Stewart Macdonald is this correct? Seems not...

**deacon Mark** · 09-01-2025, 12:54 PM

I ordered some items from StewMac. I noticed that they charged me tax on the items plus the cost of shipping and handling this does not seem right? Is it?

**wintermoon** · 09-01-2025, 12:57 PM

The days of not paying tax on out of state purchases are coming to a close.

**deacon Mark** · 09-01-2025, 01:04 PM

Well, I don't mind paying tax as such on the items. However, StewMac adds a shipping and handling fee and the is added to the cost of the items for tax purposes in Illinois. I happen to use AI and the catch is that if they simply listed the shipping cost separately then only the items are taxed not the shipping and handling fees too. Illinois is one of the highest taxed states in US and 2 only to New Jersey for property taxes to boot. I don't want them getting another cent of mine much less this particular administration.

**wintermoon** · 09-01-2025, 01:11 PM

Not all states charge tax on shipping and extra services but some do.

**MarkA** · 09-01-2025, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Not all states charge tax on shipping and extra services but some do.

Vermont, for example, charges sales tax on shipping.

**Cunamara** · 09-01-2025, 06:20 PM

There are all sorts of quirks to sales taxes.

I don't know if this is still the case, in Illinois when I was a kid there was no sales tax on books, magazines or newspapers.

Here in Minnesota there's no sales tax on clothing (there is sales tax on clothing as sports equipment- so shoes no, but ski boots yes) or on food you take home to prepare (there is sales tax on prepared food, candy, soft drinks, alcohol). No sales tax on most services and also no sales tax on secure gun storage cabinets.

**sgosnell** · 09-01-2025, 09:45 PM

Once upon a time (that's how all fairy tales start, right?) buying online was a good deal, because sellers weren't required to collect taxes on anything sold to a state in which they had no brick and mortar stores. States rather quickly discovered that the loophole needed to be filled, and through a series of lawsuits the whole thing was ruined, and online sellers now have to calculate, collect, and remit taxes to each municipality (not just state) they may ever sell to. It's a burden on everyone - retailers, customers, et al - and it's not going away in our lifetimes. I recently had an online retailer break out every tax it collected on an order I placed, and it detailed everything from the state down to the city, about 5 different taxing entities. I have no idea what the tax situation in any city in Illinois, but I would not be shocked to find that shipping and handling are taxed in at least some locations.