11-22-2021 12:40 AM
I'm a little seller and I don't sell a lot, mostly what I purchase, try, and don't like, resell. I rarely make a profit, and sometimes take a loss, but most times I break even and am happy with that. This week I made 3 sales. One was for 45.95, the other for 18.95, and one for 7.95. Between ebay fees and shipping I made all of $38. from all 3 items combine. Now all of the items I sold cost much more than that to begin with. One item alone cost me almost $70 but since I tried it and didn't like it and considered it used, I still sold it at a loss. But getting all of $20 bucks for something that cost me $70 is a beating too much to take. I feel like I am giving my things away, and had I donated them I could have taken a bigger tax write off than what I actually made here. Shipping fees are ridiculous, ebay fees are ridiculous, and the new tax structure imposed by the Democrats that will turn someone like me into a business in 2021 is absurd. I can join a reddit group or facebook group, or any other social media venue and sell my stuff there without the fees and taxes. Sure, there is the risk of getting scammed, but there is a risk of getting scammed here too that doesn't always work out in the seller's favor either. By the end of December I will be pulling all my items off ebay and stop selling here. Sorry, there isn't a question here. I'm not asking for help. I'm just depressed over this whole situation.
11-22-2021 12:51 AM
It's not a 'new' tax structure, it's simply requiring that people report their profits AS THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPOSED TO. Sorry.
11-22-2021 12:59 AM
It used to be 20K a year or 200 items sold. Now it's $600 and I'm considered a business? That is ridiculous. I am not a business, nor do I want to be a business.
11-22-2021 01:06 AM - edited 11-22-2021 01:08 AM
@perfumenmore wrote:It used to be 20K a year or 200 items sold. Now it's $600 and I'm considered a business? That is ridiculous. I am not a business, nor do I want to be a business.
Doesn't matter - it has always been the case, in most states you are required to report PROFITS (not revenue) over $600 - it hasn't changed, it's just tax evaders are having to now pay their fair share.
ETA: Now for the billionaire tax evaders.
11-22-2021 01:25 AM
I am not a business. A business has a tax exemption because they are going to be getting that tax for the government on the other end. I am buying retail. I have paid taxes on the item already. Why should I have to pay taxes on it again, especially if I am not selling for profit anyway? I'm so sick of that fair share **bleep**. Coming from politicians who go into congress on a 100K salary and come out multimillionaires. So, tell me, what's fair about that?
11-22-2021 01:26 AM
Maybe take a break, put your listings on Time Away and revisit after the first of the year and see how you feel about it?
2021 has been a long, stressful year on many fronts - not just e-Bay.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
11-22-2021 01:38 AM
@perfumenmore wrote:I am not a business. A business has a tax exemption because they are going to be getting that tax for the government on the other end. I am buying retail. I have paid taxes on the item already. Why should I have to pay taxes on it again, especially if I am not selling for profit anyway? I'm so sick of that fair share **bleep**. Coming from politicians who go into congress on a 100K salary and come out multimillionaires. So, tell me, what's fair about that?
As I say, you pay taxes on PROFITS - whether you're a business or not doesn't matter. If you find out that you haven't made any profit by just getting rid of stuff, even if you made more than $600, you don't have to pay taxes. This hasn't changed in successive administrations of whichever party.
11-22-2021 01:39 AM
I agree, ebay is no longer for the little guy who wants to sell a couple things. It's go big or go home. I choose to step it up and it is working for me. But I think I would be frustrated with ebay now if I stayed small.
11-22-2021 01:55 AM
Thank you. I wish I were as optimistic as you are. I just don't think this place can work for me anymore. It's just not worth it.
11-22-2021 02:04 AM
you certainly appear to be a business to me
you have a lot of perfume listed
some of them look new....why are you selling so much new perfume if you are not a perfume seller
I am pretty sure it against ebays rules to be selling used perfumes
if the bottle is not full then maybe its used and should be donated
11-22-2021 02:28 AM
I am not a business. I purchase retail and pay taxes. I buy a lot of perfumes because I like perfumes. As far as reselling, I guess you better tell that to the thousands of other sellers who sell vintage here, and everywhere else they sell used stuff too, like Mercari, Etsy, FB, Reddit, etc.
11-22-2021 02:30 AM
Oh, and some are new because sometimes I come across a good deal (retail) and pick up a second one to resell. But I am now losing money even off of that.
11-22-2021 02:37 AM
It's ALWAYS been $600. Previously YOU had to report it: And too many weren't reporting, hence now the venues must report. The difference is now it's ENFORCED, too many tax cheats you know.
You're saying, you haven't reported?
So you made a profit of $38 this week. Do you make $38 a week? That's 2 grand a year and should have been reported. You know, the $600 LAW.
You ARE a business when it comes to selling on ebay. You source those items specifically to sell.
You didn't "sell it at a loss". You used it, then sold it used. No different than selling your used clothing.
You are also not understanding how taxable income works. You don't get a write-off of the $70 you spent on the item, you get resale value. And that doesn't count against your payable taxes, it only counts against your taxable income and only if you itemize. Standard deduction is higher for most people, even if they have a mortgage.
Why am I explaining this to an adult who's been selling on ebay for 20 years?
I've got a feeling there's going to be a LOT of angry sellers who thought they weren't breaking any laws because they didn't get a 1099. They are just as guilty of tax evasion as these "big" corporations who everyone's so angry at because "they're not paying their share".
11-22-2021 02:42 AM
No, the threshold wasn't always $600. It was 20K a year or 200 items a year. You are wrong on that.
11-22-2021 02:44 AM
@perfumenmore wrote:No, the threshold wasn't always $600. It was 20K a year or 200 items a year. You are wrong on that.
That was the threshold that triggered PayPal to issue a 1099K. You were SUPPOSED to be reporting all of your income even if you didn't make that much/sell that many things.