Matt Henderson (Rangespan)

Comments - Page 3

  • In addition to customer engagement, editorial content can help retailers appeal to premium brands, that might not otherwise be willing to trade with a retailer normally associated with low priced product.

  • A couple of things important to note on this topic:

    Firstly, there are a huge number of companies, including large retailers, that have offshore headquarters but have a far greater proportion of staff and operations based in the UK than Amazon. Boots, for example. Yet articles almost always focus on 3 or 4 US firms instead of "British" institutions like Boots.

    Secondly, tax rates should be expressed as a percentage of profits, not sales (for example, Tesco's tax in FY2012 divided by sales was 1.3%). Amazon's profit margin is very low, so even if all of Amazon.co.uk's sales had the UK corporate tax rate, the amount of money would still be a tiny % of sales).

    I do think a level playing field, at UK tax rates, would be best. But all the ill-feeling is being heaped on Amazon, and this is a much wider problem.

    Commented on: 16 May 2013

    Amazon

    Amazon under fire over tax bill