Star Trek: Starships Model/Magazine Subscription

1. This morning I noticed I got charged for October already, but it was for $42.29 so I called the customer service number. Apparently they added Pennsylvania (where I live) sales tax to it. I just want to make sure that is supposed to happen now? Are there any other Pennsylvanian subscribers also paying the extra $2.30? Or is there a glitch somewhere and I am being overcharged the exact amount of sales tax and should call back?
   
   
2. When I called earlier I asked for an update regarding shipping information on my missing September ships. I had been told they were shipped after I called last week, but this time the agent had to put that through again. I hope to get those soon, I don't wanna be screwed out of them like others seem to have been.

 

1. 
   
   If I understand the law correctly (I'm not an attorney), companies are required to charge online sales tax in those states in which they have operations. I read a story in the newspaper today about Ohio sales tax revenues having spiked because Amazon built some data centers in the state so started charging Ohio residents sales tax as a result.
   
   IIRC Eaglemoss's domestic shipping facility is in PA because that seems to be where the shipments originate. So it would make sense that following the migration of some of their business operations that they would start charging sales tax in that state.
   
   This evening I got my shipment notification for 53 and 54, so back to normal on this end.

 

That is indeed the law. I live in CT, and Amazon built a distribution warehouse thing here a couple years ago, and since then I've had to pay sales tax on Amazon purchases. (Of course, you're supposed to report your untaxed out-of-state purchases on your income tax every year!)

 

So I got a notice about shipment for issues 53 and 54, which is awesome, but still have not heard anything about 51 or 52.

 

Also in PA, got that same figure too. Was wondering why...

Says the ships coming are the Klingon Attach ship - lol, attach? - and the Steamrunner (!!!yay!!!)

Did anyone else get a post-card in the snail mail from them about DS9? You know, the DS9 we got 18 odd months ago or so? Only this specifically says to opt out of it to contact them by 10/19/2015.

 

Strange. In Virginia, I got charged the usual $39.90 that always happened every month. Maybe VA doesn't have such a local-state taxation law.

Yep, got the postcard. Seeing that we all got DS9 quite a while back, I'm just chalking it up to a free extra to add to the collection. Expensive mistake for them, though. The card is quite nicely done.

I got the email about the October shipment too. Here's the content:

Now, normally I would be overjoyed at this, but previous emails I received before the switch-over included the two magazines as a part of the manifest. Here, it only appears as if it's only the ships. The magazines probably are included (especially since they came with 51 & 52 from the new distribution center), but such an omission, especially in light of recent logistical glitches, does make me a little twitchy.

They're definitely available, and I had to call them several times to get it worked out. Mine arrived last Thursday, so they may still be catching up. I'd give them another call if you don't see them by tomorrow.

 

Except it's not free. It says on the card, on the back, $34.95 + S&H.

 

I meant the card itself. Such things are important parts of the collection to OCD collection freaks such as myself.

 

I just got the Akira. I love it! I was a little worried about one of the nacelles or pylons being bent, but the pylons, booms and the whole nine are all diecast! It is perfect.

 

No, it's that the distributor has a facility in PA, so they must charge PA sales tax to PA residents: https://www.sba.gov/content/collecting-sales-tax-over-internet

Unless they have facilities in other states, sales tax won't be charged in other states.

 

Ah! Makes sense.

Just got the Klingon Ship and Steamrunner today and it came with the two magazines. Woot!

I guess the email manifests don't include that level of detail any more (mentioning the magazines). Not that big of a deal, so long as the shipments keep coming.

 

Asked Ben on Twitter, he's clueless about the postcard too - says it should be for the Kelvin, not DS9. Going to call them Monday and find out what's up.

Oh, is anyone else getting some advertisement under the guise of a gift certificate for a wine place in their shipments?

 

Yep. Got it in the September and October shipments. It's some kind of wine of the month club thing. I just throw them out.

 

Really liking how these shuttles look - particularly the Type's 9 & 10, can't wait to get them in the US. However, I find the aft landing gear on the Galileo to be absurdly oversized compared to the rest of the scale of the model. Was it really that huge? And shouldn't there be two front ones as well, or am I thinking of the old AMT/ERTL kit?

 

Finally got my missing September shipment yesterday.

Hmm. Yesterday was Back to the Future Day, do you know what that means?

"My shipment never went missing. It had to go back."
"Back where?"
"Back, to the future!"
*roll credits*

I was reading the Centaur/Buckner magazine and now I wonder; Does Guillermo still have his ship?

 

Sometimes I'm glad I rely on stores for buying mine. I got the Centaur a few weeks ago. VERY happy with that ship.

I couldn't tell you. He's presumably all grown up, though getting one of the effects guys to build you a ship is quite a big deal. Even better than an autograph.


Also, how long has it been since we had any news on any ships being added or confirmed to the non-special list? Feels like it been a while, and there's still six or seven I'm really hoping for.

 

The last update of any significance was in June. Wish we would get a conformation on the extension.

 

So was everyone here unaware of the clusterfuck around the shuttles being released in the UK?

I went and ordered one, and upon confirmation was shocked to find I had in fact ordered FIVE issues, amounting to £355. That's £300 more than I was expecting to pay.

I wasn't the only one either, a friend on the Facebook page was charged for many more, amounting to nearly £1500.

EM were quick on it though, and I received a £300 refund the other day but holy shit, that kind of error should never happen.

 

That does sound pretty bad. It's may have been another unfortunate side-effect from the recent decentralization of their databases and the glitches that ensued. Hopefully things have been worked out on both sides of the pond now.