Court: Online bookseller owes New Mexico sales tax
Court rules online retailer barnes&noble.com subject to tax on sales of books, music in NM
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- The New Mexico Supreme Court says barnes&noble.com must collect taxes on sales for books, music and movies bought by customers in New Mexico.
The state high court's unanimous ruling Monday says barnes&noble.com's sales are subject to gross receipt taxes even though the online merchant said it had no physical presence in New Mexico.
The justices said it's enough that the online retailer's sister corporation, Barnes & Noble Booksellers Inc., has stores in New Mexico and engages in sufficient activities on behalf of the online retailer.
Those activities include sharing customers' email addresses and promoting the online retailer's gift cards.
The Supreme Court's ruling agrees with the outcome of one by the Court of Appeals but uses different reasoning.
