Internet Commerce

The results of the third annual “Survey of Book Buying Behavior With Verso Digital,” presented at last month’s Winter Institute, provided insights on e-reader and tablet ownership, the split between e-book/print book purchasing, and the effect of the Borders closing on book buying.

On Monday, IndieCommerce informed subscribing stores of a new policy regarding available inventory. Beginning this week, only publishers’ titles that are made available to retailers for sale in all available formats will be included in the IndieCommerce inventory database.

SB 1338, a bipartisan sales tax fairness bill introduced in late January, cleared Arizona’s Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, February 8. If the bill is enacted, Arizona could recapture more than 5,400 total jobs and stop future job losses, according to a recent study.

On Tuesday, February 7, the Virginia State Senate Finance Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 597, legislation that would require retailers with warehouses or distribution centers in the state to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Virginia residents.

Arizona tells Amazon to pay up; Pennsylvania extends deadline for nexus compliance; Massachusetts governor urges Congress to support sales tax fairness; Maryland introduces sales tax fairness legislation

ABA is urging members to meet with their federal lawmakers in person in their local, district offices to express their support for bipartisan sales tax fairness legislation currently under consideration.

On Monday, the New York Times ran an op-ed by Richard Russo, who, along with several other bestselling authors, criticized Amazon’s new price check app.

This week, the American Booksellers Association announced the launch of a beta version wish list for IndieCommerce sites.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher has written an open letter to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos that highlights the glaring discrepancy between the company’s recent statements in support of sales tax fairness and Amazon’s latest exploitation of an inequitable strategic advantage.

At press time, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue issued a regulatory bulletin stipulating that, under current sales tax law, remote retailers that have warehouse facilities or online affiliates in Pennsylvania have nexus in the state.