Fees being charged for the amount of SALES TAX Ebay is collecting for each sale

0ldgeezer
Contributor
Contributor

I am really curious to know if I am the only seller who has caught on to this scam by Paypal. I have examined the last few sales I have had on Ebay. Ebay has charged the buyer for Sales Tax on the sale. Then that GROSS amount which includes the Item, Shipping, SALES TAX is collected by Paypal. Then Ebay pulls the shipping cost from my Paypal Account and and Paypal takes their fee from the rest of the payment (Including the SALES TAX). So for those last few sales I noticed a differnce of .03 - .04 more in Paypal FEES dues to the sales tax collected by Ebay. Why do I have to pay additional Paypal FEEs for Ebay to collect a sales tax which is not required for them to do directly (except for CA). I am not making any profit on the sales tax. The Sales Tax is a FEE for certain states being collected by Ebay, not by the sellers.

 

I have spoken to customer service at both Ebay and Paypal. I was told it was not them it was the other. So the merry go round is spinning and nobody it taking responsibility. So, I issued a complaint on Consumer Affairs, the NY State AG, and next to the BBB.

 

The Ebay policy on Sales Tax states:

"Once ebay starts to collect sales tax in the required states, no action is required on your part, and there will be no charges or fees for eBay automatically calculating, collecting, and remitting sales tax."

 

Obviously they don't follow their own policies.

 

 
 
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117 REPLIES 117

Redxsal
Member
Member
They also charge sales tax on items that are tax exempt any one how to stop this
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0ldgeezer
Contributor
Contributor

I have a new monkey wrench to throw into this discussion, which I started some time ago.

I have just had another sale on Ebay in the amount of $94.81, i added shipping of $15.80 which is a total of $110.61. Ebay is collecting sale tax for Georgia which is 7% = $7.74. However when I try to send an invoice to my customer for the payment, Ebay is charging $17.21 in sales tax listed on the invoice. So now, not only do we pay the fee for collecting sales tax, now we put customers through being charged more than 2 times the sales tax due to be collected? I contacted the help department, which is outsourced to the Philippines and they told me to have the customer contact them and supply a sales tax exemption form to them so they can give them credit.. WTF, no way to get Ebay to correct this in the Philippines and no way for them to send my call to the USA to get resolved? Now illegally charging an amount over the state sales tax of 7% and collecting that. Who's pocket is that going to fill???

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drakkordrake
Contributor
Contributor
This smells like a class action lawsuit about to happen soon... 😞
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Dressedtokill2
Contributor
Contributor
I just figured this out today, that PayPal is charging me I fee for processing the sales tax. I think it’s sucks! I Also think it sucks that they started collecting sales tax on internet sells in the first place. But the good old government, just had to find a way to get more money. I remember way back when when eBay didn’t charge their fees on shipping. Now, by the time they take out their fees on the shipping, and PayPal takes out their fees, I barely make any money. And if you include my time it takes to list items and photograph and respond to questions from buyers, I’m LOSING money. Another issue I have is shipping is so expensive today, and eBay encourages you to offer free shipping. A lot of buyers who don’t sell don’t realize just how expensive it is to ship. Then there’s the issue of if you let eBay calculate your shipping, it never includes the extra fee that UPS charges to deliver to some residential customers. You never know if there is such a fee until you take it to the UPS center to ship it. I have had to pay up to 9.50 for this “surplus” shipping. I’m glad I don’t sell on eBay for a living. I’m just trying to get rid of an art gallery inventory to people who really appreciate Handmade pottery. Once it’s gone I’m done with eBay as a seller.
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jmmjr58
Contributor
Contributor
I just sold something for $550 so I had to pay a paypal fee (2.9%) on California tax on a $550 item. I never saw any of the taxes but had to pay a fee on it!
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dwellupset
Contributor
Contributor

Please do all you can to stop this unfair practice and injustice and post it. This is unfair to the sellers as ebay profits hugely pennies at a time.

Thank you

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Temp20230526DC
New Community Member

This is definitely BS and hope to eventually receive my paperwork in the mail for the class action suit.  I'll be happy to get refunded some fees.  I just checked my fees on the ebay side and at least ebay isn't charging a 10% fee on the tax they collect on our behalf!  Was worried we were getting scammed from both ends.  

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Colvin2018
Contributor
Contributor
My biggest problem is not just the fee on tax we don't see or benefit from. Ebay collects tax for certain states that sell and others based on delivery state ect. I get what they are doing, they found another income source and went with it which increases their income "no fees to sellers" was the message but we are seeing a fee. I am Canadian and sell here in Canada fees are calculated and we are charged tax for Canada. O.K I buy U.S only item "sports and non sports cards" I send it to COMC in Washington. I am charged 10% state tax I dont live in the U.S or sell in the U.S but I have to go through all purchases and apply to get the 10% back. So I sell I get charged tax on fees, I get fees for ebay collecting tax, ebay has fees PayPal has fees. Kicker is I sell Ebay charges tax I pay the fee Ebay has 10% fee, Paypal $0.30 + 2.9% or better for PayPal rate of 3.4% if customer is in U.S. So if I sell to customer in U.S with tax. -Ebay 10% of Item and Shipping plus taxes on total fees. -Paypal $0.30 + 2.9% (increased to 3.4% for no reason except to make more. Customer pays the conversion fee when buying so no reason at all for them to charge more to seller. Depending on cost of item extra few cents to a few $ for larger sales. Ebay charges me Canadian taxes on fees and when I buy the collect 10% U.S tax when they know I am Canadian from the account and taxes charged on fees. But no choice I have to pay it as not sellers fault that I am charged, the role just reverses from seller getting junk fees to me being custoner being charged another countries taxes but I also get to pay duties charged from COMC to ship items to me in Canada. Not COMC's fault they dont know where it came from just where it is going. Plain and simple greed to the max. Oh and love Ebay taking time to process payments when paying through PayPal and even direct you from ebay to PayPal totally. So now can get a hold on items being shipped as sellers dont get paid right away. Ebay processing payments also just says ebay in item spot in Paypal so have to physically find invoice sent to me to see what it was even for. Watch out for fine print.... Ebay changing non stores from 50 to 200 listings permanent not just a few months during pandemic. Email I received said Canada around the 8th for simular but in bracets it said difference would be we "Canada" do not automatically have to enroll in ebay payment processing. So they might just sign U.S sellers up and make more for Ebay because Seller fees, Tax on sellers fees, buyers conversion fees, buyers taxes and now processing fees doesnt give them a nice chunk for doing nothing. Ebay not good to sellers and/or buyers they want money from everybody.
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dday3
Member
Member

I agree . They should not include the sales tax when pay pal calculates their fee. Ebay does not include sales tax when they charge their 10% ( final value fee.) Ebay already includes shipping when they add their fee and I don't agree with that either. The seller never gets the shipping or sales tax money, so I feel we should not be charged. And most of my items are used, they where already taxed  the first time the item was sold. Double taxation! I am selling less on ebay because of the fees on ebay and paypal.

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tomthedmusa
Contributor
Contributor

Actually, as of yesterday, eBay started charging the final value fee on the sales tax as well for those of us forced to use their Managed Payments system (which I believe everyone is supposed to be converted over to by the end of this year). I thought that was one benefit at least of the Managed Payment system that was different from Paypal and a bit of a 'savings'....but I guess eBay decided that 'little' bit of extra income was too good to pass up.

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