@hundredpercent2002 wrote:
"Anticipate sales tax, and bid that much lower" Sadly, this puts the loss on the Seller, who may raise starting bids, or simply stop selling items on eBay. I don't like eBay being a national bank for state tax collectors. I don't like shopping locally because of the lack of selection/traffic/price. I do like eBay, and hope that some middle ground can be worked out.
er, un, ah.... Everyone that sells retail and is required to charge a sales tax is a "national bank for tax collectors" or essentially a branch of the state tax collection agency. Retailer charges you for the goods & services and charges and collects the tax! Then the retailer has to transfer those collected funds to the state tax authority!
This is what people don't understand about businesses. They think they are charging too much but don't understand all of the back office expenses. Gotta pay someone to track sales & sales tax, make sure it is properly remitted to the state with all of the "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed and then respond timely when some genius in the State can't understand what is filed or what it means. Heaven help you if you make a mistake! Then of course you double that if the locality (city, borough, township, etc) adds their percent on the tax! Oh and all of those people working for you require you to collect and pay SS taxes, unemployment taxes, etc. For a small business 50% of expended effort could be in collecting, distribution and accounting for various taxes and other regulatory issues.
OK, stepping down off my soapbox!
