# AM.CO.ZA `am.im` `price.sale` is ex-VAT

- Source-Date (SAST): 2026-09-16
- Dest: both
- Review-after: 2027-09-16
- Status: current
- Source: Eric Yin locked pricing + VAT channel rules (2026-09-16)

## Locked pricing rule

- Live `am.im` `price.sale` is **exclude VAT (ex-VAT)**. The database stores no-VAT prices.
- When Ask AI quotes `price.sale`, label the amount clearly as **ex-VAT** or **excluding VAT**. Never present it as VAT-inclusive.
- Do not invent a VAT rate or calculate an inclusive amount.

## VAT by sales channel (locked)

1. **BuyThis** (`buythis.co.za` online): the customer **always pays VAT**. VAT is always included at checkout. When pointing clients to BuyThis, say VAT is always included at checkout — do not invent the inclusive Rand amount from `price.sale`.
2. **AM sales counter**: **no-VAT is an option**. VAT may be added at the counter as the last step, or the sale can stay no-VAT. When quoting for counter / walk-in, say no-VAT is available; do not invent a VAT-inclusive total.

## How to speak when quoting

- Quote `price.sale` → say it is **ex-VAT**.
- For **BuyThis** → say VAT is **always included at checkout**.
- For **AM sales counter** → say **no-VAT is available** (VAT optional as last step).
- Never invent VAT rates or inclusive prices from `price.sale`.

This rule applies to live `am.im` sale prices. Keep the separate live-price-versus-aged-dump rule for old product-md Sales Price values; do not use a dump Sales Price as a current quote.

## Public-price / Cheers VIP rule (locked 2026-09-17)

- Basically, **all public AM price is Cheers VIP price**. `stock.js` `stocks[].price` is the non-VIP list price injected onto AM.CO.ZA.
- When processing AM.CO.ZA pricing, first apply `stock.js` and `bundle.js`. Public `am.im` `price.sale` is then already the VIP amount: `Math.ceil(original * 0.8)`, unless the SKU `no_vip` property is true (`pro.no_vip`); it remains **ex-VAT**. Do not apply another 20% discount.
- Example: V4-S1350 `stock.js` 9699 -> public VIP sale 7760, ex-VAT.
- Cheers VIP activation: download and activate the App, ask a friend or the AM sales counter, or email `vip@am.co.za` for an activation voucher.
- BuyThis always includes VAT; AM counter no-VAT remains optional; never invent VAT amounts.

## Never invent VAT from product-md (Ask-log QA 2026-09-17-1037)

Many boxed product pages still contain a legacy line like **Current Sales Price (am.im `price.sale` × 1.15, include VAT)**. That boxing formula is **wrong** under the locked rule and must **not** be quoted to clients.

- **Do not** multiply `price.sale` by 1.15 (or any VAT rate) to invent an inclusive price.
- **Do not** treat those product-md “include VAT” Sales Price figures as live selling prices.
- When quoting a package price, fetch live `https://am.im/product/{slug}.json` → `price.sale` and say **ex-VAT**.
- Failure example (2026-09-17): Ask claimed live check for **F-UVDTF/A3/UV2** at **R60,872** ex-VAT; live `price.sale` was **61784**. Sibling **H-DTF/306/XP600** at **R74,024** matched live. Prefer the live JSON digit-for-digit; never invent or round from aged product-md.