Next time bring a freakin' calculator!

[Moirae]

Why would she not watch how much it was when she was shopping? Its not that hard.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm slightly confused about something.

Do you add in all the prices, charge tax on the full total, and then put in the coupon reductions?

^-.-^

[Sleepwalker]

My card was declined last week(forgot to activate the new, non expired one). I paid in cash and ran my own damned yogurt back to the fridge. Making the whole line wait is just assholery.

[Food Lady]

My card was declined last week(forgot to activate the new, non expired one). I paid in cash and ran my own damned yogurt back to the fridge. Making the whole line wait is just assholery.

I'm glad you did. That way the store can be ignorant about the fact it's been out of refrigeration, and it doesn't have to be wasted.

[XCashier]

Me, to next customers in line: "I have no choice. We're not allowed to shoot customers."

Them:

I'm glad they realized it was her and not you, and didn't take it out on you.

To the SC (I can totally picture her, with a simpering giggle like Dolores Umbridge)...

[Primer]

I'm slightly confused about something.

Do you add in all the prices, charge tax on the full total, and then put in the coupon reductions?

^-.-^

Yes, that's how it's supposed to be done. The tax, when applicable, is supposed to be charged on the full retail price, then the coupon gets applied. If it's a percentage off coupon, the percentage is taken off the retail price before tax.

At least that's how it was when I was behind a register...

[EricKei]

Yes, that's how it's supposed to be done. The tax, when applicable, is supposed to be charged on the full retail price, then the coupon gets applied. If it's a percentage off coupon, the percentage is taken off the retail price before tax.

At least that's how it was when I was behind a register...

Same here. Yes, this does mean that if you go get $10 item completely for free with a coupon, you should still be getting charged tax based on a $10 sale.

From the accounting perspective -- IIRC -- The deduction from the coupon is an expense willingly incurred by the store/vendor, NOT an actual alteration to the Sales price -- that's why they are separate line items. Hence, the pre-coupon Sales Price amount is taxable. May vary by state, I suppose, but I'm not sure. In theory, if a SALE sets the Sales price at Zero because of this, the tax would not apply. (This is just my understanding of how it works.)

[Slayer]

I'm slightly confused about something.

Do you add in all the prices, charge tax on the full total, and then put in the coupon reductions?

^-.-^

I'm in Quebec. If it's a coupon (amount or percentage off, doesn't matter), you have to charge the tax on the full amount before coupon reduction.

It's only when it's without a coupon are the taxes charged on the reduced amount.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Yes, that's how it's supposed to be done. The tax, when applicable, is supposed to be charged on the full retail price, then the coupon gets applied. If it's a percentage off coupon, the percentage is taken off the retail price before tax.

At least that's how it was when I was behind a register...

That's how it was done while I worked in retail.

I had some customers try to argue about it, but I just told them, "Uncle Sam always gets his cut, and he always gets the largest slice possible." Fortunately, that seemed to settle it most of the time. They didn't like it, but they didn't argue further.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I had some customers try to argue about it, but I just told them, "Uncle Sam always gets his cut, and he always gets the largest slice possible."

Uncle Sam doesn't get the sales tax as there is no national sales tax in the US. It is the state governor that gets the sales tax. And sometimes the county commissioners, or equivalent.

[Andara Bledin]

Wow. This is actually a lot more complex than I'd thought.

So, in the state of California, the only time tax may be charged on an amount before the coupon reduction is when that coupon will be re-reimbursed - such as manufacturer's coupons. So, since the manufacturer is paying the amount you're not collecting from the customer, you still collect tax on the full amount of the sale. Also, if you sell a booklet that contains coupons, the coupons from that booklet follow the same rules.

However, any and every other form of coupon or discount requires that tax only be charged against the actual amount paid. This includes in-store "coupons," sales, and retailer coupons (such as found in the store circular).

California State Board of Equalization regulations on taxable items (pdf)

Connecticut's Q&A on the issue states that tax is assessed after all applicable price reductions are made. This, of course, isn't the full legal regulation, but it still agrees with what I thought should be the case.

^-.-^

[Jay 2K Winger]

Uncle Sam doesn't get the sales tax as there is no national sales tax in the US. It is the state governor that gets the sales tax. And sometimes the county commissioners, or equivalent.

I simplify it for the sake of the Sucktomers' poor, underdeveloped brains.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I simplify it for the sake of the Sucktomers' poor, underdeveloped brains.

They have underdeveloped brains? I didn't think they had any at all. Maybe they stole them from the zombies.

[Pixilated]

I usually just simplify it by shrugging and saying "The government, ya know ... gotta get their sticky little paws in there." Most customers just shrug in turn and roll their eyes. They can blame whichever level of government their little heart hates most, LOL.

[Buglady]

If I only have so much money, I always keep a running total in my head, I round the prices up. I have gone over a couple of times, but never more than 5$.

I learned to do that before I even moved out on my own - Mom taught me - and now it's second nature. It used to make more of a difference, in the days before bank cards and ATMs everywhere. You had to go to the bank, get the money out, and go shopping, and if you went over - well, you had no option but back to the bank.

(I don't think the supermarkets even took credit cards at that time, but then again I didn't have one so never mind. You could write cheques at some stores but you had to have a credit card, or go through an application process to get a store cheque card that was even more arduous than getting a Visa. Ah, the halcyon days of the.. late 80s. Dammit I'm old)