On the pre-production status

[Hook 3,020]

I'm not any kind of tax expert, but I find nothing in my searches that suggests that individuals are in any way on the hook for sales taxes not collected by the merchant, and there is clearly no enforcement mechanism for that.  If anyone has factual information to the contrary, please do lay it out.

If anything, F(x) Tech will be in trouble if they are required to pay sales tax, but that's a big if and if anyone can figure out the complicated Nexus laws here, it's beyond my pay grade.  lol.  So, no, I won't be paying any sales tax,  I just hope F(x) Tec aren't making a bigger legal mess for themselves, but it might be that they shouldn't have collected sales tax in the first place.

But this, from the end of the Wikipedia page on South Dakota vs Wayfair, shows you just how complicated this gets:

Quote

In recognition of the fact that state nexus rules may overburden interstate commerce, states have begun implementing thresholds based on factors such as transaction numbers and receipts generated. As of December 2018, 31 different states have standing tax laws requiring taxation of Internet purchases, most following the model of the South Dakota to only collect tax from those vendors with more than 200 shipments into the state or exceeding $100,000 in revenues. Several of these new laws came into effect on January 1, 2019.^[27][28] A year from the decision, nearly all states that collected sales tax had modified their laws to include interstate commerce taxes; however, in many of these states, the updated laws did not include any threshold limits on when such taxes can be collected. Small to medium businesses may find the cost of auditing their sales for each state to far outweigh the amount of tax actually owed and forgo the process; and similarly, states looking to collect these taxes may find the cost of prosecuting against the smaller business to outweigh the benefit. It is expected that a raft of lawsuits related to these new tax laws from South Dakota will occur from 2019 through 2023

Trying to even research this stuff makes my head hurt. 🙄

[ToniCipriani 194]

7 hours ago, sasha said:

It will be a rude surprise to hear from FedEx that we must fork over a C-note to take delivery, after FINALLY receiveing a Tracking Number.

 

This is actually regular business for us as Canadians importing anything via a courier. That is unless the seller clears the customs for us or they give us the invoice prior to the shipment entering Canada, and we can clear it first, but we need FXtec to co-operate:

https://trueler.com/2010/11/24/self-clear-shipment-cbsa-avoid-ups-brokerage-fee/comment-page-8/

[sasha 10]

Check your State Income Tax Return when you file in January. It asks if there is any oustanding unpaid Sales Tax that you owe the State.

It is true there is no mechanism to collect at present. The Sales Tax is still due; whether or not one pays it is a different matter.

Also, I mentioned that to show that it is not a valid offset to the Import Tax/Duty/Tariff, as State Sales Tax is State level Tax, whereas the Import Tax/Duty/Tariff is Federal level.

 

NOTE:  I am not accusing, I am ASKING because Erik has stated that buyers will now be responsible for the Import Duty/Tax/Tariff when delivered by FedEx. We need to know how much that surcharge is going to be so we can make an informed decision as to whether or not to proceed.

 

[Hook 3,020]

8 minutes ago, sasha said:

Check your State Income Tax Return when you file in January. It asks if there is any oustanding unpaid Sales Tax that you owe the State.

It is true there is no mechanism to collect at present. The Sales Tax is still due; whether or not one pays it is a different matter.

Also, I mentioned that to show that it is not a valid offset to the Import Tax/Duty/Tariff, as State Sales Tax is State level Tax, whereas the Import Tax/Duty/Tariff is Federal level.

 

NOTE:  I am not accusing, I am ASKING because Erik has stated that buyers will now be responsible for the Import Duty/Tax/Tariff when delivered by FedEx. We need to know how much that surcharge is going to be so we can make an informed decision as to whether or not to proceed.

 

Thanks.  I stand corrected.   My point was more about how complicated the law is state to state on what qualifies as taxable over the internet.  How many Pro 1s are going to be delivered to VA?  Is F(X) Tec sales in any state going to meet the Nexus qualifications. I dunno.

Of course, none of this changes anything you have said about tariffs and transparency.

[Polaris 423]

1 hour ago, sasha said:

Check your State Income Tax Return when you file in January. It asks if there is any oustanding unpaid Sales Tax that you owe the State.

It is true there is no mechanism to collect at present. The Sales Tax is still due; whether or not one pays it is a different matter.

Checking one's state income tax return isn't the best way since there are nine states which do not collect income taxes (hence no return is required to be filed), they are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.  However, a sales taxes payment is still required.  AFAIK, the only states where this isn't the case are Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

You are correct there is no mechanism in place to enforce collection.

