Pipe and Matches

[Columbo]

I haven't. I received a very generic letter from my state DOR saying report and pay your taxes on all mail order tobacco purchases. I called the revenue agent listed and she told me the purchase had been reported by Iwan Ries, the amount of the purchase, and the tax I owed on it. This was maybe 5 or 6 years ago. Haven't ordered from Iwan Ries since, and don't know if they still report purchases, but it made me wary.

That was during the time when a lot of online vendors in all markets also got a lot more diligent about charging and collecting customer‘s state sales and use taxes on all purchases. Most of the payment processing systems have been limited to sales taxes only, unless the vendor is also in the jurisdiction (for instance, Boswells hits PA customers with a 55 cent/oz. state surcharge, because Boswells is in PA). Are you in a sales tax + tobacco tax state? I’m very surprised any vendor would report an out of state customer on the latter, especially without notice.

Many of these vendors have been operating in a state of near fear for a long time now. They’re in the front lines of this war. It’s why nowadays, many vendors are increasingly just laying out up front the states they will no longer make sales to. I’ve dealt with the owner of IR and he seems a decent gentleman. But he should have noticed you in advance of the sale of these additional liabilities, and given you the chance to cancel the order. That you got ambushed later with it is bad form.

 

[Hirsute]

Are you in a sales tax + tobacco tax state? I’m very surprised any vendor would report an out of state customer on the latter, especially without notice.

Nope. I'm in Oregon (no sales tax). There is a tobacco tax here, and state residents are supposed to self-report out-of-state tobacco purchases and remit the state tobacco tax directly to the Dept of Revenue, but in practice no one really knows of that requirement or does it unless they get a ding letter from the DOR like I did.

 

[Columbo]

Nope. I'm in Oregon (no sales tax). There is a tobacco tax here, and state residents are supposed to self-report out-of-state tobacco purchases and remit the state tobacco tax directly to the Dept of Revenue, but in practice no one really knows of that requirement or does it unless they get a ding letter from the DOR like I did.

I know what it was. You turned down the free package of Three Star blend in your order.

 

[gewoon ik]

I love matches. The wind isn't your friend

 

[Borderdog]

That’s crazy. Have you heard of this happening to other people? I haven’t bought a ton of stuff from them, but this kind of makes me leery.

It happened to me once in Montana, with a different company. Windy City Cigars sold a few of us the typical rare Arango products, which they didn't actually have, then refunded us. I ended up with one tin of Balkan Sobranie out of the order, and 4ish years later I got a notice from the department of revenue saying I owed $14 and some change. The kicker is that they are allegedly sending me to collections to recover 7 cents in interest that they charged between my receiving the bill and sending the check.

Hold on fellas, there's somebody at the door, I'll be right back.......

 

[Hirsute]

It happened to me once in Montana, with a different company. Windy City Cigars sold a few of us the typical rare Arango products, which they didn't actually have, then refunded us. I ended up with one tin of Balkan Sobranie out of the order, and 4ish years later I got a notice from the department of revenue saying I owed $14 and some change. The kicker is that they are allegedly sending me to collections to recover 7 cents in interest that they charged between my receiving the bill and sending the check.

Hold on fellas, there's somebody at the door, I'll be right back.......

And with penalties and interest, that seven cents is now….

 

[Benzadmiral]

Where do you find the wooden strike-on-the-box, or even the strike-anywhere, matches? My local Walmart is always out. My local grocery chain is too, and their 10-box package of smaller matches, those matches just don't cut it. A Piggly Wiggly in my area says they have the larger ones and I plan to drive over and get 2 or 3 boxes. Of course you can pick them up on Bezos's little hobby site for $10.00 (!) a box.

Success! The Piggly Wiggly offered a 3-pack of 300-match boxes, the Diamond strike-anywheres, $4.18 including tax. Less than half a cent per match. I'd hoped they might carry some of the OTC pipe tobaccos, but no luck there.

 

[steveclarkus]

Fire, smoke and heat - a genetic imperative.