eBay Now Collecting Customs Duties “FALSE ALARM”

[Raphael]

Fair enough. Quite frankly, I have avoided the GSP like the plague for just the same reasons. In my opinion, it inserts one more middleman (two actually: eBay + Pitney Bowes) and have heard some real horror stories.

Raphael

[jamiegramo]

Fair enough. Quite frankly, I have avoided the GSP like the plague for just the same reasons. In my opinion, it inserts one more middleman (two actually: eBay + Pitney Bowes) and have heard some real horror stories.

Raphael

I would expect that someone with such a good reputation as yourself would avoid using the GSP.

Jamie

[PHONOMIKE]

I found this link on feebay's site. I got charged tax for the first time this weekend on an item that will be shipped from Pennsylvania to Michigan. If you scroll down to about the middle of the page, you can see when they were required to start charging tax for each state. In my case, Michigan started January 1 2020. So now I'll have to consider the tax portion when bidding because like shipping, it is a part of the overall price.
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/paying ... intent=tax

Mike

[soundgen]

I've just sold an item for £15 to Michigan and Ebay have collected a sales tax of 10% on the cost of the goods , if you buy in the USA from the UK are you aware of this tax before buying ? Does it show up on the Ebay item page ?

[PHONOMIKE]

I've just sold an item for £15 to Michigan and Ebay have collected a sales tax of 10% on the cost of the goods , if you buy in the USA from the UK are you aware of this tax before buying ? Does it show up on the Ebay item page ?

Nope. There was nothing to indicate before hand that tax would be added to the purchase price. It's a big surprise at the checkout.

Mike

[gramophone78]

I've just sold an item for £15 to Michigan and Ebay have collected a sales tax of 10% on the cost of the goods , if you buy in the USA from the UK are you aware of this tax before buying ? Does it show up on the Ebay item page ?

Nope. There was nothing to indicate before hand that tax would be added to the purchase price. It's a big surprise at the checkout.

Mike

The tax imposed by certain State's is not new. However, as of Jan 1 2019, three or four State's (Washington being one) started to enforce it. I'm sure other State's will follow suit as it is a cash cow revenue for them.

It is also not just Ebay purchases being effected. Other on-line companies will be force to collect this sales tax on behalf of the enforcing State's.

So, as mentioned, you may want to add the percentage your State will charge before you bid/buy an item in the future.

I think Washington State is 6.5%.

As a Canadian buyer, if I have an item sent to my box in Washington, I am now charged this State tax....even though I am taking it into Canada. Then, I could be subject to another 12% tax by our government for bringing the item in.

Kind of sucks, but a reality.

[TAP]

I thought I understood and now I'm all confused.

Soundgen says he paid 10% to Michigan? That is not the Michigan sales tax (6%). Is that someone else's tax?

Looking up the internet, Washington has a sales tax of 6.5 %. Could that be what you've been charged?

Finally, out of curiosity, what tax are you paying for bringing something into Canada?

[gramophone78]

I thought I understood and now I'm all confused.

Soundgen says he paid 10% to Michigan? That is not the Michigan sales tax (6%). Is that someone else's tax?

Looking up the internet, Washington has a sales tax of 6.5 %. Could that be what you've been charged?

Finally, out of curiosity, what tax are you paying for bringing something into Canada?

I edited my previous post to reflect what the sales tax is for Washington State. To keep it simple, the tax collected is whatever that particular state sales tax rate is. For Canadians, we then have to convert the percent (Washington 6.5%) into Canadian dollars.....which then increases the percent. Here in BC, there is a 12% PST/GST tax when bringing items across from the US if you have not been in the US over 24 hours.

That said, the tax is discretionary with the border officer. Most times if you are bringing items under $300 CAD total, they will waive the tax.
If you have been out of the country for over 24 hours, you are then allowed bring goods up to a certain amount tax free.

The bottom line as I understand it.....Ebay and others are not getting the money, the State's are. Just like buying at a retail outlet.

Perhaps there is some confusion of the 10% with regards to the Global Shipping Program which most US sellers use when selling out of the country.....another rip off that Ebay is in partnership with Pitney Bowes.

[soundgen]

I thought I understood and now I'm all confused.

Soundgen says he paid 10% to Michigan? That is not the Michigan sales tax (6%). Is that someone else's tax?

Looking up the internet, Washington has a sales tax of 6.5 %. Could that be what you've been charged?

Finally, out of curiosity, what tax are you paying for bringing something into Canada?

I edited my previous post to reflect what the sales tax is for Washington State. To keep it simple, the tax collected is whatever that particular state sales tax rate is. For Canadians, we then have to convert the percent (Washington 6.5%) into Canadian dollars.....which then increases the percent. Here in BC, there is a 12% PST/GST tax when bringing items across from the US if you have not been in the US over 24 hours.

That said, the tax is discretionary with the border officer. Most times if you are bringing items under $300 CAD total, they will waive the tax.
If you have been out of the country for over 24 hours, you are then allowed bring goods up to a certain amount tax free.

The bottom line as I understand it.....Ebay and others are not getting the money, the State's are. Just like buying at a retail outlet.

Perhaps there is some confusion of the 10% with regards to the Global Shipping Program which most US sellers use when selling out of the country.....another rip off that Ebay is in partnership with Pitney Bowes.

No I didn't pay any tax , I sold an item and the guy in Michigan was charged 10% tax by Ebay , why ? It is from the UK not "Interstate" so why a tax at all ?

[soundgen]

on the 24/12/2019 I sold 2 springs to Rockford Alabama for £72 . ebay charged the customer £5.75 in tax THEY THEN CHARGED ME A FINAL VALUE FEE of 10% INCLUDING THE TAX ! and also 10% of the postage WTF again why ? It is from the UK not "Interstate" so why a tax at all ?