Amazon UK (+) news....

[carpetmojo]

The lawyers pay the rent again, by the look of it .......... and do the white hats win ?

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...t-7618976.html



And the below was appended on the same page as the above, which I couldn't find the full story to copy for you, sorry, but this is their "snapshot" taster. Apparently it's not just the UK that "suffers"....

Independent , 5th April 2012.
The News Matrix: Thursday 5 April 2012

Inquiry into tax 'loop hole' at Amazon

Amazon is under investigation for tax arrangements that allowed it to make £3.3bn sales in the UK last year yet pay no corporation tax because it is registered in Luxembourg. The inquiry into the company, which sells a quarter of British books, was revealed in files released in the US.

Well - who'd a'thought it ..........

[murraypaul]

This was front page on the Guardian today as well, which also included the following (largely unattributed) figures:
- 1.3m eReaders bought in UK last Christmas
- 95% of those were Kindles
- Amazon has ~70% of the UK eBook market
- Apple is the second largest eBook seller in the UK

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

This was front page on the Guardian today as well, which also included the following (largely unattributed) figures:
- 1.3m eReaders bought in UK last Christmas
- 95% of those were Kindles
- Amazon has ~70% of the UK eBook market
- Apple is the second largest eBook seller in the UK

Ah yes, the second best "proper" paper .....

Interesting figures though, and just more worrying info for the rest of the "literary" trade .

[ProfCrash]

I think that is the first time I have seen solid sales figures.

[sunnysmiles]

How can independent bookshops survive when not only do they have to pay tax but Amazon demand 60 % discount on books . Sometimes selling books cheaper than booksellers get from the publishers . They certainly should close the field and make them pay the taxes.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

The lawyers pay the rent again, by the look of it .......... and do the white hats win ?

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...t-7618976.html



And the below was appended on the same page as the above, which I couldn't find the full story to copy for you, sorry, but this is their "snapshot" taster. Apparently it's not just the UK that "suffers"....

Independent , 5th April 2012.
The News Matrix: Thursday 5 April 2012

Inquiry into tax 'loop hole' at Amazon

Amazon is under investigation for tax arrangements that allowed it to make £3.3bn sales in the UK last year yet pay no corporation tax because it is registered in Luxembourg. The inquiry into the company, which sells a quarter of British books, was revealed in files released in the US.

Well - who'd a'thought it ..........

Wow. That first story. Just wow.

[ProfCrash]

That first story is interesting. It makes me want to go and find the posts in question although I have a feeling that they are no longer available.

[CallOfCth'reader]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Wow. That first story. Just wow.

"During proceedings it emerged that the author had used a number of online pseudonyms to review his self-published book and come to his defence once people began to criticise his work."

[teh603]

Originally Posted by CallOfCth'reader

"During proceedings it emerged that the author had used a number of online pseudonyms to review his self-published book and come to his defence once people began to criticise his work."

Now why the hell didn't I think of using a tactic like that to prop up my own work?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by teh603

Now why the hell didn't I think of using a tactic like that to prop up my own work?

Because it is sleazy and if you get caught, you might as well stop writing books.

[fjtorres]

Spoilsport.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Because it is sleazy and if you get caught, you might as well stop writing books.

How is that different from paying a reviewer to give it a five-star review?

After all, that is the joke about the difference between critics and reviewers. The critic gives a fairly honest critique of the work, but the reviewer is just a shill paid to get people to buy it.

[carpetmojo]

Wonder if there's many specialist "" being employed these days - especially those experts in Very Long Sentences.......

Today's first, from Editorial .............

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...g-7622130.html

Ande the next, also today, from the News/Briefing section .........


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...e-7622019.html

The massive scale of Amazon's finances is (only partially, probably!) being laid bare (-ish) here to see.
Also, of course, how a vast tax avoidance operation has been so successful in contributing an astonishing amount to the pot.

Add this to the latest figures showing it's present grip on the market, and it would seem the master plan is well on course......

[soulfuldog]

It's not just Amazon that bases itself somewhere like Luxembourg to save on paying taxes. Quite a few businesses do similar things, plenty of super-rich individuals do the same thing too and they all employ people to investigate how they can pay as little tax as possible. Currently one of the reasons why here in the UK football club Rangers FC are in so much financial trouble!

For online retailers perhaps there should be some way of tracking sales based on where the buyers are from and levying tax that way rather than where the company has it's base?

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by l_macd

It's not just Amazon that bases itself somewhere like Luxembourg to save on paying taxes. Quite a few businesses do similar things, plenty of super-rich individuals do the same thing too and they all employ people to investigate how they can pay as little tax as possible. Currently one of the reasons why here in the UK football club Rangers FC are in so much financial trouble!

For online retailers perhaps there should be some way of tracking sales based on where the buyers are from and levying tax that way rather than where the company has it's base?

Absolutely. Day after day we learn more about how many of those with the highest earnings/ net worth, pay huge sums to avoid paying the tax they are better able to pay than those with far less.
But at least it's coming out, and knowledge is a start.
As for your taxation idea, I think we all know if it is a) practical b) efficient c)simple, and d) a good idea ...... it won't happen