My last two tech purchases, things which I would normally get from Amazon, were from Wal*Mart: a soundbar, and a low end router. Reasons were that the price was less, and I could just drive over to Covington to pick it up. Also, I could see the box and read the features first hand. In both cases, these are things that had a high probability I might be dissatisfied and bringing it back to Wal*Mart for exchange or refund is obviously much, much easier.

It's only a level playing field if all online shopping has a sales tax. If you have to pay sales tax at Amazon but not NewEgg, it might be better to buy things at NewEgg. I'm pretty sure that the people who decreased their spending at Amazon didn't start buying the things locally. They just found another site that was tax free.

Well boo fucking hoo.

For some people, theres zero choice. When I have to buy computer parts there really isnt any option to buy them locally in Seattle. Theres maybe a Mac Store in the U-Dist (which doesnt count) and a RE-PC Recycle store in SODO. The PC Club left Capitol Hill maybe 10 years ago. I have no choice but to buy from Newegg, tax or no tax.

Yeah, here's hoping those purchase dollars that used to go to Amazon now go to Walmart. That's a much more fair and desirable world.

It used to be that the savings in taxes was offset by the cost of shipping. Now that there is both tax and shipping, it is more cost effective to go to a local brick-and-mortar. Why this surprises anyone is a mystery.

You've never heard of New Egg or Costco, huh?

@2 ftw

As opposed to using a dodge to avoid sales tax artificially propping up their sales over in-state competitors up to now

@4 Check out Frys in Renton. They have a good selection of computer components and electronics supplies.

I think Amazon has a big chance here: Go to bat for progressive taxation, freeing people from sales taxes altogether, and putting more money in the hands of those who spend the largest portion of their incomes!!

@14, sure, it's the business model that requires making sales that's the problem. Not the customer who can comparison shop online and has a search engine say the "to your door price" of item X is 9.5% cheaper from a non-Amazon store.