Gov't is Making it Hard For The Little Guy Just Trying To Make Chump Change

[Susan_in_SF]

Sorry Susan we all assume the whole world knows thats short for Orstraylia (A broard accent for Australia)

I'm glad I asked, seriously, since I never would have guessed, lol

 

[Susan_in_SF]

That is something that had me wondering, does the other sites like allibaba, or what ever, have to collect the sales tax? I think they are based in china. This could give foreign companies and even more advantage over US businesses.

I heard in the past that the U.S. gov't did some deal with China that allowed retail items to be shipped to U.S. customers for super cheap and fast. That explains how a $5 item bought off eBay and shipped from China can sometimes arrive as fast as just a couple of days. I could be wrong with what I ju st said, but I do think I remember someone telling me this a long time ago. The shipping is especially hard on sellers who don't qualify for monthly bulk shipping discounts

 

[Superburban]

I heard in the past that the U.S. gov't did some deal with China that allowed retail items to be shipped to U.S. customers for super cheap and fast. That explains how a $5 item bought off eBay and shipped from China can sometimes arrive as fast as just a couple of days. I could be wrong with what I ju st said, but I do think I remember someone telling me this a long time ago. The shipping is especially hard on sellers who don't qualify for monthly bulk shipping discounts

It was an agreement between many companies many years back. For international postage, it was agreed that each country only had to get the item to the other country, and the receiving country would deliver it without further cost (free). The original idea was that it would work out in the end. Remember, this was back when snail mail was the norm. China took advantage of the deal, and subsidizes the shipping, resulting in the cost for the Chinese companies to be pennies. Then the real cost is born by the USPS to get it to you. I have heard that these Foreign Trade Zones across the US, falls under the same deal, so something shipped from the City of industry CA,s Foreign Trade Zone, just costs them the gas to run the item across town to the US post office.

 

[vtcnc]

Morning everybody, I don't think I can add anything useful to the depressing talk of double taxation and mind-numbing bureaucracy. However, I would just like to commend this group for keeping this thread on topic and up on the road and out of the ditch. Usually these turn political and this one has not because of the friendly back and forth and anecdotal stories people are sharing here to help shed light on an otherwise very complicated topic.

Thank you for making our jobs as mods and admins easy and enjoyable! Have a great weekend!

 

[Chips O'Toole]

I'm actually glad to see taxes being collected on the web. Legally, I owe the taxes regardless of what sellers may choose to do, and I do not want my state coming after me 10 years from now with a big bill. The fact that you got away with not paying for a machine last year doesn't mean your state forgives you. If they find out about it in 2030, they will still expect you to pay the tax plus penalties.

In my state, paying Internet taxes on your own is incredibly tedious and difficult, so having a seller do it for me is a big help.

 

[Bi11Hudson]

I'm actually glad to see taxes being collected on the web. Legally, I owe the taxes regardless of what sellers may choose to do, and I do not want my state coming after me 10 years from now with a big bill.

I do agree to an extent. My beef is paying taxes on used purchases. My own state (Ala) doesn't ask for sales taxes on used products, products that have already been taxed, in a store front establishment. Only on internet sales. Baahhh~~~

.

 

[brino]

Where is Oz?

Follow the yellow brick road.
-brino

 

[RobertB]

I do agree to an extent. My beef is paying taxes on used purchases. .

Yep, stuff has already been taxed once, that should be enough.

 

[darkzero]

My beef is paying taxes on used purchases.

Yep, stuff has already been taxed once, that should be enough.

Yep, thing is for ebay, as a company they are now required to charge tax cause they are selling, although what they are making money on is the sales of other people's sales. Of course I don't agree with it but I do understand why they are required to charge tax now, it's not the private parties on ebay who are charging the sales tax, ebay does it automatically.

I don't agree with what was mentioned about how some states charge tax on shipping costs. I donxt think you should be required to charge tax on services or labor. In a way I guess that's what ebay is, offering a service but along with their service comes with goods exchanged.

Now if they start trying to collect tax on CL, Offerup, Letgo, etc then I'm done. I'm moving!

 

[eeler1]

Dang. Then where is the Emerald City and the wizard?