BEWARE: Invoice Calculations with Sales Tax not correct

[missalisa]

I have a buyer that purchased 3 items.  I combined the shipping and gave them a revised invoice.  The invoice charged sales tax on what the shipping WOULD HAVE BEEN, not on what I was charging them.  I've now been waiting for over 45 minutes for a call back from ebay, the call page said my wait would be 33 minutes.  I don't have all day to sit around waiting for a call back on a bad invoice that is overcharging my customer.  But I don't want to eat the amount that is being charge incorrectly.

So watch out, invoices are wrong!

[donsdetour]

well the tax would be from their state, not yous.

Most states charge sales tax for services also such as shipping and handling.  It is a gross receipt tax.

[missalisa]

They live in my state, so I know what the amount should be.  And I know that sales tax is charged on shipping.  I am aware of all of that.  But the amount charged equals the amount that would have been charged on the shipping before I reduced it.  WRONG!

[donsdetour]

Well that is a tech issue: if it is not going with the combined shipping..

[missalisa]

I got through on the customer service chat.  They are telling me that yes, the invoice is wrong, but the customer's account shows the right amount.  Supposedly if she hits the pay now button, it will show the right amount.  I've sent an email to the buyer, but not sure if she's still available since it was over an hour ago this all happened.  What a waste of my time. 

[missalisa]

Just a follow up.  The customer hit the pay now button and the correct amount showed up.  Supposedly they are checking as to why the invoice was issued with a wrong amount.

[argy_eyes]

@missalisa 

Thanks for getting through on this invoice issue. Technical problems are unavoidable, but when they introduce an ambiguity into the dollars and cents paid by the buyer they deserve priority.

I like to send the eBay printed invoice with shipments. That document doesn't even show the sales tax - it has to be penciled in after printing it out. It's been this way since eBay began collecting sales tax.

Mike