Wis. Admin. Code Department of Revenue Tax 11.28

Current through November 25, 2024

Section Tax 11.28 - Gifts and other advertising specialties

(1) DEFINITIONS.

(a) Section 77.51(15a) (b)2, Stats., provides that "sales, lease, or rental for resale, sublease, or subrent" does not include any sale of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., to a purchaser even though the property, items, or goods may be used or consumed by another person to whom the purchaser transfers the property, items, or goods without valuable consideration, such as gifts and other advertising specialties distributed at no charge and apart from the sale of other tangible personal property, items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or services.

(b) Section 77.51(15b) (a), Stats., provides that "sales price" means the total amount of consideration, including cash, credit, property, and services, for which tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or services are sold, licensed, leased or rented, valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise.

(2) GIFTS AND SALES INCENTIVE PLANS.

(a)General. Persons who make gifts of taxable tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or distribute tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., at no charge to others are the consumers of the property, items, or goods and the tax shall apply to the sales price from the sale of the property, items, or goods to persons making gifts. Taxable sales include sales of samples, advertising material, display cases, racks, and other similar marketing aids to manufacturers, distributors, jobbers, and wholesalers acquiring the property, items, or goods for the purpose of giving it to retailers for use in selling merchandise to customers.

Examples:

1) A paint manufacturer is the consumer of color cards which it provides to retailers without charge to facilitate the sale of the manufacturer's paint.

2) A tavern operator is liable for the tax measured by the tavern operator's purchase price of liquor given to customers.

(b)Grand opening gifts. A person who sells tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., to a retailer who uses the property, items, or goods as gifts at a grand opening or similar event, such as an open house, celebrity appearance, or farm days, should charge the retailer the applicable Wisconsin sales or use tax, unless the retailer provides the seller with a fully completed exemption certificate at the time of the sale. In cases where a seller furnishes free property to a retailer for use as gifts at a grand opening or similar event, the seller furnishing the property to the retailer without charge is subject to the sales or use tax on the property donated, unless the property is exempt from use tax under s. 77.56(3), Stats., because it is donated to an entity exempt from sales or use tax under s. 77.54(9a), Stats.

(c)Gift certificates.

1. The sales price from the sale of a gift certificate is not taxable because the certificate represents an intangible right. When a gift certificate is redeemed for taxable tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or taxable services, the transaction is completed and the retailer's tax liability accrues at that time.

Example: Retailer A sells Customer B a gift certificate that is valued at $50. The gift certificate can be used to purchase any items that Retailer A sells. The sale of the gift certificate is not subject to Wisconsin sales tax.

2. The sale of a certificate that entitles the holder of the certificate to redeem the certificate for a specific product follows the tax treatment of the product for which the certificate can be redeemed.

Example:

1) Retailer A sells Customer B a certificate that can be redeemed for a free radio. The sale of the certificate is subject to Wisconsin sales tax since a radio is subject to tax under s. 77.52(1) (a), Stats.

2) Retailer X sells Customer Y a certificate that can be redeemed for 10 pounds of fresh fruit for human consumption. The sale of the certificate is not subject to Wisconsin sales tax since the sale of fresh fruit for human consumption is not subject to tax.

(d)Gifts shipped out-of-state. When taxable property, items, or goods to be given as a gift are purchased at retail and the purchaser, without obtaining possession of the gift, directs the seller to ship it to a location outside Wisconsin, the sales price is not subject to Wisconsin sales tax.

(e)Awards. Persons transferring tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., to salespersons or distributors or both in redemption of awards, such as points, given under a sales incentive plan shall pay the tax on their purchases of the property, items, or goods.

(f)Gifts originally purchased for resale. When a person purchases property for resale or for another exempt purpose or under a valid exemption certificate but uses the property for a purpose other than for resale or another exempt purpose and does not donate the property to an entity described in s. 77.54(9a), Stats., the purchaser shall be liable for tax on its purchase price of the property.

Note: The amount subject to tax is the purchase price as described in s. Tax 11.32.

(3) COUPONS AND PREMIUMS.

