eBay Now in Sales Tax Collection Business

[Raphael]

Rene,

This is exactly what I was warning about. Here in FL they have had access to FedEx import records for over 20 years. I had a situation similar to yours, back when I was importing large quantities of music boxes from Europe, and reselling them out of state. I neglected obtaining a Resale Certificate (cost: $5) out of sheer ignorance that I needed one. Boy, was I wrong. It cost me big time.

Also, FL has routinely checked Bills of Lading for inbound shipments at state line weigh/agricultural stations. If the individual consignees don't have Resale Certificates, they get a nice bill in the mail.

Going back to 1980, I bought a large boat from a dealer in NY. I had the boat federally documented and registered it to a company in Wilmington, Delaware. The dealer delivered the boat to me in international waters where we signed the paperwork and paid for it. I never took the boat into NY, kept it docked in NJ. Guess what? NY came after me a few years later and handed me one whopper of a tax & penalty bill.

Sales tax authorities are not to be taken lightly, for sure.

Raphael