Why do some transfer FFL charge sales tax and some don't?

[Hands of blue]

If it's law, surely the state will come down hard on sites such as Amazon.com to collect taxes for them before delivery...?

If Amazon or whom ever you ordered the item from has nexus in your state the have to charge sales tax. If not and the item is taxable you are responsible to pay it. If the seller is doing business in your state (office, employees instate or delivered the item to you in there truck ) then they have nexus.

A individual is unlikely to be audited as the audit is likely to cost more then the amount gained, but business are audited all the time.

 

[Blue Line]

Tax

I had an FFL in Naples,fl try to charge me sales tax on the whole gun instead of the handling charge. I found another FFL who was more honest.

 

[Yugiho]

After some contemplation on the legality of him taking my money, I've decided not to pursue getting my money back. Even though it's the State of Florida Dept of Revenue's opinion that there's no "Use tax" on a private purchase from out of state, it's really not worth the fight to get a few dollars back. Besides this guy might shoot me in the heated argument.

My main beef with this FFL holder is not that he charges sales tax on the transfer. If he told me up front that that's what his policy is, I would've found another dealer to do my transfer, as I know a few in my area who only charges $30 flat. He should have been more honest up front rather than to surprise me with it when I went to pick up the firearm.

Initially, I contacted this FFL holder from GunBroker.com asking how much an out of state firearm transfer is going to cost?
Below is his short email reply which I copy pasted in it's entirety. Am I wrong to assume that $25 was all that was going to be charged?

________________________
$25.00 Thanks Allan Pu

Top Gun And Sporting Goods
904-276-4488
FFL/SOT
_________________________


Ultimately, to calculate his fee for transferring, he added $25 for transfer fee+ $8 call in fee + cost of the gun, then calculated the tax on the entire amount. This is a far cry from $25 he quoted me in the initial email.

I do not want people calling him or bashing him for his practices. This is "The High Road" after all. As far as we know at this point, he may think he is well within the law to collect sales tax.

I'm Just letting the good people of Florida be aware that this is what's going on at this shop and to stay away, unless you want to be shocked as I was.

This is the shop info from GunBroker. Notice that there's no FFL transfer fee posted in the info...

_________________________
Allan Pu
Top Gun And Sporting Goods
638 Blanding Blvd.
Orange Park, FL 32073
email: Click here to email me
phone: 904-276-4488

Hours: 10:00am-6:00pm Mon-Sat, Sun Closed
____________________________


Stay far far away from this shop.

 

[asknight]

Just because he may think he is well within the law, doesn't make him so.

 

[Hook686]

"Words don't mean, people mean." - S.I. Hayakawa, sematicist

Ultimately, to calculate his fee for transferring, he added $25 for transfer fee+ $8 call in fee + cost of the gun, then calculated the tax on the entire amount. This is a far cry from $25 he quoted me in the initial email.

Looks to me like the transfer fee was $25 as quoted. There also seem to be additional costs you did not specifically inquire about. Should the FFL dealer have 'spoon fed you' and told you answers to questions you did not ask ? Well in a socialistic type world I suppose the other guy, or government has a duty to hold your hand and protect you from yourself and others.

Keep in mind that this is just one possible view. I think the actions of the FFL dealer really sucked. I would not do business with him either. However, this is a good message ... check out all costs when conducting business with anyone.

 

[Soybomb]

There also seem to be additional costs you did not specifically inquire about. Should the FFL dealer have 'spoon fed you' and told you answers to questions you did not ask ?

How much more can the guy do other than ask what it will cost? The real answer would have been $33 plus sales tax on the gun's price. I don't see why the buyer should be expected to ask if there's a call in fee, saturday afternoon fee, box opening fee, dealer feeling a little gassy today or anything else. he asked the cost and was lied to.

I think you made the right call, don't do business with him anymore, tell your friends and everyone at the range about him.

 

[Flame Red]

I would post this on Florida Shooter's Network too so other Central Floridians can avoid this a-hole like the plague.