Ebay hasnt paid me back my double taxes

[holmenkoll2014]

Hei

Two months ago I paid double taxes for an item. Ebay told me to sent certain proof of payment, which I did, and I got an email where the process of refund was started, they also say in the email that it will take 20 days.  2 months later and I am still waiting. I have been asking many times, and they come always with those recorded answers. Technical issues, technical glitch, bla bla bla. 

How long could I wait before I decide to ask to a lawyer what to do, I know is just the VAT, but is the behavior that I am not tolerating.

What should I do? 

[martin2001]

It would be interesting to learn, how it happened that you paid double tax. Also, why would ebay ask you to send a "certain" proof of payment, when they charged you and the double tax should appear on the invoice associated with the item you purchased.

Hopefully, you paid with a credit card. First, make sure that that your account was indeed not credited with the tax overcharge. If that's the case, challenge the transaction thru you credit card bank. You will have to provide them with "certain" receipt showing the double tax. You have usually 180 days from the time of charge to do that, so you should be OK.

[soh.maryl]

Are VAT and taxes considered to be the same thing? 

[kensgiftshop]

@holmenkoll2014 

How did you pay double taxes for the item?

If the taxes went to your country, why not get it from them?

[fab_finds4u]

Get a tax credit for the overpayment when you file your tax return.

[holmenkoll2014]

The seller forgot to put the VOEC number in the package and then I ended up paying double taxes, the rules are very clear, ebay shall pay me back the VAT as long as I send them proof of payment and receiving the package.

Ebay sent me an email confirming that everything was ok and that they have started the process to refund the VAT. 2 months later and still waiting, each time I write the just give me the same excuses. 

[holmenkoll2014]

Rules: In Norwegian, the translation follows.

Dobbeltbelastning av MVA på VOEC-sendinger

Du skal heller ikke søke Tolletaten om tilbakebetaling dersom du har blitt dobbelt belastet med MVA på varer du har kjøpt fra nettbutikker / e-markedsplasser som er registrert i VOEC-ordningen, som for eksempel eBay, Alibaba, AliExpress og Amazon.

Hvis du har handlet i en VOEC-registrert nettbutikk / e-markedsplass, og

• har betalt merverdiavgift i nettbutikken, men der transportselskapet også har fortollet sendingen og beregnet importavgifter
• nettbutikken har krevd meg for merverdiavgift på en vare jeg mener er fri for merverdiavgift (for eksempel en bok)
• har returnert varen til selger

må du kontakte nettbutikken eller e-markedsplassen for tilbakebetaling. De skal rette opp feil i sin rapportering til Skatteetaten og må avklare slike tilfeller direkte med Skatteetaten. De er også ansvarlige for å tilbakebetale det som er urettmessig innkrevd eller tilbakebetale MVA du betalte ved kjøpet hos nettbutikken / e-markedsplassen når du har returnert varen.

TRANSLATION: Double taxation of VAT on VOEC consignments

You should also not apply to the Customs for a refund if you have been double charged with VAT on goods you have purchased from online stores / e-marketplaces that are registered in the VOEC scheme, such as eBay,Alibaba, AliExpress and Amazon.

*If you have shopped in a VOEC-registered online store / e-marketplace, and

has paid VAT in the online store, but the transport company has also cleared the consignment and
calculated import duties.

*the online store has charged me for VAT on an item I believe is free of VAT (for example a book)

*has returned the item to the seller

you need to contact the online store or e-marketplace for a refund. They must correct errors in their
reporting to the Tax Administration and must clarify such cases directly with the Tax Administration.
They are also responsible for refunding what has been wrongfully collected or refunding VAT you paid
on the purchase at the online store / e-marketplace when you have returned the item.

[holmenkoll2014]

Good Question, I guess maybe not, in my case I am talking about the VAT, money that goes to the government. For each item that is imported except books.

[holmenkoll2014]

Double VAT, sorry if I mix both terms, it feels the same, both goes to the authorities for importing an item.

[soh.maryl]

Please forgive me if I don't understand how VAT works, but if those funds go to your government, isn't that where you'd seek a refund, rather than from eBay?  

[pjcdn2005]

eBay has said in the past that they will refund the buyer when they have charged the VAT on this end but the buyer has had to pay it again when they receive the item.  In many cases, the reason the buyer has to pay again is because it hasn't been communicated that the VAT has been prepaid. 

If you read the English translation in post 7, Norway does state that the buyer is not to collect the double paid VAT from customs there. So collecting it from eBay is their only option.

@holmenkoll2014 

You should contact ebay customer service on Facebook or Twitter to see if they will help get your refund.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/ebay/

[holmenkoll2014]

Hei

As I said in my post, I have already contacted ebay when I paid double VAT, and they asked to send them proof of my overpayment, which I did 2 months ago, I also received confirmation that the refund process had started and it will take 20 days. 2 months and I am still waiting. I have written to ebay several times, and they have given me the same excuses. Technical issues, technical glitchs, bla bla bla.

So my question is: How long should I wait before I take legal actions. 

[soh.maryl]

The OP is in Norway. 

[pjcdn2005]

The chat or phone customer service can be very unhelpful at times which is why I suggested the ones on FB or Twitter.  If you haven’t contacted them already, I really suggest that you do as they are much more knowledgeable and helpful than the usual customer service.  I am guessing that when you were told that technical issues were a problem, they really had no idea what else to say.  Other than that, I don’t know what else to suggest.

[sprinkles91]

try speaking live with ebay CS during business hours, not through email. ive never had timely luck at all with their email option.

help & contact} scroll to the bottom for contact us} buying} how buying works} chat with us.. i just wait till like 7AM for them to open, & if they have already told you that they are refunding you. save that email! quote it & the time it was sent to you to CS chat, they should be able to help you a lot better.