Ebay buyer question

[My Precious]

Last night I made an offer on a 1970's Treasure magazine for $5.00. This morning I received an email stating the offer was accepted. I also received an email statement with a pay now button, the statement read the total was $9.40. It was $5.00 for the magazine, .40 sales tax (8% NY on the $5) and $4.00 for shipping. So I click it on the "pay now" button it opens up the ebay pay site which states the final price as $9.72, $5.00 for the magazine, $4.00 for shipping, and then .72 for tax (8% of $9.00). I don't ever remember getting conflicting statements like that before. Does Ebay charge sales tax on shipping normally and is that even legal? Seems petty but if they do this for millions of transactions that would add up fast!

 

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[Toecutter]

Seller can charge tax, I dont buy from sellers that charge tax unless its a must...

 

[smokeythecat]

Well Toecutter, you may want to stay off the net then. Unfortunately for us, Amazon and Ebay and others are now charging sales taxes for almost everywhere. Every last purchase I have made since October, from folks inside the US, has had the tax added to it. A lot of the states changed their laws this year and so...hence the tax. We were warned over 6 months ago this was going to happen, I remember getting the notices, but you know how it is, reading all those notices. Now as far as a discrepancy, you would have to call ebay. New York may have changed their laws also. Maryland's went into effect in October.

 

[Toecutter]

Well Toecutter, you may want to stay off the net then. Unfortunately for us, Amazon and Ebay and others are now charging sales taxes for almost everywhere. Every last purchase I have made since October, from folks inside the US, has had the tax added to it. A lot of the states changed their laws this year and so...hence the tax. We were warned over 6 months ago this was going to happen, I remember getting the notices, but you know how it is, reading all those notices. Now as far as a discrepancy, you would have to call ebay. New York may have changed their laws also. Maryland's went into effect in October.

interesting... In the last 2 months Iv made over 15 purchases from Ebay and haven't bin charged tax on any of them, only 5 where used items...

 

[Ziggy-Grimm]

As a few others have stated, it depends on the state laws and eBay recently changed some things. I do know clothing in Pennsylvania is NOT taxed but in neighboring West Virginia clothing IS taxed.

 

[xr7ator]

Horrible advice, Smokey. Stay off the net, really? If you would have said stay off Amazon.....

Don't call ebay. Contact the seller and see what they can do to lower the cost.

 

[T.C.]

interesting... In the last 2 months Iv made over 15 purchases from Ebay and haven't bin charged tax on any of them, only 5 where used items...

flea bay started adding sales tax to everything I sell. I'm in a "no sales tax" state. Why should they start collecting sales tax here, when someone from NorCal can drive up and buy stuff in the stores, sales tax free?

 

[smokeythecat]

I looked at my last Amazon order and I got charged sales tax on it.

 

[Toecutter]

I looked at my last Amazon order and I got charged sales tax on it.

I would expect to pay tax at a retail store, not ebay though....Not sure the op has any issues with Amazon since he was asking about Ebay... just my 2 cents!!

 

[smokeythecat]

Well, I'm in Maryland, it's next to the Washington, DC sewer and we have the best politicians money can buy! They make sure they get their share of everything.

Thing is, once one state gets a way to get their hands on your money, the others quickly learn and follow!

 

[Madmox]

flea bay started adding sales tax to everything I sell. I'm in a "no sales tax" state. Why should they start collecting sales tax here, when someone from NorCal can drive up and buy stuff in the stores, sales tax free?

Hah! I, I mean someone I know, drove from Humboldt up to Grants Pass to buy a generator to “stick it to the man” even though it cost more in diesel to drive up there.

 

[IN DA HOLE]

Here is the real kicker. I sell stuff on eBay and live in Canada. The last few sales I sent to the USA, AUTOMATICALLY charged the Buyer a state use tax not a sales tax. I called eBay to find out WTF they are doing and was explained that they are charging a USE TAX for specific states even for international sellers. Why would I charge a tax to someone in a different country, its stupid. You guys are getting jabbed in the you know what. I would really be ticked off if they charged me a tax when buying from an international seller.
It's getting crazy out there.

 

[trdhrdr007]

I'm not up on the exact laws and time frame but this has been coming for quite a while. Most states have had laws on the books for many years that required people to pay state sales tax on internet purchases. Everyone routinely ignored those laws. States have been complaining about not getting their piece of the pie. In response legislation was passed on the federal level and has trickled down to the state level. Internet sellers are now required to tax sales to customers in states where they have a physical presence and/or where state law requires it. This was inevitable. I'm not happy about it but the truth is there isn't a damn thing anyone can do about it other than factor in the tax when making a buying decision. If you can buy it cheaper elsewhere do so....

 

[smokeythecat]

trdhrdr007 is precisely correct. I've known this was coming, but when it finally started showing up a few weeks ago it was still something of a shock.

 

[IN DA HOLE]

Unfortunately, buying stuff cheaper results in buying from China 99% of the time which doesn't help your own economy at all. That's what started the vicious circle of job loss due to no more local manufacturing and lower earnings for many who have to rely on low-end jobs in our countries.

I would be very curious to know if Americans are being charged an incoming USE TAX by your State when an item is being purchased from China or is China exempt from that because of their control over the US marketplace?

 

[trdhrdr007]

I don't buy stuff from China on eBay mostly due to the length of time it takes to get here. I'm in Alabama & looked at my recent purchases. Every purchase was taxed. I sell between 20-60 items monthly on eBay. The majority of my sales are not taxed at this point. No idea how that shakes out & really don't care. I'd be a lot more concerned on the selling end if eBay wasn't collecting/handling sales tax. If I had to do it myself my business would have closed. Not worth the time to deal with all the regulations and payments to various entities.

 

[SanMan]

interesting... In the last 2 months Iv made over 15 purchases from Ebay and haven't bin charged tax on any of them, only 5 where used items...

It was announced on the radio,...... now everything is gonna have tax on it.

ebay was great back when it was new.
Down hill ever since.

ebay= "The bay of death", "The bay of despair", "The bay of disappointments", etc.

 

[My Precious]

Thanks for all the replies on this thread I started but the point I was trying to make seems to have been missed by all. I live in NY and knew I was going to be paying sales tax. NY makes a new law or requirement to make a buck wherever//whenever they can and proved it by making NYers pay tax on ebay no matter where it is purchased from, it's the reason why so many people are leaving the state. What I couldn't understand was the fact that I got charged an 8% tax on the cost of shipping not just the product I purchased. Just wondering if it is even legal to charge tax on the cost of shipping?

 

[smokeythecat]

No, I got that part and responded. Only Ebay knows the answer, but it sounds like double dipping on their part.

 

[IN DA HOLE]

As the old saying goes " nothing is certain but death and taxes". Be glad you don't live in Canada then, we pay a Federal and Provincial (State) tax on everything and I mean everything 15.6 % of all goods, all services. Go to the mall have a meal 15.6% Tax including the tip, go get a haircut 15.6% Tax, every time you spend a buck 15.6% Tax, wham bam thank you, Mam. That's all after getting the crap taxed out of us on our paychecks.
Oh Well, Guess we need to pay for our free healthcare and cheap prescription drugs somehow.