cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

i have been selling items on ebay for a while now.  but i don't do it as a business. i just sell items i have around the house i no longer need, like old games, clothes, books, etc. some items are new some are old and used. I have already paid taxes on these when i brought them new. If i sell them now, do i have to collect sales tax? i recently read that there is a new law in my state (NJ) saying selling items on platforms like ebay and amazon sellers must collect taxes, so i am not sure where i stand now. Help?

Message 1 of 22
latest reply
21 REPLIES 21

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@mystuffonearth wrote:

I have already paid taxes on these when i brought them new. If i sell them now, do i have to collect sales tax? 


The fact that you are may not be making a profit on the transaction has nothing to do with sales tax, that has to do with income tax. For example, department stores holding clearance sales still charge sales tax even though they are losing money on the items. 

 

Sales tax is not a tax on an item, it is a tax on a transaction. If an item gets bought and sold a dozen times, there are a dozen transactions and potentially a dozen sales tax payments made.

 

So you did not pay sales tax on that item when you originally bought it, you paid sales tax on the transaction that occurred when you originally bought it. 

 

Today, when you start a new transaction on eBay to sell it to someone else, the person you sell it to may be required to pay sales tax on that new transaction. 

 

 

Now, with all that cleared up ....

 

The new Supreme Court ruling and confusion over sales tax is is not about where you are located, it is about where your buyer is located. The SC ruled in South Dakota's favor, upholding a law that forced sellers who sold more than $100,000 to SD residents to collect and send sales tax to SD on those purchases made by SD residents. Now other states are considering their own laws. 

 

When you sold to people in NJ in the past, you may have already been required to collect sales tax on behalf of NJ. You would have to check with NJ on that. 

 

 

 

But going forward, you may also be required to collect sales tax on behalf of other states and send it to them as well. But many eBay sellers may not reach the threshold of sales required for those laws to apply. 

Message 2 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

You would have to check with your state's tax laws.   Many states have an exemption for garage sales and that would include incidental ebay sales not done for profit.

Message 3 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@mystuffonearth wrote:

i have been selling items on ebay for a while now.  but i don't do it as a business. i just sell items i have around the house i no longer need, like old games, clothes, books, etc. some items are new some are old and used. I have already paid taxes on these when i brought them new. If i sell them now, do i have to collect sales tax? i recently read that there is a new law in my state (NJ) saying selling items on platforms like ebay and amazon sellers must collect taxes, so i am not sure where i stand now. Help?


@mystuffonearth, these two links may be helpful:

 

https://www.taxjar.com/states/new-jersey-sales-tax-online/#is-what-youre-selling-even-taxable

 

https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/pubs/sales/su5.pdf

 

Basically, if you're not inthe business of selling items online from New Jersey, don't have $100,000 in sales annually in the state or more than 200 transactions in the state to have economic nexus, new Internet sales tax law/s don't apply to you.

Message 4 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@alcoforever wrote:

You would have to check with your state's tax laws.   Many states have an exemption for garage sales and that would include incidental ebay sales not done for profit.


But just be aware that your own state's laws would cover garage sales and probably cover sales on eBay to in-state residents only.

 

The Supreme Court ruling has made it clear that your own state's tax laws do not cover sales on eBay to other states ... but laws in those other states might. 

Message 5 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

ebay will be collecting your sales tax that would apply for you....when they get it all up and going...thee has been updates about this for all...ebay will end up collecting it via payment... and sent to states that apply... look up the seller update...about the state taxes plan of action

 

as for any state taxes for income ...All income is to be claimed for federal and so goes for state taxes for year end....but that is for you to work out

Message 6 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

I am not sure what the state threshold is in NJ where they consider it running a business and not a hobby.  you will want to check with the NJ dept. of Revenue for that.  if you exceed it you have to register your business with the state and file monthly sales tax returns on sales in NJ.  I used to live they and I had to do that, and do it now living in FL on Florida sales.  Sounds like you won't exceed any of the state thresholds so you shouldn't have to worry about other states.  So far ebay will process sales tax collection in 4 states in 2019, but I am sure that will grow moving forward.  Most sellers don't have to worry about the other states as most of them have a 100K threshold (I think PA is 10K.)

Message 7 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

Who has 3,000 scrunchies just “sitting around the house”?

Message 8 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@luckythewinner wrote:

But going forward, you may also be required to collect sales tax on behalf of other states and send it to them as well. But many eBay sellers may not reach the threshold of sales required for those laws to apply. 

That is going to be extremely annoying ...

Not disagreeing with you, just saying.

Message 9 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

i was given them when the original owner retired.

Message 10 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@v7bbn_0 wrote:

@luckythewinner wrote:

But going forward, you may also be required to collect sales tax on behalf of other states and send it to them as well. But many eBay sellers may not reach the threshold of sales required for those laws to apply. 

That is going to be extremely annoying ...

Not disagreeing with you, just saying.


IMHO that depends upon how much you sell.

 

For instance, to be considered a remote seller in South Dakota, you have to have 200 transactions or $100,000 in sales to SD the previous calendar year. 

 

I wouldn't meet the SD threshold if you added up all my SD sales on eBay since I started selling 18 years ago. 

Message 11 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

Here is a link to all the states rules on online sales tax. Hope this helps

sovos.com/economic-nexus-state-rules/

Message 12 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.


@thevintagesilvershop wrote:

Who has 3,000 scrunchies just “sitting around the house”?


Or 432 Brand new bandanas (regular sized), 211 Large paisley bandanas (207 sold, 4 left), 228 temporary tattoos, 47 packs of half-letter paper (46 sold, 1 left), 50 pressboard folders ... etc 

 

penguins_dont_fly is a Volunteer Community Mentor
Buying and Selling since 2013

Message 13 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

@thevintagesilvershop wrote:

Who has 3,000 scrunchies just “sitting around the house”?

Or 432 Brand new bandanas (regular sized), 211 Large paisley bandanas (207 sold, 4 left), 228 temporary tattoos, 47 packs of half-letter paper (46 sold, 1 left), 50 pressboard folders ... etc 

Message 14 of 22
latest reply

Re: Collecting sales tax on items sold on ebay.

Hi @penguins_dont_fly 

 

is there anything wrong with having 432 brand new bandanas and all the other stuff i have posted sitting around the house?...  i use to buy in bulk to save on shipping and only used what i needed..  the rest just sit in the house ...  most of the new stuffs are given to me by other people since i had lots of room at the time and they no longer sell due to retirement or going out of business...    So i am not sure why you and @thevintagesilvershop would make a comment the way you two did making it sound like there is something wrong with the way i am selling or what i am selling...  

 

 

"

@thevintagesilvershop wrote:

Who has 3,000 scrunchies just “sitting around the house”?

Or 432 Brand new bandanas (regular sized), 211 Large paisley bandanas (207 sold, 4 left), 228 temporary tattoos, 47 packs of half-letter paper (46 sold, 1 left), 50 pressboard folders ... etc "

Message 15 of 22
latest reply