Hello Everyone,I Joined This Forum in Hopes That Someone Will Be

[redd3708]

Hello Everyone,

I joined this forum in hopes that someone will be able to help me.

Anyway, I recently joined The Pampered Chef family and well...my recruiter moved so I have no one to really help me get started. This month is my starter month and I am panicking because I don't feel ready. I am mostly having trouble with the paperwork and Pampered Partner.

Here's the deal. I live at an APO/FPO address.....I don't know what the:

-sales tax
-shipping tax
-food tax

....is for my area. I emailed the Tax Center and they said to go to the Tax Rate Guide on Consultant's Corner....well I did that and it doesn't recognize my zip code and area. So I'm stuck.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! I can't complete my account on my Pampered Partner without this information.

Also, will someone please explain what the "Round-up Donation" is?

I hope these questions don't sound stupid....and I really hope someone will help me.

I appreciate any and all help.

Thanks!

 

[erinyourpclady]

There is not tax for FPO/APO! So no worries about that!

 

[erinyourpclady]

Sorry...I didn't get to finish!! LOL
Round Up Donation is the doantion that your customers can choose to make to support Round Up From the Heart. All monies round up and collected from the sales of special heart molds (for now!) are donated by the company to Americas Second Harvest.

BTW...where are you stationed? There are some ladies/gents here in Germany, Japan and Guam. Perhaps you can hook up with someone where you are for info on a cluster meeting!

HTH!

 

[redd3708]

So for APO/FPO, there is no tax for all of them? Sales, shipping, and food?

 

[stephanieboyd]

We don't pay any tax whatsoever!!! That's one of the perks of the SOFA agreements!!

The Round Up donation is for the Second Harvest Food Banks. Basically, ask every customer if they want to round their order up to the next whole dollar amount. If their total is $62.47 then they would round up to $63.00. That change gets donated to Food Banks in your areas. I am not sure who it goes to for us, but it's just habit for me to do it.

Another small thing you need to know as an APO rep is that every customer has to pay direct shipping prices. PC wants to be sure that we aren't out selling to the foreign nationals. Every order (locally) needs to be sent individually to each customer at their own APO box. I have found that this is a great way to get people to spend more than $65 so they only pay that $14 rate. People tend to think....well if I am paying it anyway, I might as well get this and this too.

Let me know if you need any other support!! I am living it too, so I would be happy to help with bits of advice!!

 

[redd3708]

Oh thanks sooo much! But, I thought that shipping to APO/FPO was 15% if each guest has their order sent to the host. Is that a new policy? (Having each guest pay direct shipping charges?)

 

[stephanieboyd]

I have lived overseas for about a year and a half, and have been with PC just over 3 years. Why would someone order $100 worth of product and pay $15 to ship it to someone else when they could order $100 and only pay $14? I was told that everyone had to have an APO address and direct ship to 'prove' it. Where are you stationed????

I just went to CC to find out the right answer, and it appears that you are right. I guess we can ship to hosts, I just don't understand how they are going to respect the SOFA agreements that the US has with other countries. I was told everyone had to have an APO address on base and that they had to be Americans!!

I live in Germany, and there is a German division of PC. How can they be sure that I am not selling to German Foreign Nationals at the cheaper dollar prices vs the much higher Euro prices. Germans pay 16% sales tax that is automatically added into the price of all goods and services. Also, the Euro rate is about 1 Euro to $.77 dollars. Those customers would spend on average 35-40% less by paying in US dollars for US products.

I think I am going to continue running my business the same way I have been for the past year and a half. I would rather ship directly to customers, than have OSI come knocking on my door about a foreign tax law/SOFA violation!! I am not going to military jail over these questions!!!

Let me know if you get a 'no-kidding' answer!! Many bases force you to register with the FSC, fill out paperwork for a base commander to approve, get a foreign tax ID number, and do not allow any use of AAFES benefits. I would rather sell directly to customers, and still be able to drive my car, use the commissary and BX.

You can run your business how ever you see fit.

 

[erinyourpclady]

Nope I think they change the policy last year. Also, everyone has to have their stuff shipped directly. The host does not receive the product for her/his guests. I was in Okinawa for 7 1/2 years and shows were NEVER sent through the host. Up until PC change the shipping policy, guests paid the at show shipping but had it direct delivered. I think it changed last spring, right before I left the island...........

HTH!

 

[redd3708]

Y'all make some good points. I appreciate your help. Thanks so much!

By the way, what is "HTH?"

 

[erinyourpclady]

The problem lies with the MPS. It is "illegal" to receive goods for other people at your Military Postal Service Center box. Other companies DO ship to their host but PC has always made it a point to follow the MPS rules. It is possible to "lose" your mail box for receiveing goods for others. It has to do with balck marketing I think.....

 

[erinyourpclady]

that would be BLACK marketing......LOL!!!

 

[redd3708]

Oh whoa! I never thought of it that way. You guys saved my butt from going to jail.

 

[stephanieboyd]

I think the direct shipping rates are a small price to pay to get a little piece of home!!! But that's just my opinion, and that's how I run my business!! Have you noticed how much stuff we just can't get over here because of our addresses??

 

[erinyourpclady]

Most PC customers will absolutely agree with you Stephanie!
It is so much better then the PX, BX or NEX anyday!! LOL!!

HTH mean Hope That Helps.....

 

[redd3708]

I agree with y'all. I just love PC!

Again, thanks fo all the input! Y'all are the best!

 

[erinyourpclady]

You are VERY welcome & Congratulations on your new business!

Have a Pampered Day!

 

[Jennie4PC]

HTH means hope that helps