(a)Coupons for free property, items, or goods issued and redeemable by a manufacturer or other third party. When a manufacturer's or other third party's coupons are distributed to consumers and subsequently are redeemed by a retailer for tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., without charge, the transfer of the property, items, or goods by the retailer to the coupon holder is a sale, not a gift. The consideration for the sale upon which the measure of tax is based, if taxable tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., is transferred, is the amount the manufacturer or other third party reimburses the retailer for the coupon, less any coupon handling fees, if the following conditions are met:

1. The retailer receives consideration from a third party other than the purchaser and the consideration is directly related to a price reduction or discount on the sale.

2. The retailer is obligated to pass the price reduction or discount on to the purchaser.

3. The amount of the consideration attributable to the sale is a fixed amount and the retailer is able to determine the amount at the time of the sale.

4. One of the following also applies:

a. The purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the retailer to claim the price reduction or discount, if the coupon, certificate, or other documentation is authorized, distributed, or granted by a third party with the understanding that the third party will reimburse the retailer for the amount of the price reduction or discount.

b. The purchaser identifies himself or herself to the retailer as a member of a group or organization that may claim the price reduction or discount.

c. The retailer provides an invoice to the purchaser, or the purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the retailer that identifies the price reduction or discount as a third party price reduction or discount.

(b)Cents-off coupons reimbursed by manufacturers and other third parties. A common arrangement between manufacturers or other third parties and retailers involves the use of cents-off coupons. The coupons are issued by manufacturers or other third parties and used by consumers toward the purchase of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats. The retailer then is reimbursed by the manufacturer or other third party. In this situation, the retailer's taxable sales price includes the amount the retailer receives from the customer. The retailer's taxable sales price also includes the amount the retailer receives from the manufacturer, less any coupon handling fees paid by the manufacturer to the retailer, if the conditions in par. (a) 1. to 4. are met.

(c)Coupons issued and redeemable by retailers.

1. When a retailer distributes coupons which its customer may use to obtain free tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or taxable services, the following shall apply:

a. When purchasing taxable products, including services, which will be given away to customers who make a required purchase consisting of only nontaxable products, a retailer may not purchase the free products without tax for resale. The retailer is deemed the consumer of the free products as provided in s. 77.52(21) (a), Stats. If the free products were acquired without tax for resale, the retailer shall report the tax on its purchase price of those products.

Example: A retailer purchases key chains that it will give to customers who purchase eight gallons of gasoline. The gasoline is exempt from sales tax. The retailer is required to pay Wisconsin sales or use tax on its purchase of the key chains.

Note: See s. Tax 11.985 for additional information concerning bundled transactions.

ag. When purchasing taxable products, including services, which will be given away to customers who make a required purchase consisting of only taxable property, items, or goods, a retailer may purchase the free products without tax for resale. The retailer is deemed to be selling both the required property, item, or good and the product being provided free, as provided in s. 77.52(21) (b), Stats.

Example: A retailer purchases bicycles that it will give to customers who purchase a sofa. The retailer may purchase the bicycles without tax for resale because the customer must purchase the sofa in order to receive the bicycle.

ar. When purchasing taxable products, including services, which will be given away to customers who make a required minimum purchase that may consist of both taxable and nontaxable property, items, and goods, the retailer may owe tax on its purchase of the free products. If the sales price of all of the taxable products sold equals or exceeds the required minimum purchase, the retailer may purchase the free products without tax for resale. If the sales price of all of the taxable products sold does not equal or exceed the required minimum purchase, the retailer owes tax on its purchase price of the free products to the extent that nontaxable products are included in the required minimum purchases. The retailer may make a reasonable allocation to compute the tax due on its purchase price of the free products. If the retailer does not want to make this allocation, the retailer shall pay tax on its purchase price of the products provided free of charge.

Examples:

1) A retailer provides a free soft drink to each customer that purchases at least $20 worth of property. A customer purchases $15 of taxable property and $5 of nontaxable property and receives the free soft drink. The retailer purchased the soft drink from its supplier for $1. Since 75% of the selling price of the minimum required purchase is from taxable property ($15/$20 minimum purchase requirement = 75%), the retailer is only required to pay tax on the remaining 25% of its $1 purchase price of the soft drink it gave away to this customer.

2) Same as Example 1, except that the customer purchases $5 of taxable property and $15 of nontaxable property and receives the free soft drink. Since 25% of the selling price of the minimum required purchases is from taxable property ($5/$20 minimum purchase requirement = 25%), the retailer is only required to pay tax on the remaining 75% of its $1 purchase price of the soft drink it gave away to this customer.

