OAR 123-662-0100: Definition of Electronic Commerce

OAR 123-001 (Procedural Rules) defines terms used in this division of administrative rules, unless the context demands otherwise; in addition, for purposes of Electronic Commerce as defined under ORS 285C.050(5): (1) E-commerce zone means any of the enterprise zones designated for electronic commerce under ORS 285C.095 in accordance with OAR 123-662-1000 and 123-662-1200. (2) “Predominantly” means that more than 50 percent of applicable transactional activity is Internet-based in terms of receipts, number of orders, clients served or like measures, as opposed to activity handled directly or primarily through other means such as by telephone or e-mail. (3) Applicable business activity and related investments must: (a) Locate and occur inside the E-commerce zone; (b) Involve dealings with customers, suppliers, clients or other transactional entities that are external to the eligible business firm, predominantly over the Internet itself or on a computer network that utilizes the Internet as a platform; and (c) Entail, support or relate to the sale or purchase of goods, property or services, whether conducted on a wholesale, commercial, business-to-business, retail or other basis. (4) Includes facilities, equipment, services, networks, software, broadband infrastructure and so forth, as provided or operated inside the E-commerce zone by a company which enables, supports or fosters business transactions by means consistent with sections (2) and (3) of this rule. Such a company is eligible for purposes of tax abatement if other businesses or organizations represent 75 percent or more of its customers or gross receipts (as opposed to households or the general public) in the conduct of electronic commerce activity. (5) Encompasses elements of the transaction’s overall completion or delivery, beyond the initiation or consummation of the sale, purchase or arms-length exchange, if the element: (a) Is conducted in the E-commerce zone by means consistent with sections (2) and (3) of this rule, including but not limited to customer service, technical support, claims processing, client evaluation, performance measurement or the like, even if the actual sale, purchase or contract originated outside the zone or through other means; or (b)(A) Naturally serves, underpins or arises from the Electronic Commerce sale or purchase of goods, property or services, including but not limited to distribution, made-to-order assemblage, direct after-sale support, shipping, warehousing, warranty service or any similar operation or order fulfillment-type activity undertaken in the E-commerce zone, including but limited to a local retail “fulfillment center” as defined in OAR 123-674-1000(2); (B) As may be understood by way of a flowchart representing the totality of operations in the zone, such that if a critical node in that flowchart is handled by means consistent with sections (2) and (3) of this rule, then: (i) Substantially related activities both upstream and downstream of the node are also included for purposes of this rule; and (ii) Associated qualified property or investments in capital assets shall receive respective tax benefits subject to other applicable requirements.