26 U.S.C. § 4216 - Definition of price

Cite as26 U.S.C. § 4216

(a) Containers, packing and transportation charges.

In determining, for the purposes of this chapter, the price for which an article is sold, there shall be included any charge for coverings and containers of whatever nature, and any charge incident to placing the article in condition packed ready for shipment, but there shall be excluded the amount of tax imposed by this chapter, whether or not stated as a separate charge. A transportation, delivery, insurance, installation, or other charge (not required by the foregoing sentence to be included) shall be excluded from the price only if the amount thereof is established to the satisfaction of the Secretary in accordance with the regulations.

(b) Constructive sale price

(1) In general

If an article is-

(A) sold at retail,

(B) sold on consignment, or

(C) sold (otherwise than through an arm's length transaction) at less than the fair market price,

the tax under this chapter shall (if based on the price for which the article is sold) be computed on the price for which such articles are sold, in the ordinary course of trade, by manufacturers or producers thereof, as determined by the Secretary. In the case of an article sold at retail, the computation under the preceding sentence shall be on whichever of the following prices is the lower:

(i) the price for which such article is sold, or

(ii) the highest price for which such articles are sold to wholesale distributors, in the ordinary course of trade, by manufacturers or producers thereof, as determined by the Secretary. This paragraph shall not apply if paragraph (2) applies.

(2) Special rule

If an article is sold at retail or to a retailer, and if-

(A) the manufacturer, producer, or importer of such article regularly sells such articles at retail or to retailers, as the case may be,

(B) the manufacturer, producer, or importer of such article regularly sells such articles to one or more wholesale distributors in arm's length transactions and he establishes that his prices in such cases are determined without regard to any tax benefit under this paragraph, and

(C) the transaction is an arm's length transaction,

the tax under this chapter shall (if based on the price for which the article is sold) be computed on whichever of the following prices is the lower:

(i) the price for which such article is sold, or

(ii) the highest price for which such articles are sold by such manufacturer, producer, or importer to wholesale distributors (other than special dealers).

(3) Constructive sale price in case of certain articles

Except as provided in paragraph (4), for purposes of paragraph (1), if-

(A) the manufacturer, producer, or importer of an article regularly sells such article to a distributor which is a member of the same affiliated group of corporations (as defined in section 1504(a)) as the manufacturer, producer, or importer, and

(B) such distributor regularly sells such article to one or more independent retailers, but does not regularly sell to wholesale distributors,

the constructive sale price of such article shall be 90 percent of the lowest price for which such distributor regularly sells such article in arm's-length transactions to such independent retailers. The price determined under this paragraph shall not be adjusted for any exclusion (except for the tax imposed on such article) or readjustments under subsections (a) and (e) and under section 6416(b)(1). If both this paragraph and paragraph (4) apply with respect to an article, the constructive sale price for such article shall be the lower of the constructive sale price determined under this paragraph or paragraph (4).

(4) Constructive sale price in case of certain other articles

For purposes of paragraph (1), if-

(A) the manufacturer, producer, or importer of an article regularly sells (except for tax-free sales) only to a distributor which is a member of the same affiliated group of corporations (as defined in section 1504(a)) as the manufacturer, producer, or importer,

(B) the distributor regularly sells (except for tax-free sales) such article only to retailers, and

(C) the normal method of sales for such articles within the industry by manufacturers, producers, or importers is to sell such articles in arm's-length transactions to distributors,

the constructive sale price for such article shall be the price at which such article is sold to retailers by the distributor, reduced by a percentage of such price equal to the percentage which (i) the difference between the price for which comparable articles are sold to wholesale distributors, in the ordinary course of trade, by manufacturers or producers thereof, and the price at which such wholesale distributors in arm's-length transactions sell such comparable articles to retailers, is of (ii) the price at which such wholesale distributors in arm's-length transactions sell such comparable articles to retailers. The price determined under this paragraph shall not be adjusted for any exclusion (except for the tax imposed on such article) or readjustment under subsections (a) and (e) and under section 6416(b)(1).

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