CollectionsJul 17, 2026
HOWL Taps Shailene Woodley for ‘Home Sweet Home’ CampaignWoodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.
Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2017
Online Sales Tax Bills Reintroduced in House, Senate
A senator from Wyoming and a representative from South Dakota have resurrected past pieces of legislation in their respective houses of Congress.
Washington, D.C.--The issue of “sales tax fairness” is back on the table, again, in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
On Thursday, Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming) resurrected the “Marketplace Fairness Act,” the legislation first introduced in 2013.
The act passed the Senate that year but never got to the floor of the House for a vote. A nearly identical version of the bill was reintroduced in March 2015 but did not even pass the Senate.
Joining Enzi as co-sponsors on the bill were Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota).
In the House, Rep. Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) reintroduced the “Remote Transactions Parity Act” along with Reps. Steve Womack (R-Arkansas), Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Lou Barletta (R-Pennsylvania), John Conyers (D-Michigan), Jackie Speier (D-California), Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Suzan DelBene (D-Washington) and David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island).
The Remote Transactions Parity Act was introduced in June 2015, originally by Chaffetz, but did not pass the House during the 114th Congress.
While the Senate and House bills are not identical, both would allow states to require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax, regardless of whether or not they have a physical location in the state.
The issue of sales tax collection by online-only retailers has been introduced in Congress in the form of various bills for more than a decade, but none have made it through.
In that time, a number of states have passed or considered legislation that would require online sellers to collect sales tax, and the largest e-tailer in the country announced that it would start collecting sales tax in all states where it’s required.
On April 1, Amazon, which ranks No. 9 on National Jeweler’s latest $100 Million Supersellers list, started collecting sales tax in 45 states (there is no state sales tax in Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Delaware and New Hampshire.)
But other online sellers, including Blue Nile, do not collect sales tax in all states. Brick-and-mortar retailers--particularly those who sell high-dollar items online, like independent jewelers--have long complained puts them at a disadvantage.
As Gene Poole, owner of Hudson-Poole Jewelers in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, put it in a recent interview with National Jeweler: “My real agitation with the internet is sales tax. I can compete with diamond prices and I can compete with mounting prices, but I can’t compete with sales tax ... At some point, we have to level the playing
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
field and Congress needs to get on board.”
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot SaleA WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens MemoirThe founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
Weekly QuizJul 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsJul 16, 2026
Q&A: Guzema’s Co-Owners On Its US Expansion, 10-Year AnniversaryValeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a RowJewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice GraduateThe graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
Jewelers of Louisiana to Host 80th ConventionThe event, scheduled for next month in New Orleans, will include dinner, a custom jewelry design contest, and education sessions.
SourcingJul 15, 2026
1,305-Carat Diamond Recovered from Mine in BotswanaThe yet-to-be named stone is the 10th diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to come out of Lucara’s Karowe mine.
IndependentsJul 15, 2026
New Jersey Jeweler Barry Berman Dies at 81The founder of Fords Jewelers, Berman is remembered for his love of connecting with his community.
FinancialsJul 15, 2026
Watches of Switzerland’s US Sales Jump 18%, Declines to Comment on Sale Report The watch and jewelry retailer had a strong fiscal year despite what its CEO described as a “complex operating backdrop.”
Events & AwardsJul 15, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
CollectionsJul 15, 2026
Pomellato’s New High Jewelry Is LiberatingBold color, expressive gem-setting, and sculptural form define the three chapters that make up “Stile Libero.”
IndependentsJul 14, 2026
Foundrae Opens First Standalone Store Outside USThe New York-based jewelry brand has expanded overseas, opening a store in London’s Mayfair district.
ColumnistsJul 14, 2026
Sherry Smith: What Today’s Jewelry Consumer Is Telling Us Rising revenue does not automatically mean a healthy business, particularly in the current economic landscape, Smith writes.
TrendsJul 14, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Shoulder Dusters These long, fluid drop earrings are sure to catch the eye.
CrimeJul 14, 2026
Man Charged in $1M Jewelry Store Heist Lands on FBI Most Wanted ListAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged with robbing a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and is the only one still at large.
Events & AwardsJul 14, 2026
Conference on Mining, Sustainability Kicks Off in NYCInitiatives in Art and Culture is hosting its 16th annual Gold and Diamond Conference, with the theme of “Resilience.”
Lab-GrownJul 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Changes Her Mind on Lab-Grown DiamondsThe designer, who once said she’d never sell lab-grown diamonds, debuted two capsule collections designed to be fun and easy to wear.
SourcingJul 13, 2026
De Beers Announces Potential Layoffs, 2-Year Production Pause at VenetiaThe diamond miner and marketer is undergoing another round of cost-cutting measures ahead of its sale by Anglo American.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
Registration Opens for JIS Fall 2026 ShowThe annual trade-only buying event is slated for Oct. 16-19 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026AGTA also has announced the lineup of judges for the colored gemstone cutting and jewelry design contest’s various categories.
TechnologyJul 10, 2026
There’s a New Blind Box for Luxury Watches Collectibles platform Arena Club’s new Time Boxes could contain a Rolex or Patek Philippe watch.
TrendsJul 10, 2026
Jade Trau Creates a Constellation of DiamondsThe “Constellation Plié” collar, our Piece of the Week, features diamonds arranged in a constellation of shining stars.
