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Item number 253362143166...US Flag
This item is listed correctly by the seller.It is a US flag.
The issue is I was charged a sales tax for the state of Pennsylvania.
US flags are exempt from sales tax in Pennsylvania.
Kind of un-American to be charged a sales tax for our country flag.
Ebay is wrong on this one and from replies I received it is always the fault of others and not Ebay.
This is my second post to give a FYI about sales tax on US flags.
5 comments
monroe67
Mentor1 year ago"This item is listed correctly by the seller.It is a US flag."
Apparently not.
As "jonathanbrightlight" correctly pointed out, above, the item number you provided in your title (253362143166) is in a garden decor category, and not the US and/or Country Flags category. Garden decor flags might have kittens, puppies, or cartoon characters printed on them. I can't imagine Pennsylvania or any other state deciding not to collect sales taxes on a decorative flag with Mickey Mouse or Tweety Bird on it.
"Ebay is wrong on this one and from replies I received it is always the fault of others and not Ebay."
"always"? The two responses to your previous post suggested that perhaps the category of the listing was the reason that sales taxes were applied.
If you want to place "fault", then, yes, it is more likely the fault of the seller than the fault of eBay, as a corporation, that you had to pay sales taxes when you bought an American flag.
In fact, eBay states that the sellers take full responsibility for their listings. That's also shown in the screen-shot that Jonathan added to his response, above. This means everything in their listings, from the photos and description to the category chosen by the sellers for their listings.
eBay does not have enough staff or smart-enough AI capacity to review every one of the millions of listings and contact all those sellers to ask, "Are you sure this item should be in this category?"
"This is my second post to give a FYI about sales tax on US flags."
One other eBay Mentor and I responded to your previous post, June 4, 2025, both of us asking for the item number so that we could look at the listing and see what category the item was listed in.
Now, to get your sales tax money back -- I have no knowledge of Pennsylvania's state taxation laws, but there might be some way you can contact your state government to request a refund. OR just let it slide. On a $14.95 purchase, your sales tax would most likely be well under $2.00.
zeb48*
OP1 year agoTo sum it all up.
The seller did respond to me about the tax and stated he contacted ebay.
Ebay told him to tell the buyer to contact Ebay.
It is the old see your see you mother,see you father merry go round.
This is a real US Flag that is 2' X 4 " and has grommets to be put on a pole. Does not matter where it is displayed. On a porch, garden wherever. It is the flag of our country and not to be taxed in Pennsylvania.
I am a veteran and my other flag, same size, needed to be replaced due to fading.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoCan you provide the item number for the listing? I was able to track down the seller you purchased from based on your feedback, but I don't have any way to see which item you purchased. That seller lists items in several different but similar categories, which is how eBay determines the taxation.
If the listing was created correctly and you were still taxed, I can try to get this to the attention of someone at eBay who can look into it.
zeb48*
OP1 year agoG128 American Flag US USA | 2.5x4 ft | Embroidered Stars, Sewn Stripes [USA Embroidered 210D 2.5x4ft BG]
G128 American Flag US USA | 2.5x4 ft | Embroidered Stars, Sewn Stripes [USA Embroidered 210D 2.5x4ft BG]
Qty: 1
sold by https://www.ebay.com/ulk/usr/joyhope777?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11401.m144671.l183740&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=5ddea5a3e5234b858ea59953b17afe0d&bu=43549349418&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20250605071743&segname=11401
seller is: joyhope777
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoThanks, but I don't see an exact match for that title coming up in their listings. The eBay Item Number should be listed on the item page on the right side a little ways down, just above the section titled Item Specifics (this is from one of the other similar listings by that seller):
I see that the item I pulled up (very similar but not identical title to what you provided) is listed in the following category:
Home & Garden > Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living > Décor > Flags
That category should not be tax exempt. If you want, you could message the seller and let them know that their US flags should probably go in the following category:
Collectibles & Art > Collectibles > Historical Memorabilia > Flags & Pennants > United States, Country Flags