How can other vendors still attend?
Because Corvette Central attends and supports 3 of Carlisle's major events (Spring, Corvettes and Fall), we are considered to have a sales presence in the state of Pennsylvania due to the number of days we are there. This is looked at the same as having a store in the state, meaning we would have to charge sales tax on every order we ship into Pennsylvania all year long. We do not feel this would be fair to our PA. customers.
Does Corvette Central have a Pennsylvania state sales tax license?
Yes, and we have collected taxes on orders taken at Carlisle and paid them to the state of PA. for years.
Why does Corvette Central collect tax on show orders at Carlisle when other vendors do not?
This is a good question and we have taken "heat" from customers for years and even lost business to other vendors over it. The point is that we were following the rules and all vendors are supposed to collect state tax at Carlisle and remit it to the state of Pennsylvania.
In closing, we at Corvette Central want to let our valued customers know that this was a very tough decision for us. We have attended the shows at Carlisle since their inception and they have played a key role in the development of our business and the growth of all automotive hobbies. Unfortunately, we feel that the days of mail order companies participating in these shows by taking orders and shipping them from their home location are going to be coming to an end.
The Way I See It...
35 years ago when I got this "brain storm" to make some Corvette parts that I could not find, there were very limited marketing opportunities available. The publications at that time were limited to "Vette Vues" and maybe a couple others and the internet was still on the drawing boards. Our business survived and grew largely thanks to swap meets and the shows that complimented them.
As our product lines grew, so did our show presence. By the late 1990's with well over 4000 items in stock at 20+ shows per year, we moved to the next level in our efforts to serve all generations of Corvette customers at shows. This involved extensive computer programming and a complete change in show equipment as well as employee training. But again it was a real success, thanks to the interest in swap meets/shows by the Corvette hobbyists. The point is that swap meets have played a huge role in the development of the Corvette aftermarket business and the growth of this hobby as a whole.
That being said, in this fast-paced, high-tech, instant gratification world we live in, I look at this situation as another step forward to keep pace with customers expectations and the efficiency of cost and conservation.
Many times there are outside forces that prompt you to stop and re-think your way forward. It is always good to try to make it positive. On that note, we will be working on the next generation of show promotion plans for 2009, with the hope that it will be as well received as our programs have been over the years.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the show promoters, suppliers and most of all, the customers who have supported us over the years.
Thank you,
Jerry Kohn
Founder, Corvette Central
|
