I live in Illinois and the closest Guitar Center store to me is across the state line in Indiana. If I made a new purchase at the store would I be exempt from sale taxes? I know if I bought an instrument online from the same store I'd be exempt but I'm not sure about being physically at the store when I made the purchase. The reason I'm asking is that my local store said they'd pay the sales taxes themselves if I purchased the guitar for $1,050. But CG will sell me the same machine for $940.00 (including the $100.00 rebate) Well every little bit makes a difference right now in this economy and I could use the savings on a new case for another guitar. Anyway does anyone know the rule to this? I could just call the store I guess but you know GC they'd charge you for the air you breath if they thought they could get away with it.. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Brick-and-mortar stores are required by law to charge sales tax at the rate determined by the state in which they're located.

Arjay

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I think that there is something different about out of state sales, and if the seller doesn't charge sales tax, the buyer is supposed to pay it in his own state at some point (yeah, right). Maybe it has to do with whether the retailer is registered to collect sales tax in a particular state (I'm only registered for Indiana). Many online sellers do not charge sales tax for out of state purchases, and it seems that a very few do. Probably best to call the GC that you want to deal with and ask about out of state sales tax, as GC may be registered in several states to collect the tax.

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here is what i was told when i called guitar center to place an online order for something they did not have in the store:

if the state you live in has a g.c. store, you are charged tax. doesn't matter how close the store is

if the state you live in has no g.c, no sales tax.

i have ordered from sweetwater in indiana. i live in ohio, about a two hour drive from there. if i have them send it to me, i pay no tax (and no shipping)

when i went to their summer gearfest, my purchased were taxed even though i was from out of state, the reason being that i was phsically in the store.

as a side note, if you are close enough, attend the afforementioned gearfest. you won't regret it.

hope this clears it up

So you don't want to pay sales tax because as you say in this economy.... every little bit helps and that little bit is so that you can buy another case for another guitar...
I'm not sure if you should be flamed or just dismissed.....

I can see ordering online because you want to save on sales tax for the 1st item.
But the whole idea of " I don't want to pay sales tax because I want to purchase something else " is insulting.....

Personally if I can get to the nearest store I prefer to purchase at the store. If it is too far away then OK, online it is because the cost of traveling exceeds reasonable expense.
So look at it this way, you or I may not pay sales tax from online purchasing, but that sales tax deficit will add up in the future because when compounded by multiple sales, that lost revenue means that it has to be made up elsewhere..It's a zero sum game....A dollar not in one place is elsewhere.....

This is really about Sales Taxes and the fact that you choose not to pay them, not about wether you can afford the item in the first place, which is really a moot point if the sales tax sends you over the edge.....
A very soon to be probable result is that sales taxes on out of state purchases will be part and parcel, it is already being lobbyed in the halls of commerce.....

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

53magnatone, don't be to hard on him. Sales tax adds up to us average individuals, like he says, as do the taxes that the very wealthy and corporations make great efforts to avoid. Everyone needs to play the same game, them maybe the rules will become fair for everyone.

I'm not being too hard, but the tone of the OP's post set him/her up for my repost.

Fair...No life is not fair, when i see the man pushing the shopping Cart filled with metal discards as I drive by in an Audi, no it isn't fair.
But the fact is that most of us here, if not all of us are talking about buying guitars, which in itself is not a necessity, it is a luxury.
So if we have to pay sales tax, so be it, that is part of the equation..
I'm well aware of the economic discrepancy, however we all have a part in the status quo.
We didn't say much when the economy was booming and everyone was living way beyond reasonable means ( Leverage ) but now that the ability to leverage yourself has contracted if not disappeared for many we are screaming from the rooftops about a state of inequality we were not paying attention to when the warning signs surfaced...I'm not separating myself from the soup, but there is a degree of responsibility that must be met from everyone regardless of income.....

So OK enjoy that new guitar OP...but you better post pics so we can also enjoy your good fortune, but don't whine about sales tax because you want to buy a case for another guitar.
That is considered Avarice....Not a quality anyone should aspire to cultivate.

G'Day

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

State sales tax rules may vary from state to state.

Here in TX, out of state residents have to pay TX sales tax if they pick up their purchase in TX. But they can walk into a TX store, pay for the item, and have it shipped to their out of state home tax free. Some stores offer free shipping, but even if they charge for shipping that's usually much less the the cost of sales tax (at least on high dollar items like $1000 guitars).

If you want to avoid taxes, buy the guitar online. But if there is a GC in your state, you'll still pay taxes. Buy the guitar from Musician's Friend which is an online only store that owns Guitar Center. Could also try other stores that do not have physical locations in your state, such as Elderly Music in Lansing, Michigan or Sam Ash, in California.

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There is a piece of the story that the OP did not supply that would answer his question. If he walks into a store in Indiana, will he get charged sales tax?
Does Indiana have a sales tax? If so, then not much doubt about them charging you. If not, and he pays cash, I doubt they're going to ask for ID so they can collect Illinois sales tax for them.

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