10% Off Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Subway, T-mobile/AT&T Prepaid Refill Cards, Outback, Applebees & More @ TRU / Starts 12/2

bytem3 said:   mtpat said:   I'm confused about the sales tax issue, since if I get charged sales tax, it practically wipes out the 10% discount from Amazon. I looked it up on Amazon.com and found this:

Items sold by Amazon.com LLC, or its subsidiaries, and shipped to destinations in the following states are subject to tax:
California
Kansas
Kentucky
New York
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington
No sales tax is charged when purchasing gift cards; however, purchases paid for with gift cards may be subject to tax.

So...I'm not in one of the states above, so it sounds like I won't be charged tax. But...the last line says that purchasing with gift cards may be subject to tax. So..."may be subject".....what does this depend on? Anyone know?
Thanks
I've also purchased Amazon gift cards in states not on that list and was charged sales tax at the till at some stores (Kmart), but not others (CVS). I don't know why that is.

If you were charged sales tax when you purchased a gift card you were ripped off. That's like the bank charging you tax when you cash out a check. What you purchase WITH a gift card IS taxable but not the purchase of the gift card. I'd first contact the store then your states sales tax bureau. Maybe you were charged the tax on other items you purchased at the same time.

MisterEd said:   bytem3 said:   mtpat said:   I'm confused about the sales tax issue, since if I get charged sales tax, it practically wipes out the 10% discount from Amazon. I looked it up on Amazon.com and found this:

Items sold by Amazon.com LLC, or its subsidiaries, and shipped to destinations in the following states are subject to tax:
California
Kansas
Kentucky
New York
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington
No sales tax is charged when purchasing gift cards; however, purchases paid for with gift cards may be subject to tax.

So...I'm not in one of the states above, so it sounds like I won't be charged tax. But...the last line says that purchasing with gift cards may be subject to tax. So..."may be subject".....what does this depend on? Anyone know?
Thanks
I've also purchased Amazon gift cards in states not on that list and was charged sales tax at the till at some stores (Kmart), but not others (CVS). I don't know why that is.

If you were charged sales tax when you purchased a gift card you were ripped off. That's like the bank charging you tax when you cash out a check. What you purchase WITH a gift card IS taxable but not the purchase of the gift card. I'd first contact the store then your states sales tax bureau. Maybe you were charged the tax on other items you purchased at the same time.
I know they weren't supposed to charge me the sales tax (since you are only supposed to pay sales tax once overall, not twice), but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to continue escalating (the employee and manager had no idea about it). The only item I purchased each time was a T-Mobile refill card (either a $10 or a $50 each time), so there was no other item that could have generate a tax charge.

ETA: Oops, I was talking about T-Mobile cards instead of Amazon, sorry! But, even so, some retailers charge tax on the T-Mobile prepaid refills, while some don't!

-sigh-
An idiot is born every minute.

T-Mo cards are supposed to be charged tax. They are NOT gift cards. Cards for Amazon and Sears and Best Buy are gift cards.

Picked up 7 cards this morning (they were on a separate rack from the other gift cards, over with gaming cards), thanks for the heads up!

aarzi said:   
T-Mo cards are supposed to be charged tax. They are NOT gift cards. Cards for Amazon and Sears and Best Buy are gift cards.

Makes sense, since they actually refill your account with the face value of the card.
This of course makes it only an OK-deal, if you consider that you can get T-Mobile refill e-cards for 5% off on a regular basis, online, tax free.

what's the meaning of "TRU / Starts"?

wwprn said:   what's the meaning of "TRU / Starts"?

"Toys R Us" / "Deal starts 12/2/12"

Went to local (06385) TRU first thing this morning. Sales clerk pointed out the display, with a number of cards marked "10% off".
Said the sale was good thru Sat (8th). Found AMZN ($50), and TMO refills ($10 and $30).
Bot the AMZN., no added tax.
Bot some TMO $30's, had to pay tax $180 or so.
But I noticed on nmy TMPO online billing, that bthey added CT tax to my last refill.
Still a good deal, esp since I used a CITI Ink card with 5x pt/$$ for cell expenses.

Note that our Sunday ad for TRU had _no_ mention of this sale. No ad slick like OP posted.
Thanks OP -- great pickup!

No go in Sterling, VA TRU store.

None was there... looks like they were carring Amazon Kindle gift cards ($25) as I saw the sign but rack was empty.
Someone must scored all the cards today ......

Got to try again in a few days before it expires 8th Dec.

I tried using a Groupon on the Amazon cards and it declined. Anyone have any luck with Groupon.

Edit: fine print excludes gift card sales.

In for 4 $50 Amazon giftcards! Thx OP!

I could not find any Amazon cards in 2 stores in NJ so YMMV.

frugalpete said:   aarzi said:   -sigh-
An idiot is born every minute.

T-Mo cards are supposed to be charged tax. They are NOT gift cards. Cards for Amazon and Sears and Best Buy are gift cards.

you are wrong, at least for CA. i've never been charged sales tax for Tmobile cards at several retailers.No, I am not wrong. If the idiot was in California, he would not have been charged tax, even if the cashier was incompetent. So he was NOT in California and in a taxable State, therefore the statement is correct.

Was able to get 2 $100 T-Mobile refill cards for $90 each here in Northern NJ. Of course, the state wanted 7% of it. So it was $192.60 in total. Should've gone via AMEX Blue Cash Preferred, but didn't have time. This should last me for at least two years. Pay-as-you-go is really the open secret everyone overlooks.

Thank you very much OP.

crazypalooza said:   I'm calling shenanigans on a lot of TRU's! personally checked 3 and they had none....then one of the employees checked inventory for me in the system at all the stores within 100+ miles and none had received any at all.

let me be the first to second that call for shenanigans!

Thanks!

I think TRU is phasing out Amazon cards, I took the last of the 4 $25 cards in the store. All the $50s were gone which had a 10% off tag.

Bought 4 T-Mobile $50 refill cards...charged me sales tax and also E911 fees...then took receipt to BB and purchased additional $50 refill cards with price match...they did not have normal $50 refill cards but did have T-Mobile $50 Broadband cards (which they told me could still be used on my phone
bill)...however with Broadband refill no sales taxes nor E911 fees were added...$45.00 each...just a heads up

Thanks op, Picked up 6 25$ Amazon cards. There were no 50$s.

banana1man said:   Bought 4 T-Mobile $50 refill cards...charged me sales tax and also E911 fees...then took receipt to BB and purchased additional $50 refill cards with price match...they did not have normal $50 refill cards but did have T-Mobile $50 Broadband cards (which they told me could still be used on my phone
bill)...however with Broadband refill no sales taxes nor E911 fees were added...$45.00 each...just a heads upThe Broadband cards are used as cash to pay your bills, therefore no tax on them regardless of where you buy. The refill cards are for pay-as-you-go, and will always have tax in taxable States.