Stick To Principles Or Pay More Money?

[bednobs]

i need to buy five books. In waterstones (a company that pays uk tax) they are about 23 pounds more than if i bought them on amazon (a company that avoids uk tax)
What to do??

[mccfluff]

i'd buy them from amazon

[2sp_]

Amazon are not doing anything illegal. Immoral? Maybe.

But, it's up to the Government to sort out the loopholes that allow companies to avoid tax.

I would buy them on Amazon.

[chelle7272]

me too, that's a lot of difference, can't always afford the moral high ground...

[jno]

I'd buy them on Amazon: as said, it's something the government should sort out.

Unfortunately they probably won't do it before Waterstone's have gone bust.

[ummmm]

Amazon.

Their tax affairs are not your issue :-)

[joggerjayne]

Waterstones

I won't explain why, because everyone will throw stones at me, but it's more than just the tax.

[jd_1984]

Amazon. Not your problem re tax is it!!

[joggerjayne]

:0(

[Messalina]

Have a look at Watersones online. If they are cheaper you can reserve the books to collect in your local branch but you pay the website price.

[Ric.ror]

Buy them on Amazon and - when you have read them - donate them to charity

[gness]

I'm with JJ because I never want there to be no bookshops.

[SlackAlice]

Amazon. I purchase from where its cheapest. Scruples will not pay my other bills.

Its up to the UK Government to close tax loopholes that enable legal tax avoidance.

[jd_1984]

I would guess Slackalice's answer would be most peoples response

//Scruples will not pay my other bills//

[Gavmacp]

I find this sort of question 'funny'. Quite a few items that we as a society come from countries that promote very bad practices which can include slavery etc. But all people seem to worry about are the companies that do not pay 'fair' amount of tax.
I am and never will be a businessman but if I could use legal tax laws to avoid paying tax I would. You are in business to maximise your profits not pay the most amount of tax.

[joggerjayne]

But when companies like Amazon legally avoid MASSIVE amounts of tax ... who makes up the shortfall?

Err, that would be you and me.

Supporting companies like Amazon means that the rest of us have to pay more tax. I can't really afford for you Amazon fans to support Amazon.

[friedgreentomato]

JJ they are not doing anything illegal so sorry your may be able to afford to have principles but I can't!

[jd_1984]

Ok, save Waterstones and place more resources into investigating Benefit Fraud, my personal gripe with how my tax is spent!!!

[joggerjayne]

I think that the "doing nothing wrong, and here to make profit" argument would hold good if Amazon were honest and said ... "We are totally self serving, so sod the lot of you"

But they dont ... they make out they are doing us all a favour by making shopping easier and cheaper.

In reality, they are lining their own pockets, and leaving a hole in the tax budget which we have to make up.

[SlackAlice]

I answered the question as posted. I also buy from Watestones and other bookstores for epub books, so it's not all Amazon as such.