it really depends on the issue... i'm pretty moderate. but i do lean a bit more to the left. gun loving humanitarian if that make sense...

 

I am currently chatting with AT&T regarding this. I see the incorrect sales tax as well when I try to buy the phone on line.

Lisa. How may I assist you with placing your order today?
Jesse: why is the tax on the iphon4 32gb is $60?
Lisa F.: Hello Jessie. To get the tax of this phone you will need to add this phone to the shopping cart?
Jesse: yes but when is the tax so high?
Jesse: I mean why
Jesse: $60 tax on that phone does not sound right
Lisa F.: Which state do you reside in?
Jesse: CA and our sales tax is about 9%
Jesse: I think its 9.25 to be correct
Lisa F.: Currently, the states of California, Louisiana and Nevada charge taxes on the retail price and not the discounted sales price that we display in the online store.
Jesse: but the reatil price of the phone is $300 not $600
Jesse: Apple iPhone 4 32GB Black (Refurb Cosmetic Blemish) $299.00
Jesse: where is $600 full price on a refurb phone?
Lisa F.: You can not buy a refurbished phone with out a contract.
Jesse: thats correct but still the tax is wrong
Jesse: why is the tax $60?
Lisa F.: This tax is governed by your state not AT&T. We do not regulate taxes, that is against the law.
Jesse: yes but how much tax you giving for a $300 phone?
Jesse: thats double then the sales tax.
Lisa F.: It is based on the no commitment price.
Jesse: thats correct and that is $300
Jesse: so how does $60 come to sales tax of $300?

Lisa F.: Please contact our TeleSales Center at 1-888-333-6651 for assistance with this.
Jesse: i will do so. this is completely wrong.

So then end result here, she tell me to call customer service regarding this.

 

i think you guys don't get what my rant is on. i know i need to pay taxes. i know the carrier isn't coming up with the amount of sales tax.

my issue is that the consumer should pay taxes on the price of sales. NOW if the break down of the sales showed the full price of the phone, and the 2 year contract takes an amount out after taxes, then it's all in fair game.

but itemizing a bill in this way:



isn't right. it doesn't show the break down, and is misleading to people who don't know that you're paying the full price with a deduction after taxes.

 

Phone companies are putting the tax on to us, for the price they had to buy the phone for. Because they would have to take the cost, so instead of doing that they send the cost to us. But the price you had paid for the tax on that phone is not correct as you saw my augment to AT&T on my previous post.

 

yeah... i don't think att thought it all the way through. we're not getting a new iphone, we're getting a iphone thats refurb. price should be different and because theres no posted price of the FULL retail cost... shouldn't the full retail cost be whatever the only cost is? ....since you can't buy it without a contract.

i'm on the phone with them right now... it sounds like they don't know whats going on....

K, so they say i was placed in the wrong tax bracket. so i'ma be paying the tax for 299 vs 599 bucks.

 

The phone companies don't pay MSRP for the phones. They pay probably closer to 50% or less for them, so no they aren't charging tax on their cost, they are charging tax on the MSRP price, which as WRBlueballs mentioned earlier, nobody pays.

 

So I went to compare this with Verizon and verizon is not marking them as Refurbished, Verizon mark them as "pre-owned" with the same pricing as the full new phone (shrugs). AT&T customer service is telling me to take it up to the government other words they just blowing me off. But AT&T is clearly at fault for showing the full price of the refurb for $300.

 

A good place to discus this is on dslreports.com under the AT&T section, I know for a fact that will start hell with AT&T and bring it to alot of people's attention.

 

::shrugs:: i got 36.xx bucks back after talking to them.

 

^A courtesy.. No refunds were owed.

You are getting a $120 REFURB discount on the regular contract price of the 32GB Iphone.. Still a contract price - Not the actual sales price.. - Which isn't listed anywhere..

It isn't AT&T's fault that the state forces them to pay sales tax on the msrp of the phone.. This isn't anything new... The contract you are signing into carries the remainder of the value that supposedly covers the cost of the phone.. Could be argued that is evading taxes.. Hence - you pay tax on entire retail price of phone..

Bottom line - the angst is going the wrong direction.. Get mad at California.. (If you feel like getting mad)

 

As I stated earlyer AT&T showing the follwing pricing for that phone:

Package Price (New) $299.00 <--- not $600
Refurb Discount - $120.00

 

This is the story of my life! It's cali state law so nothign we can do about it! It's because the phone is not discounted it's being "subsidized" for signing a two year contract. You can call anyone you want but it's the same with all cell phone providers.

 

How many times do i have to say i'm not beefing with the carrier? I know it has to do with the state. -____-

 

You know all those "terms and conditions" links you always like to skip over? I just went through the purchase process online - it's all spelled out if you actually read everything.. That price you listed is plainly indicated as requiring a 2 year agreement.. It is not the retail price of the phone.

Also - Notice how that says "Package Price (New)"

That says PACKAGE.. Not Retail price.. Read.

 

Yup I am aware of them term and cond. and AT&T agree with me that the full price of the phone is $300 and they could not explain why the tax was coming up double of that. They did offer me the correct tax ammount if I was to buy the phone now, but I was in no intrest to leave Verizon for AT&T I was just pushing on this to help a follow i-club member RU-X.