Britain INCREASES tax on ebooks

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Hang on - we're discussing the difference in VAT rating for paper and electronic versions - surely they ought to be equally rated.

I wondered why it was unfair. People can still buy the paper book so from the customers viewpoint it is not unfair. Was the argument that it was unfair from the sellers point of view?

[GeoffC]

you mean apart from the status quo ....

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

you mean apart from the status quo ....

I do not understand your argument here.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by tompe

I wondered why it was unfair. People can still buy the paper book so from the customers viewpoint it is not unfair. Was the argument that it was unfair from the sellers point of view?

customers .

It matters not for the seller (retailer) - they claim back the VAT ....

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by tompe

I do not understand your argument here.

the status quo is "no change"

paper versions are at the low rate, electronic versions are classed as digital media with the full rate applied .

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

customers .

It matters not for the seller (retailer) - they claim back the VAT ....

So why is it unfair then?

It matters from the sellers point of view since sellers of paper books has an advantage. An ebook seller will have problem competing if the price before VAT is the same for an ebook and a paper book.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

the status quo is "no change"

paper versions are at the low rate, electronic versions are classed as digital media with the full rate applied .

Yes. So what was the argument or point?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by tompe

So why is it unfair then?

It matters from the sellers point of view since sellers of paper books has an advantage. An ebook seller will have problem competing if the price before VAT is the same for an ebook and a paper book.

but an ebook currently attracts a higher rate of VAT .
If both versions attract the same rate then the only difference in price is the cost ....

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

but an ebook currently attracts a higher rate of VAT .

Yes, and why is that unfair?

[GeoffC]

Okay, why is it fair ?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Okay, why is it fair ?

I have not claimed anything. I do not think it is anything that should be valued on a fair/unfair scale. So i try to understand why so many people here often use fair/unfair valuations.

If I remember it was you that claimed it was unfair so why is it unfair?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Okay, why is it fair ?

Having said that, one argument for fairness is that the principle treats every normal customer equal. Every customer can buy either the paper book or the ebook.

[ThomasMc]

It seems to me that all books should be tax free, along with food and medicine. Our populations are getting dumber and dumber (well, in the USA they are, I can't speak for Europe), most of the people you meet can't even remember the last time they read a book.

Taxes should be reserved for LUXURY items, like clothing and housing.
(simmer down, 'twas a recession joke)

[astra]

Originally Posted by tompe

Yes, and why is that unfair?

Because it is a book. It doesn't matter whether you buy paper back, hard back, or leather bound edition of a book. So, why different rules apply to yet one more format of the same text? It is not like it has changed from text to audio or visual interpretation of the same story.
A book is still a book. Doesn't matter whether it is a text book, paper back, rough binding, ePub, hard back or leather bound edition.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by astra

Because it is a book. It doesn't matter whether you buy paper back, hard back, or leather bound edition of a book. So, why different rules apply to yet one more format of the same text? It is not like it has changed from text to audio or visual interpretation of the same story.
A book is still a book. Doesn't matter whether it is a text book, paper back, rough binding, ePub, hard back or leather bound edition.

It's even worse. It's not the content that defines if it attracts high or low VAT. It's its medium.

Example: an audiobook, which is also an electronic form of a book, has the low VAT, if it's delivered on CD (or any other physical medium).