3) Same as Example 1, except that the customer purchased $15 of taxable property and $30 of nontaxable property and receives the free soft drink. Since 75% of the minimum required purchases is from taxable property ($15/$20 minimum purchase requirement = 75%), the retailer is only required to pay tax on the remaining 25% of its $1 purchase price of the soft drink it gave away to this customer.

4) Same as Example 1, except that the customer purchases $25 of taxable property and $30 of nontaxable property and receives the free soft drink. Since at least 100% of the $20 minimum required purchase is from taxable property, the retailer does not owe any sales or use tax on its purchase of the soft drink that it gave away to this customer.

Note: Additional examples can be obtained in Wisconsin Tax Bulletin 174 (January 2012) available on the Department's web site at www.revenue.wi.gov.

b. A retailer may not use an exemption certificate when purchasing taxable products which the retailer knows, or should know, are to be given away to customers without a required purchase. If the product that is given away was acquired without tax for resale, the retailer shall report the tax on its purchase price of the product.

Example: A retailer purchases key chains that are subsequently given away to customers, regardless of whether the customer makes a purchase. If the retailer purchased the key chains without Wisconsin sales or use tax by giving its supplier an exemption certificate claiming resale, the retailer is liable for tax on its purchase price of the key chains given away.

2. The taxable sales price of retailers, who issue cents-off coupons which reduce the price of merchandise they sell, and who receive no reimbursement from a manufacturer or other third party, is the reduced amount charged the customer.

(4) COUPON BOOKS, INCLUDING DINNER CLUB MEMBERSHIPS.

(a) A sales promotional agency may sell coupon books or voucher books to purchasers who use the coupons or vouchers in obtaining reduced prices from participating retailers. The coupon books may contain coupons redeemable by several retailers or may contain coupons redeemable by only one retailer. The sales promotional agency may have agreed to retain all receipts from the sales of coupon books, or to remit some portion of the receipts to the participating retailers.

Example: Coupon books may contain coupons entitling the purchaser to a free meal with the purchase of another meal, free dry cleaning or free bowling games.

(b) A sales promotional agency's receipts from sales of coupon or voucher books are not taxable, because the agency is selling intangible rights. These intangible rights entitle the purchaser of the coupon or voucher book to receive tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or taxable services at a reduced price or for no charge. However, any receipts received by participating retailers from the sales promotional agency are subject to the sales tax, if taxable property, items, goods, or services are furnished to the person using the coupon or voucher. Any additional receipts received by the retailer from the person using the coupons or vouchers also are taxable.

(c) Retailers are subject to the sales and use tax on taxable property, items, or goods transferred when coupons are redeemed without consideration from a sales agency, the consumer or any other person unless an exemption applies.

Example: Motel A provides a free breakfast with the purchase of lodging. Motel A purchases fruit, milk, cereal, bakery goods including rolls, bagels, muffins, and bread, ground coffee beans, frozen juice, napkins, plastic utensils, and paper plates and cups from a vendor. Motel A prepares the coffee and juice. The food and beverages are placed on a table in the lobby.

Motel A's customers may take as much or as little as they want of the food and beverage items. Motel A's purchases of fruit, milk, cereal, bakery goods, ground coffee beans, and frozen juice are not subject to Wisconsin sales or use tax because they are exempt food items under s. 77.54(20n), Stats. Motel A's purchases of the napkins, plastic utensils, and paper plates and cups are subject to sales or use tax because no exemption applies.

(5) TRADING STAMPS.

(a) Furnishing trading stamps and stamp books, with or without charge, to a retailer is an advertising or sales promotional service. The person furnishing the stamps and books is the consumer of the material and shall pay the Wisconsin sales or use tax on purchases of the material.

(b) A retailer's taxable sales price may not be reduced by the retailer's payments for trading stamps and stamp books or for payments to customers in redemption of the stamps.

(6) MANUFACTURER REBATES. A manufacturer's rebate to a person who purchases tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52(1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., or taxable services from a retailer is not a reduction of the retailer's sales price or purchase price for the item for sales or use tax purposes.

Examples:

1) An automobile manufacturer gives an automobile dealer's customer a cash rebate of $1,500 for an automobile purchased by a customer for $15,000. The taxable sales price of the dealer from the sale of the automobile is $15,000.

