Showrooming is killing retail stores. 

“Showrooming” is when you go to a store, but buy the product later online, because it’s cheaper. The product is cheaper for two reasons: low overhead (no store or employees to pay for) and no sales taxes.  Amazon’s freedom from charging sales tax is unfair and bad for your business.

Amazon starts every transaction way ahead of you. With free delivery, buying from Amazon is easy and cheap. And you cannot compete against a company that can charge 5-10% less than you because it doesn’t have to charge sales tax. Amazon must be forced to pay sales tax. But, there are two problems. Most states don’t make companies who aren’t in the state collect sales tax. Some also think there are constitutional limits on one state charging sales tax to a company outside its state. Your state has to make a law that charges Amazon sales tax.  Even Amazon agrees with this! And, Congress must clarify that Internet sales are taxable just like brick and mortar sales.

There is currently a bill in Congress which, if passed, would allow states to collect sales tax and use taxes from retailers without a physical presence in their state (S. 1832). This bill is, of course, stalled. But, lobbying matters. Look up your state representatives here: https://www.voteguide.com/. Call. Ask when the next fundraiser is. Go to the fundraiser. Write a check. Get your state rep in a corner and tell him or her how important it is that Amazon and other Internet sales get taxed. Rinse and Repeat at the congressional level.