USA Sales Taxes

[Doug & Betty]

We received an email asking for documentation that we paid sales tax in the US when we purchased / registered our trailer. Sounds like ETI is going to be asked to collect the various US State sales taxes from customers when they purchase their trailer. I understand why this might have finally caught up with ETI due to their increasing US sales, and our states wanting to be sure they get what tax they require with sales. Some states have no tax on this and others have varying rates. I was getting ready to help them with our registration documents but have a question...

My question is wondering if this is a legitimate inquiry from ETI? It all looks good except the email refers to Karl as the person in a Q&A video. In this day of AI I hesitate to open the video if Karl is the main speaker. This email should have gone out to every USA Escape trailer owner. Did others of you receive this? Does it look legit to you?

I'll give Escape a call when I can.
Doug

[bborzell]

Originally Posted by Doug & Betty

We received an email asking for documentation that we paid sales tax in the US when we purchased / registered our trailer. Sounds like ETI is going to be asked to collect the various US State sales taxes from customers when they purchase their trailer. I understand why this might have finally caught up with ETI due to their increasing US sales, and our states wanting to be sure they get what tax they require with sales. Some states have no tax on this and others have varying rates. I was getting ready to help them with our registration documents but have a question...

My question is wondering if this is a legitimate inquiry from ETI? It all looks good except the email refers to Karl as the person in a Q&A video. In this day of AI I hesitate to open the video if Karl is the main speaker. This email should have gone out to every USA Escape trailer owner. Did others of you receive this? Does it look legit to you?

I'll give Escape a call when I can.
Doug

They are not collecting US state sales/use taxes. They want to appear cooperative with states attempt to collect taxes that might be due. That is why all the references to remind us that if taxes are due, we should pay them.

For many states, it is self regulating unless the buyer feels no need to register their trailer in their home state.

[jack sparrow]

Karl is no longer with ETI and ETI has not updated their videos and some email letterheads. Some still go out with his name, but he gave his goodby video back in April / May last year. Should still be up on ETI web site if they haven't taken it down.


The information they ask for is voluntary I think. You decide....


Looks like they took that video down, but it took place right after the Rally in the Valley in Canada this past spring.

[Mike G]

Heh, I got one of those emails today, too. And I didn't even buy from ETI. I bought mine from a previous owner. They're just shotgunning the email to everyone on their list, I suspect. (I did have a deposit in at one point... and I've signed up as an ambassador... so they have my info.)

[C&G in FL]

I don’t know about other states, but Florida collects the sales tax when the trailer is registered by the owner for the first time. In my case, I paid the tax before taking delivery of the trailer because Florida allows for pre-registration with the proper documentation, which was provided by ETI. However, 6 months later I had a hassle with the Dept. Of Revenue and had to verify that the sales tax was paid. Apparently, the Dept. of Revenue was too stupid to verify via DMV records, another state agency located in the same city (Tallahassee) that sales tax had been paid. In Florida’s case, these bureaucrats seemingly put the ass in TallahASSee!

[iamunique127]

There are so many scams out there these days that I don't respond to any emails or texts pertaining to requests for money or information. I'd call the supposed source of the request, in this case ETI.

[occer]

I think ETI is trying to avoid collecting sales taxes for 50 different states and having paperwork and filing requirements, they are collecting proof that the taxes were paid so they don’t get stuck if / when down the road. (Lawyers covering their bottom side). I could see where California started it, California tried to force “Internet Sellers” to collect sales tax and forward it to the state. The finial outcome, if you have a physical location in California as an internet seller you need to collect sales tax.

As a California resident I’m suppose to report all purchases on my tax return from the internet and pay the sales tax. Ya, right, no problem, sure thing, right a way, uh- huh , I’ll do that. You bet.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

We bought our trailer in spring of 2023 and yes ETI is collecting information/documentation that we did pay it. Ours was paid when we registered our trailer in our state, we just sent them copies of it. I share your concern about sending info but ETI did request ours and we did send ours. We did get follow up requests from ETI after sending ours in but I just called them to help them update their list. I believe we were informed about this prior to completing the purchase and the follow up emails from them were expected. I also am vigilant and cautious about what info I send and to whom, but in this case IMO it isn't warranted, I completely respect YMMV.

[h2owmn]

the as* in Tallahassee....you got a big guffaw for that.

Here in California I paid (2018) sales tax when I registered. The nice lady in the window here at my small town DMV *INSISTED* that she charge me tax on the base price, EXCLUDING all the many upgrades/additions I had purchased. I did not argue with her.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Doug & Betty

We received an email asking for documentation that we paid sales tax in the US when we purchased / registered our trailer. Sounds like ETI is going to be asked to collect the various US State sales taxes from customers when they purchase their trailer. I understand why this might have finally caught up with ETI due to their increasing US sales, and our states wanting to be sure they get what tax they require with sales. Some states have no tax on this and others have varying rates. I was getting ready to help them with our registration documents but have a question...

