goods and services, use, excise, import, value added, or other taxes or duties. Such taxes or duties, if any, are in addition to the sales proceeds collected by Amazon."


Source:
 
https://sellercentral.ama...820&language=en_US
 
https://sellercentral.ama...T2M58CP_cont_200405820
 
Regards,
Dave Clark
 
PS: In looking at this a bit more, it appears that Amazon is, upon request, able to calculate and collect sales and use taxes for states and provinces and remit those amounts to the vendor to pay and report, provided that the vendor sets everything up themselves. This is still not much help.  The vendor still must register in each state and province, set all the rates, and must still pay and report the taxes collected for each state and province.  It's not really any different than Shopify and WooCommerce.

There is no way to discuss details at this point.  SCOTUS has cleared the path for the states, but the states now need to craft and enact (pass) their own actual legislation to make this into something we can talk about.
 
Until then it's all speculation

BobF  SCOTUS

i read that as "SCROTUS"

Just bought a bunch of stuff from this pretty cool distributor they have all sorts of goodies for the studio and live performance,, cheap. Mike cables for $6-$8 medium quality big thumbs up, Guitar tuner for $3. etc
Parts Express
725 Pleasant Valley Dr.
Springboro, OH 45066 USA
https://www.parts-express.com/promo/clearance_center_factory_buyouts   
 
Anyhow, I had it shipped to the US side. Just looking at the invoice all I paid was the price of each item. No taxes. I picked it up and coming back into Canada they looked at the invoice and sent me on my way. So no shipping, duty or Taxes,, US or Canadian were charged. 
 
Check out these Class D amps. 
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dta-120-class-t-mini-amplifier-60-wpc--300-3800
 
 
I waiting for this to arrive. 
 
In the mean time I just got one of these
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008Y7S1GG/ref=pe_3034960_236394800_TE_dp_1
 
and it's LOUD and CLEAR goodbye huge clunky class A integrated amps that have all gone south on me after 40 years. So these are a great solution for those of us still using passive speakers for monitors. 

 

I buy lots of electronic components from Chinese companies and I’ve just received a whole slew of emails from the major companies stating that as of July 1 they will have to collect 10% GST (Goods and Services Tax) on behalf of the Australian Tax office and pass it on to them.

That along with the 25% import duTy on Chinese electronics components coming into the US is going to kill my hobby. Not happy.