2) An automobile manufacturer gives an automobile dealer's customer the option of receiving a $1,500 cash rebate or allowing the $1,500 rebate to be applied against the price of the automobile ($15,000) by assigning the right to the rebate to the dealer. The customer chooses to assign the rebate to the dealer and apply the rebate against the price paid for the automobile and pays the dealer $13,500 ($15,000 - $1,500) for the automobile. The manufacturer subsequently reimburses the dealer $1,500. The taxable sales price from the sale of the automobile is $15,000.

(7) CERTAIN DRUGS FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE. No sales or use tax is owed on drugs furnished without charge to a physician, surgeon, nurse anesthetist, advanced practice nurse, osteopath, dentist licensed under ch. 447, Stats., podiatrist licensed under ch. 448, Stats., or optometrist licensed under ch. 449, Stats., if the drug may not be dispensed without a prescription.

Example: A drug manufacturer furnishes drug samples to doctors without charge. The drug samples may not be dispensed without a prescription. The drug manufacturer does not owe sales or use tax on its cost of the ingredients for the drug samples.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Revenue Tax 11.28

Cr. Register, November, 1977, No. 263, eff. 12-1-77; am. (2) (intro.) and (a), Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; r. and recr. (1) (a) and (b) and (2) (intro.), am. (2) (a) and (d), (3) (a), (b) and (c) 2., and (4) (a), cr. (2) (e) and (6), Register, March, 1991, No. 423, eff. 4-1-91; am. (1) (a), renum. (2) (intro.) (a) to (e) to be (2) (a) to (f) and am. (2) (b) and (e), (3) (b), (4) (c) and (5), r. and recr. (3) (c), Register, December, 1996, No. 492, eff. 1-1-97; am. (2) (b), (c) and (f), (3) (c) 1. b. and (4) (b) and (c), cr. (7), Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99; EmR0924: emerg. am. (1), (2) (a) to (e), (3) (a) (title), (b), (c), (4) (b), (c), (5) (b), (6) and (7), renum. (3) (a) to be (3) (a) (intro.) and am., cr. (3) (a) 1. to 4., eff. 10-1-09; CR 09-090: am. (1), (2) (a), (b), (d), (e), (3) (a) (title), (b), (c), (4) (b), (c), (5) (b), (6) and (7), renum. (2) (c) and (3) (a) to be (2) (c) 1. and (3) (a) (intro.) and am., cr. (2) (c) 2. and (3) (a) 1. to 4. Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10; CR 10-094: am. (2) (f), (3) (c) 1. a., b. Register November 2010 No. 659, eff. 12-1-10; CR 12-014: am. (3) (c) 1. (intro.), a., cr. (3) (c) 1. a. (Example), ag., ar., am. (3) (c) 1. b., r. (3) (c) 1. b. (Example 1), renum. (3) (c) 1. b. (Example 2) to (Example) Register August 2012 No. 680, eff. 9-1-12.

Amended by, correction in (1) (a) (Note), (b) (Note) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register December 2018 No. 756, eff. 1/1/2019

Section Tax 11.28 interprets ss. 77.51(1f), (3pf), (11d), (15a), and (15b), 77.52(20) and (21), 77.54(14) (f), 77.56(3), and 77.57, Stats.

The interpretations in s. Tax 11.28 are effective under the general sales and use tax law on and after September 1, 1969, except: (a) The exemption from use tax of certain donated property became effective August 9, 1989, pursuant to 1989 Wis. Act 31; (b) The exemption for certain medicines furnished without charge became effective October 14, 1997, pursuant to 1997 Wis. Act 27; (c) Section 77.57, Stats., was amended to remove the portion of the statute that allowed a purchaser to use the lesser of the cost or fair market value of an item that was purchased exempt and whose first taxable use occurred more than 6 months after it was purchased, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (d) The requirements for a third party reimbursement to be considered part of the sales price or purchase price of a product are effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (e) The change of the term "gross receipts" to "sales price" and the separate impositions of tax on coins and stamps sold above face value under s. 77.52(1) (b), Stats., certain leased property affixed to real property under s. 77.52(1) (c), Stats., and digital goods under s. 77.52(1) (d), Stats., became effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; and (f) The tax treatment of products provided for free by retailers became effective September 1, 2011 pursuant to 2011 Wis. Act 32.