My question is wondering if this is a legitimate inquiry from ETI? It all looks good except the email refers to Karl as the person in a Q&A video. In this day of AI I hesitate to open the video if Karl is the main speaker. This email should have gone out to every USA Escape trailer owner. Did others of you receive this? Does it look legit to you?

I'll give Escape a call when I can.
Doug

The email originally was sent March 2022. That was a legitimate email. I updated my sales tax information at that time and have not received another email.

This was the March 2022 email.

AOL Mail - We need your help - Escape Trailer.pdf

Theses are the links that were in my email. Not sure if the link is tied to my email as it is a pretty long URL.

Yes, I Paid Sales Taxes

No, I Did Not Pay Sales Taxes

No Sales Taxes Due In My State

[advenas]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

the as* in Tallahassee....you got a big guffaw for that.

Here in California I paid (2018) sales tax when I registered. The nice lady in the window here at my small town DMV *INSISTED* that she charge me tax on the base price, EXCLUDING all the many upgrades/additions I had purchased. I did not argue with her.

Interesting. Here in Washington the local DMV insisted I pay sales tax on the then current exchange rate vale of my trailer vs the documented value I paid ETI because she thought that was a better representation of the value. Which would have added several hundred dollars to my tax bill. I told her to stuff it, gathered up my documents and went to another DMV office in the next town over. Problem solved. So Washington state collects sales tax at the time of registration and licensing. It's none of ETI's business at that point.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by advenas

Interesting. Here in Washington the local DMV insisted I pay sales tax on the then current exchange rate vale of my trailer vs the documented value I paid ETI because she thought that was a better representation of the value. Which would have added several hundred dollars to my tax bill. I told her to stuff it, gathered up my documents and went to another DMV office in the next town over. Problem solved. So Washington state collects sales tax at the time of registration and licensing. It's none of ETI's business at that point.

You are simply being asked to help ETI comply with some Government Agency's request for the documentation. ETI the company doesn't care what you paid in sales tax, but, some Government Agency auditing them does.

[Katemcginn12@gmail.com]

We picked up a new 21c September 2023 and at pick up, Escape asked us to please forward documentation of the sales tax paid as soon as we paid it. We received a reminder email from them when we got back home and took care of it. They need the documentation of sales tax paid. It is not a scam.

[Randy in Maine]

Originally Posted by Katemcginn12@gmail.com

We picked up a new 21c September 2023 and at pick up, Escape asked us to please forward documentation of the sales tax paid as soon as we paid it. We received a reminder email from them when we got back home and took care of it. They need the documentation of sales tax paid. It is not a scam.

Maine works that way also. We sent in a copy of the licensing fees to ETI also. Not a scam.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

You are simply being asked to help ETI comply with some Government Agency's request for the documentation. ETI the company doesn't care what you paid in sales tax, but, some Government Agency auditing them does.

I agree, given a free choice ETI wouldn't have anything to do with this situation.

But given that ETI being able to export their trailers to the US is a life or death situation they have to comply with the "request'". Otherwise there can be new hoops to jump through. Been there, done that.

Ron

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

But given that ETI being able to export their trailers to the US is a life or death situation they have to comply with the "request'". Otherwise there can be new hoops to jump through. Been there, done that.

Ron

Hey Ron, as you are well aware, those of us who have been here long enough remember when Tammy PO’d the U.S. bureaucrats regarding VINs and joked that she wasn’t sure if she would be allowed to cross the border again. If I remember correctly, all cross border deliveries were suspended for a month or so.

[Don Flamenco]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

But given that ETI being able to export their trailers to the US is a life or death situation

Well that seems like quite the over-dramatization. Bombastic even.

What is this life or death situation?

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

You are simply being asked to help ETI comply with some Government Agency's request for the documentation. ETI the company doesn't care what you paid in sales tax, but, some Government Agency auditing them does.

Right- "I'm from the Government and here to help"!

Which is why AAA is a godsend in states where they can do DMV work. Of course they cannot do a new trailer imported, however for a lot of other things they save a lot of time & grief.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Don Flamenco

Well that seems like quite the over-dramatization. Bombastic even.

What is this life or death situation?

It is a life or death situation for ETI simply because customers in the U.S. account for most of its sales. What would happen to Casita if it were only allowed to sell its trailers in Texas, and they couldn’t be sold after purchase to anyone not a Texas resident. What about Tabasco if it could only sell its hot sauces in Louisiana or perhaps only in 4 other states? Over-dramatization, I really don’t think so. When a company looses the vast majority of its customer base which is its lifeline, the company most often goes out of business. Or one could say it “dies.”

[Ron in BC]

Not to mention also that ETI previously had a taste of the border being closed to them while they jumped through some hoops.

Ron