[CornholioGSM 338]

Do anyone know, when (approx) will be my phone delivered? It was ordered and paid two months ago and order number is 398xx. I dont need to know exactly date...i just  need to know how long approx must i still live with my photon q with broken flex cable 😄 

Edited December 9, 2019 by CornholioGSM

[Hook 3,020]

1 hour ago, CornholioGSM said:

Do anyone know, when (approx) will be my phone delivered? It was ordered and paid two months ago and order number is 39817. I dont need to know exactly date...i just  need to know how long approx must i still live with my photon q with broken flex cable 😄 

That's not a question anyone here can really answer.  We only have guesses. The only way to get an answer to that is to send a support email to info@fxtec.com.

[CornholioGSM 338]

oki...i will contact fx via messenger 🙂

[Hook 3,020]

4 minutes ago, CornholioGSM said:

oki...i will contact fx via messenger 🙂

If you mean Facebook, I'm not sure you'll get a real answer there either.  Pretty much, you need to do the support email if you want to be assured of getting a timely and relevant  answer.

[matf-kabouik 414]

Monday, sad day. Now F(x)tec said they expect the carrier with the second batch units to arrive at their UK warehouse "early this week". Today would be perfect to enlighten my Monday. Fingers crossed. :<

Edited December 9, 2019 by matf

[divstar 164]

I also keep keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get my phone soon (40x order, QWERTZ-layout).

[raphaelcno 21]

2 hours ago, matf said:

Monday, sad day. Now F(x)tec said they expect the carrier with the second batch units to arrive at their UK warehouse "early this week". Today would be perfect to enlighten my Monday. Fingers crossed. :<

Based on experience, I would say that "early this week" is almost never Monday 😲

[michael.bosscha 142]

12 hours ago, CornholioGSM said:

Do anyone know, when (approx) will be my phone delivered?

You might want to delete a few numbers from your tracking number. You never know what someone can do with it...

This situation kind of sucks. I was really hoping for a Christmas dlelivery. Looks like it'll be 2020...

[qwertyrocks 5]

For those who already have your phones - What carrier is being used to deliver the phones? I'm really hoping they will use regular mail, not UPS or FedEx

 

[Hook 3,020]

I'm in the US and mine is coming by FedEx. Delivery should be tomorrow EOD.

[elvissteinjr 359]

3 minutes ago, qwertyrocks said:

I'm really hoping they will use regular mail, not UPS or FedEx

Bad news for you. It's exactly UPS in EU and FedEx in US.

[qwertyrocks 5]

5 minutes ago, elvissteinjr said:

Bad news for you. It's exactly UPS in EU and FedEx in US.

Schucks. I just sent them an email requesting delivery through regular mail. I have not received a "stock allocated" email so I didn't think it had shipped yet. Are they now sending the phones without sending an email first?

 

Well if it's already shipped then we'll just have to wait to see when and where it will turn up..

 

[is 65]

Out of curiosity, why do you prefer mail over UPS/FedEx? 

[Hook 3,020]

21 minutes ago, qwertyrocks said:

Schucks. I just sent them an email requesting delivery through regular mail. I have not received a "stock allocated" email so I didn't think it had shipped yet. Are they now sending the phones without sending an email first?

 

Well if it's already shipped then we'll just have to wait to see when and where it will turn up..

 

You should get a "stock Assigned" email before it ships.  They are shipping in small weekly batches.

[qwertyrocks 5]

3 hours ago, is said:

Out of curiosity, why do you prefer mail over UPS/FedEx? 

I live in a rural area and UPS/FedEx don't like coming out here.  They often mark the package as undeliverable without ever even showing up, and tell me I need to come get it. I've argued with them, if you don't deliver here then don't take the package in the first place. But no they take the money and the package and then blame me or the shipper - they will claim that either the address was invalid or that I wasn't available, or that they couldn't get here, or the wrong class of service was used (and it cannot be changed), sometimes "weather conditions"... Very frustrating 😠

USPS is required by law to service everyone and they do a good job at that. They're a little slow but it will get here.

Edited December 9, 2019 by qwertyrocks

[VaZso 1,998]

13 minutes ago, qwertyrocks said:

I live in a rural area and UPS/FedEx don't like coming out here.  They often mark the package as undeliverable without ever even showing up, and tell me I need to come get it. I've argued with them, if you don't deliver here then don't take the package in the first place. But no they take the money and the package and then blame me or the shipper - they will claim that either the address was invalid or that I wasn't available, or that they couldn't get here, or the wrong class of service was used (and it cannot be changed), sometimes "weather conditions"... Very frustrating 😠

USPS is required by law to service everyone and they do a good job at that. They're a little slow but it will get here.

