AMSF Says Billion-Dollar Internet Retailers Like Overstock.com Continue To Hide Behind A 1992 Supreme Court Ruling To Avoid Playing By The Same Rules As Main Street Retailers

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Main Street Fairness (AMSF) continued its public education efforts on the need for Congress to pass federal e-fairness legislation this year by releasing a new video, "Times have changed." The video highlights how the world of commerce and retailing was in a much different place in 1992 when the Supreme Court ruled that states could not require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax for catalog purchases. The ruling, which eventually became the online sales tax loophole, came at a time when the Internet was an infant and Internet retailing didn't exist.

Today, billion-dollar Internet retailers like Overstock.com exploit this ruling to maintain a competitive advantage over their Main Street competition and avoid collecting and remitting sales tax.

While in 1992 the idea of having to collect remit sales tax was complex, that's no longer the case today as technology exists to make it simple and easy. In fact, the same technology that powers our smartphones can be used to calculate sales tax.

The Supreme Court could not anticipate changes to commerce and called on Congress to solve this problem. What's clear is that our world and economy have changed dramatically over the course of the last 22 years and 20^th century rulings should no longer govern 21^st century commerce.

To watch the video, click here.

Script:

A lot has changed since 1992.  So why haven't our sales tax laws? In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that catalog sellers shouldn't have to collect sales tax in states where they aren't located. Back then calculating sales tax for multiple jurisdictions really was a lot of work. And the Internet was a very different place.

But times have changed.

Now, the same technology that powers our smart phones mobile devices can be used to calculate sales tax. But to this day, billion-dollar online retailers like Overstock still hide behind that 1992 ruling to avoid collecting sales tax. Even though today's technology makes it easier than ever.

So why are we still basing sales tax laws on technology from 1992?

It's time to for Congress to pass e-fairness and let our tax laws catch up to technology.

Background:

Buzzfeed: The Evolution Of Online Shopping: 22 Ways The World Has Changed Since The Supreme Court Told Congress To Close The Online Sales Tax Loophole

To learn more about the Alliance for Main Street Fairness, visit www.standwithmainstreet.com.

SOURCE Alliance for Main Street Fairness

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