72 Kilowatts Internet Marketing

Getting Ready for the New York Affiliate Meeting

Just a few hours now before sitting down to dinner with a handful of New York affiliates for dinner, preparing how to approach the new wrinkles in the Amazon tax.

I’m interested to hear everyone’s views in person.

On one hand, we have the news that the NY Senate has voted to repeal the Amazon tax.  On the other, we know that it will be a long and tough road to hoe in order to get the NY Assembly to even put forth a similar bill (in order to actually repeal the tax).

I think one thing is for sure.  We can’t make an argument against NY collecting these taxes.  We know where the State is financially, and we know the detrimental effect online shopping (meaning tax free shopping for New Yorkers) has on local business.

Affiliates have been put in a lose/lose/lose position.

Our role in the buying process is of little consequence to most citizens.  Yes, they like to read candid opinions of products before they make purchases.  But many affiliate sites don’t provide that kind of value.  Secondly, we can be viewed as the primary reason New Yorker’s might have to pay tax on out of state online purchases.  Third, no one really knows who we are, what we do, or why we matter.

So no one is on our side except for a few merchants, and of course, other affiliates who are concerned by this legislation which in essence leverages a state’s local businesses to force tax collection from out of state retailers.

So I hope to come to the conclusion with the group here that our recourse is to state that the tax is poorly written, in that it hurts New York small business (the affiliates).

We’ll find out tomorrow which direction everyone wants to head.