@goodluckselling wrote:
@livadia wrote:
@1ezdeal wrote:
Amazon has to collect the taxes because they have a presence in every single state but ebay does not so that does not apply to ebay because ebay only has offices in 2 states
That was the way things *have* been @1ezdeal, but even before today's SCOTUS rulings, there have been states which passed their own Internet Sales Tax laws, including Washington (state) and Pennsylvania. Those laws in effect said it didn't matter whether the seller had a physical presence in their state or not, any sales made via an *online marketplaces* to a consumer in their state were subject to sales tax.
Since January/April, both Etsy and Amazon have been collecting sales taxes on behalf of their sellers and remitting them to the proper authorities in WA/PA. Etsy doesn't have any warehouses -- they're a selling platform just like eBay -- yet they were proactive and complied.
eBay chose not to -- perhaps hoping the Supreme Court decision would make it unnecessary. Doesn't appear that now will be the case given today's ruling so instead of getting a head-start on the issue like Amazon/Etsy, they're now going to have to play catch up.
If eBay took action early on and then this ruling did not play out as it has you would probably be the first one to say stupid eBay for jumping the gun. Look what you have put your seller through all for nothing.
eBay is not behind on anything like you are suggesting. It is just a court ruling.
Before today's SCOTUS ruling there were already states that had passed Internet Sales Tax laws which went into effect earlier this year. Both Etsy and Amazon were proactive and started collecting/remitting the required sales taxes on their sellers' behalf when the laws in those states took effect.
You may defend eBay all you like, but two of their major competitors already have tackled the issue and refined the process. Amazon/Etsy know what's involved and what it takes because they have been doing it.
eBay chose to take a "wait and see" attitude. Sorry, comparatively speaking, that puts them behind. Not only in terms of not getting out in front of an issue, but also in terms of the practical, in-the-trenches knowledge of implementing or managing such an enormous task.
As far as insinuating I would have found fault with eBay even if they complied with the new WA and PA Internet marketplace sales tax laws, also sorry to disappoint.
Amazon's/Etsy's collection/remittance of any applicable taxes on their sellers' behalf to PA and WA has had zip, nada, zilch impact on individual sellers at either site as the marketplace does all the work. They're doing all the work because the laws passed in those two states specify the marketplaces (not individual sellers) are the responsible party.
If other laws come down the pike that don't have that sort of stipulation or are of an "either/or" variety AND eBay chooses to shove that responsibility off on individual sellers, then yes, you're darned right I'd be among the first to complain.
But in the meantime, I implied or said no such thing, so please refrain from putting words in my mouth or accusing me of thoughts, actions, or opinions you have no knowledge of or right to ascribe.
Happy Selling!