In my country, the reputation of the local postal service is not very good. However, usually there are no problems with them, especially with higher-priced services.

On the other side, UPS, FedEx or DHL have much better services (their reputation and speed are much higher).
However, they are also more expensive, especially when VAT administration takes place.
Additionally, VAT administration can make local postal service much slower here...

So, it seems these companies have different quality of service at different regions, but I think basically they are good transfer companies...

[matf-kabouik 414]

It's true that the quality of their service varies from good to bad depending on countries, but they always are a problem in rural areas because they have no warehouses there, as opposed to local Post Offices. Since the vast majority of signed parcels can't be delivered during daytime because clients are at work, having to go to the nearest big city the next day can be frustrating. Especially as it usually is not possible before a first failure to deliver, even when the client knew in advance he/she wouldn't be home (it's also a real waste, ecologically).

But to be honest, for my Pro1, I'll take any delivery company as a very good news.

Edited December 9, 2019 by matf

[Hook 3,020]

59 minutes ago, qwertyrocks said:

I live in a rural area and UPS/FedEx don't like coming out here.  They often mark the package as undeliverable without ever even showing up, and tell me I need to come get it. I've argued with them, if you don't deliver here then don't take the package in the first place. But no they take the money and the package and then blame me or the shipper - they will claim that either the address was invalid or that I wasn't available, or that they couldn't get here, or the wrong class of service was used (and it cannot be changed), sometimes "weather conditions"... Very frustrating 😠

USPS is required by law to service everyone and they do a good job at that. They're a little slow but it will get here.

I'm surprised they don't link up with USPS.  Both Fedex and UPS have that option-- it may be the shipper has to know to ask for that.  With that option, the major courior takes it to the closest warehouse location they service and then hand it off to the USPS who treats it like Priority Mail.

[qwertyrocks 5]

1 hour ago, VaZso said:

In my country, the reputation of the local postal service is not very good. However, usually there are no problems with them, especially with higher-priced services.

On the other side, UPS, FedEx or DHL have much better services (their reputation and speed are much higher).
However, they are also more expensive, especially when VAT administration takes place.
Additionally, VAT administration can make local postal service much slower here...

So, it seems these companies have different quality of service at different regions, but I think basically they are good transfer companies...

Ah, I see. The VAT seems to be a lesser issue in the USA. In my experience they don't bother with duty and sales tax for small personal shipments. In fact one time I imported a 600# air compressor directly from India and had to get customs clearance. To my surprise they just stamped it , no fee. Only when a large amount is being imported commercially the bureaucrats get to work ... as FxTec has already found out 😞

The final delivery is definitely a local problem, can be even an individual driver issue.

 

1 hour ago, matf said:

It's true that the quality of their service varies from good to bad depending on countries, but they always are a problem in rural areas because they have no warehouses there, as opposed to local Post Offices. Since the vast majority of signed parcels can't be delivered during daytime because clients are at work, having to go to the nearest big city the next day can be frustrating. Especially as it usually is not possible before a first failure to deliver, even when the client knew in advance he/she wouldn't be home (it's also a real waste, ecologically).

But to be honest, for my Pro1, I'll take any delivery company as a very good news.

Yes there are several sub-issues there. Like being under house-arrest waiting for a package. That may not show up at all.

The UPS Sure Post / FedEx SmartMail services actually give the best of both worlds - you get the faster transit times + tracking of the parcel companies and the locality of the post office. The problem is that the package has to specifically be sent with those services rather than Ground/Air and most shippers don't seem to know about it.

Edited December 10, 2019 by qwertyrocks

[qwertyrocks 5]

39 minutes ago, Hook said:

I'm surprised they don't link up with USPS.  Both Fedex and UPS have that option-- it may be the shipper has to know to ask for that.  With that option, the major courior takes it to the closest warehouse location they service and then hand it off to the USPS who treats it like Priority Mail.

You got it. They do have the option. But they won't do it unless the *shipper* asks for it. Which can be troublesome in these cases where stuff is being sent out en masse from some warehouse in /near China. They just ship it and trust that it will get there.

And frankly that's how it *should* be. When I bring my car to a shop to replace the transmission I shouldn't have to explain to them how to install the transmission or what kind it needs. I bring it to the expert and they get it done. 

I've filed several complaints with UPS. I've called customer service, even talked to a manager. They only allow the recipient to "upgrade" for an extra fee from SurePost to Ground , but they don't allow what they call a "downgrade" from Air/Ground to SurePost. Even if that would be the only way the package would be delivered. It makes no sense. In my book, getting the package delivered is an upgrade from having to pick it up myself.