Internet buying vs. local

[dmccarty]

A fake version of a popular cancer chemo drug was going around recently. The stuff was being sold from a small outfit in Montana. As the fake medicine was being tracked it was thought to have gone through France, Egypt, and maybe made in Turkey. Not sure anyone really knows where the stuff was made. I THINK the WSJ report said that the fake drug was found because the batch numbers were a duplicate and somehow, someone noticed. The packaging was a perfect clone.

High markups are common. It has been many decades since I worked at Radio Shack but I remember the markups were very high. The store would be charged a couple of dollars for a product but sell it for $20. That store was not making a fortune even with high markups.

Buying local vs web for us has gotten down to not only price but more importantly the time and cost it takes to get to a store. I can sit at home and buy something off Amazon and have it at the house in two days. My schedule might keep me from even getting to a local store for 4-5 days and then the store might not have the product.

Last Saturday I was doing some training and during a break we were discussing buying a product that costs $100 locally. I had bought the product last year on Amazon for $60-75. One of the guys has a smart phone and starts looking at Amazon for the product and another guy says to google for a coupon. Sure enough there was a $25 off coupon! :laughing: The guy with the smart phone ordered the product and got it for around $50 vs $100 locally. He did this while sitting in a room in a hole in the ground out in the middle of nowhere and it took less than five minutes. He saved both time and money.

Later,
Dan

 

[JESSE1]

I have to give one of our German Shepherds Deramax for his arthritis. Very expensive at the Vet's but he will do a price match and meet any internet price. Before I get a new bottle I do an internet search and print off the lowest price on the medicine I need. I take it to the Vet's office and they will honor that price. If it's below their costs they'll say so.

 

[rgamble3]

You may want to try canadavet.com for your pet meds. We have been buying from them for years and are very pleased with service and freshness.

Roy

 

[Redbug]

I order stuff from Agri Supply. It's around 100 miles away from me and their prices can't be beat by anyone around here. Even with shipping it is still much cheaper, especially when you consider your time, gas and driving accident risk.

 

[JDgreen227]

The brick and mortar stores here in Michigan are putting a lot of pressure on the (useless) Legislature here to begin taxing Internet sales. They claim that because residents are not paying sales tax for online purchases, that cuts into their own sales. Still, if they would stop marking up goods in the stores such an extent, they would sell more of them. I can buy a Sandisk 4GB SD card online for about $7, no tax, free shipping. This week's local Best Buy sales flyer has the same item for $12.99 plus 6% tax, which they claim is a $12 savings from the regular price. The Ebay seller isn't losing money selling it to me for $7, and neither would Best Buy...if they would sell them for $7 a lot more people would buy from them. I would, which means they are cutting their own throats by high markups.

 

[polo1665]

The brick and mortar stores here in Michigan are putting a lot of pressure on the (useless) Legislature here to begin taxing Internet sales. They claim that because residents are not paying sales tax for online purchases, that cuts into their own sales. Still, if they would stop marking up goods in the stores such an extent, they would sell more of them. I can buy a Sandisk 4GB SD card online for about $7, no tax, free shipping. This week's local Best Buy sales flyer has the same item for $12.99 plus 6% tax, which they claim is a $12 savings from the regular price. The Ebay seller isn't losing money selling it to me for $7, and neither would Best Buy...if they would sell them for $7 a lot more people would buy from them. I would, which means they are cutting their own throats by high markups.

Here in Ohio you are to declare any internet purchases (sans tax) that you have made on your yearly state tax form. Failure to do so makes one a bad boy.

 

[JDgreen227]

Here in Ohio you are to declare any internet purchases (sans tax) that you have made on your yearly state tax form. Failure to do so makes one a bad boy.

Has been the law here too where residents are supposed to declare internet purchases (or mail order) and it has been effective since at least 1990. Only a moron would.

 

[clemsonfor]

Here in Ohio you are to declare any internet purchases (sans tax) that you have made on your yearly state tax form. Failure to do so makes one a bad boy.

I think every state is this way. There is no way to track it now as online and catalouge companies are not required to report sales and SSN#s or anything to IRS.

Plus that is very had to keep track of all this stuff too!! You would almost need a business writeoff to deal with the accounting nightmare of this. Like i said i order so much stuff i would have to keep files for it all.



On a similar idea, my brothers inlaws declare every penny they order online and catolougs, and pay everything there suppose to pay in state sales tax. He is a tax attorney though.

 

[polo1665]

Has been the law here too where residents are supposed to declare internet purchases (or mail order) and it has been effective since at least 1990. Only a moron would.

Boy you make it a tough decision, but I think I'll take bad boy over moron.
:laughing::laughing:

 

[Ken45101]

Boy you make it a tough decision, but I think I'll take bad boy over moron.
:laughing::laughing:

You put it so well!