Sales Tax a bust

[urban_crawler]

Sorry eBay but your implementation of Sales Tax is a scam, and I'd bet good money your skimming from the top.  I've never paid taxes on used items in my life.  There are still states that do not have this requirement, yet you collect regardless the item or the state.  I can still order tax free off of Amazon and many other sites.  This is the end of eBay for me.  The last straw.  

[southern*sweet*tea]

This isn't an Ebay thing. It's state LAW that Ebay and other online selling sites are required to do since the Supreme Court okay'd it.

In most (if not all) states with sales tax, buyers were supposed to be self reporting all out of state purchases - new or used - on their state tax returns, but most were not. Now they don't have to since it's done by the venue now.

[fern*wood]

What state do you live in?

[kensgiftshop]

It wasn't Ebay's idea to start collecting sales tax, your State decided that and Ebay is required to collect it for them

[buyselljack2016]

@urban_crawler 

Well yes, eBay likely gets a cut of the tax that is required to be collected by many state laws. The individual states probably allow a small %age to be retained as a service charge for collecting, and remitting.

[fun-snowbunny]

Talk to the law makers of the country!  They are the ones that have added the tax, not Ebay.  Ebay is following the laws that have been implemented in each State.  Believe me, it sucks!  Did you know that if you live in California and you have more than 1 yard sale a year, you have to collect tax on everything you sell?  Even used stuff!  It's really messed up!

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I find it hard to believe that you are paying sales tax on eBay and not on amazon. 

Also, thinking eBay is illegally charging sales tax and skimming it makes no sense. As a publicly traded company they are subject to audit. States implementing the new MF laws will be auditing. 

Sales tax has always been charged on used items. Your used purchases may have been from stores that had tax included.

[soh.maryl]

You are essentially correct in your answer, but wouldn't it be more like "Talk to the members of your STATE legislature"? Although the US Supreme Court enabled state to decide to charge state sales tax on internet purchases, it was up to the law making body for each individual state to make it happen in their particular state.

[soh.maryl]

Are you absolutely certain you aren't paying state sales tax on Amazon purchases? 

[parkersparrow]

I've been paying sales tax on Amazon for a while now. I'm in NJ.

[bonjourami]

You sound very confused, if you are in a state that charges the sales tax, you are paying taxes on Amazon and many other internet sites that meet the Marketplace Facilitator criteria...its the law.

[pburn]

Same here. In fact, Amazon started collecting sales tax from me on January 1, 2017, long before my state passed the market facilitator law.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Core Amazon has been collecting sales tax for years. Since they bought companies like Whole Foods and opened regional fulfillment centers they have a physical nexus in pretty much every State.

Third party sales may not have been collecting for long but they are covered by the marketplace facilitator laws just like eBay. In fact IIRC amazon and Etsy qualified as MFs before EBay because EBay wasn’t yet processing their own payments. eBay Buyers certainly have had to pay taxes on taxable items as long as they have on eBay. Amazon collects the tax so it’s not like individual sellers can get out of it.

[pburn]

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@urban_crawler wrote:

 I've never paid taxes on used items in my life.\

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So, you've never paid sales tax on a used car? You're lucky. What state are you in that doesn't charge sales tax on used cars? Or purchases from a for-profit thrift shop? Or antique stores?

Man, I wanna live where you do . . .

[7606dennis]

It is your state that levies sales/use tax on its residents.  States that have enacted marketplace facilitator laws have effectively made sits like eBay into tax collectors just as B&M merchants have been for decades.  If you disagree with your state's tax laws, you will need to contact your state representative and make your opinion known.

By the way, most, if not all, states that see fit to charge their residents sales/use tax have done so for decades.  Buyer's were expected to pay the use tax on items that they had delivered to them within the state all along.  Those that didn't were and are guilty of evading taxes owed to their state.