when i buy, is there TAX?

That depends on where you order it from, some states expect you to pay taxes for online purchases, some dont.

I believe the law in most US states is that if the company selling you the product has a retail store in that state you have to pay local sales tax. So, if Apple has a store in your state you will, if not, happy tax free shopping. But it doesn't matter if the state you are shipping to has no sales tax.

Also if you don't pay tax to Apple on the order, some states expect you to pay anyway (like said above), like when you file income tax return.

On a side note, one of the reasons Gateway closed a lot of their stores in the US was because if they had a store in the state and then a customer in that state bought a computer online they would have to pay sales tax, with a nice system that can get pricey and drive Gateway's "price" above their competitors.

some states expect you to pay taxes for online purchases, some dont.

As a general rule, if the company you are purchasing from has a physical presence in the state you are having the item shipped to, then state sales tax will be charged.

I live in New Mexico and we don't have an Apple store in my state and I am always charged tax on Apple purchases. ???

Like I said, it varies by state. You could call the Apple store and ask, they should know. Or take a trip a few hours north to New Hampshire and buy it tax free!!

If you pay tax at the Apple store in your town or online, the price will be the same. I would say if the store is nearby, to buy it there so you don't have to wait for it in the mail.

I wonder if states like Nevada and Oregon that don't have sales tax , if Apple still charges you tax???

If you buy from the Apple Store, they will collect sales tax at the prevailing rate for the state where the merchandise is shipped.

You will probably be able to purchase without a sales tax levy from an online store that does not conduct business directly within your state (i.e., no physical presence there).

Since Apple operates stores in, by my count, 29 states, they are required to collect tax in those. The remainder are covered by Internet tax law which is clear as mud to this point, and Apple is likely acting prudently based on their size, stature and wide presence in the U.S.

You can find your state sales tax rate at:

http://www.salestaxinstitute.com/salestaxrates.jsp

I bought mine form Apple online. Had it shipped to New Hampshire, no tax there. No tax charged.

It says when you're checking out. something like: the Apple store will update your order with the due taxes when your order gets processed, which happens usually in about 1 hour. just come back to view your order after a while.