Would an online tax save the High Street?

THE major online retailers pay little business rates and hardly any taxes because they are based offshore (Letters). If we allow the continued march of online retailers, we will have a High Street made up of charity shops and cafes. I suggest imposing a tax at the point of sale of 5 per cent to be redistributed by HMRC to local authorities. This could be ring fenced to cut business rates, which would enable High Street shops to compete more favourably.

DAVE COX, Chorley, Lancs.

LaMENtING the potential loss of High street shops is so tedious. the last time I went to London’s Oxford street, I struggled to find a member of staff who had any idea about the shop’s stock. I went home empty-handed because I couldn’t find what I wanted in my size. Using the internet, I can instantly establish the availability of my intended purchase plus product information that would not be forthcoming from untrained and undervalued shop staff. High street retailing has had its time. Like the dinosaurs, it is simply not equipped to survive.

STEVE FORSHAW, Desborough, Northants.

IT WOULD be useless to tax online shops in a bid to entice shoppers back to the High Street. You have to tax the internet shoppers themselves with the creation of a town centre revival tax. This would be a percentage of the total online purchase to be added at the checkout. I suggest a hefty 15 per cent tax. If you want to get shoppers back to the High Street, you have to make online shopping costlier by a large margin.

CONSTANTINE PASCHAL, address supplied.