Regards,
mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Join the Community team here at 1 PM PT on October 9th for our Weekly Chat with eBay Staff. We don't have a set topic this week, so please bring any general questions you may have on buying or selling.
The chat will be open for questions from 1-2 pm PT, at which point we'll close thread. While no additional questions can be submitted after this time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that may still be unanswered.
If you're new to the chat, welcome! Simply Reply to this post with your question from 1-2 PM Pacific Time and we'll be happy to look into it for you 
Good afternoon eBay Support Team!
Subject: Simple sales tax question(s):
I am trying to understand who gets charged what and why for sales tax purposes and if the term "sales" tax in some cases is actually "use" tax. Here are my examples of Buyers and Sellers in different states and "made up" tax rates JUST to simply the questions. For the Buyer-Seller transactions below who pays what and why?:
Buyer's state sales tax = 7% Seller's state sales tax = 0%
Buyer's state sales tax = 7% Seller's state sales tax = 10%
Buyer's state sales tax = 0% Seller's state sales tax = 7%
Buyer's state sales tax = 0% Seller's state sales tax = 0%
With the above scenarios of Buyer-Seller state relationships apply the same questions to a Local Pick up deal where the Buyer is crossing a state line, the PayPal purchase is refunded so the Buyer can pay cash at pick up, how is sales tax applied? I've actually had Buyers come from as far as 3 states away to pick something up although most are within our state.
@mam98031 wrote:
@captb_54 wrote:Just a suggestion for the future. Don't do FALL UPDATE or mess with things right before 4th qtr ever. Do everything in winter and summer and stop the Fall. You know that even though IT guys tell you no problems there are always bugs, Always. And 4th qtr is not time to deal with them.
I agree as I'm confident many others do as well when it has to do with the structure or data contained in a listing. Every year sellers ask Ebay to please be more considerate of our needs to be working on sourcing inventory and creating listings for the holiday season. But every year we have the Fall Update since at least 2014, it could be further back than that.
I don't mine changes in cosmetic things or the addition of Seller Protections, but when it affects the design, layout or functionality of a listing, sellers need time to work with that and not take away from the needs of the Holiday season. Both Ebay and seller would be stronger for it and make a little more money IMHO.
My vote is Winter and Spring. Keeping in mine when those seasons actually start.
Let me revisit my suggestion. It should have said Winter and Summer so there is a bit more space in between and more like twice a year. Which was agreed to years ago that we would only have two seller updates a year. However in 2018 we had 3 and 2019 so far we have had 3.
@mr_lincoln wrote:
Good afternoon eBay Support Team!
Subject: Simple sales tax question(s):
I am trying to understand who gets charged what and why for sales tax purposes and if the term "sales" tax in some cases is actually "use" tax. Here are my examples of Buyers and Sellers in different states and "made up" tax rates JUST to simply the questions. For the Buyer-Seller transactions below who pays what and why?:
Buyer's state sales tax = 7% Seller's state sales tax = 0%
Buyer's state sales tax = 7% Seller's state sales tax = 10%
Buyer's state sales tax = 0% Seller's state sales tax = 7%
Buyer's state sales tax = 0% Seller's state sales tax = 0%
With the above scenarios of Buyer-Seller state relationships apply the same questions to a Local Pick up deal where the Buyer is crossing a state line, the PayPal purchase is refunded so the Buyer can pay cash at pick up, how is sales tax applied? I've actually had Buyers come from as far as 3 states away to pick something up although most are within our state.
Hi @mr_lincoln - first and foremost I have to tell you that I am not a tax expert and am not allowed to provide you tax advice, accounting advice, or anything resembling such.
What I can say is that in states that have required eBay to collect sales tax under Marketplace Facilitator laws, we always base the 'whether or not to charge' and the amount upon the buyer's stated location at checkout.
In situations where a transaction is cancelled or otherwise partially or fully refunded, we would be responsible for refunding the tax charged to the buyer if the buyer's stated location at checkout was in a state we are required to collect tax in.
For any and all other tax related questions I have to advise you to contact a tax professional. Thanks!
@golfingaddict wrote:
My question is about seller protection:
This happens frequently, just last week.
I send brand new in package undergarments.
Buyer receives exactly what they order but says "wore them, don't fit well, are uncomfortable, bigger than I thought (or smaller) I need to return them" In about half the cases they claim Not as described because they do not fit. In about 100% of the cases, the items are essentially ruined and I cannot resell them. (worn, out of package, no packaging included with return etc..)
Does the new seller protections offer me any recourse? Protections? Am I just expected to take the loss because the buyer doesn't like them, they don't fit, they are uncomfortable or other (not my problem) issues?
Thank you.
Hi @golfingaddict, the enhanced protections for Top Rated Sellers give sellers the option to give a partial refund if an item is returned damaged, used, or altered. Doing a partial refund also comes with feedback, defect, and seller metric protection for the seller. You can view the partial refund guideline table here to see when and how much of a partial refund can be given in different circumstances. Additionally, if a buyer falsely reports an item is Not As Described, sellers can report the buyer to us and received a $6 credit on their monthly invoice, along with feedback, defect, and seller metrics protections.
The Seller Protections team will be here for next weeks Weekly Chat, so be sure to join us then if you have further questions 
@3r_technology_solutions wrote:
I would like to know why ebay makes it to easy for the buyer to just click INAD or damaged and force a seller to take a return resulting in loss of any profit and in some cases lose money on a transaction? I hade a case of a toner cartridge that was bought from me and the buyer clicked item damaged and in the comment section put seller sent a damaged box? Was then told by multiple Ebay reps that in this case the box isn’t the item the toner inside is. IMHO this should have then been closed as an improper return, but was told that since the buyer opened the case they then had to follow return policy. Apon contacting Ebay was told there are certain criteria that must be met for me to then appeal and get return shipping credited to me once item is received. But I as a seller cant be told what that criteria is. What is Ebay trying to hide from us sellers?
Hi @3r_technology_solutions, if a buyer receives an item that doesn't match the listings description then we want it to be easy to resolve the matter. That being said, we do place return reasons that would be considered "not as described" reasons at the bottom of the list, and the buyer has to expand the list to see these. This is done to help minimize the number of returns where the incorrect return reason is selected. Ultimately, we look at the reason the buyer selected when they opened the return, such as damaged or not as described.
As for specific criteria, I'm certain you can understand how detailing this kind of information would lead to abuse of the protection you are seeking. If you qualify for this protection, we will be happy to provide compensation. If you do not, we may not be able to go into detail as to why this is not possible to ensure those who seek to abuse our protections are not given information they could use to manipulate or circumvent our policies.
