Buyers now demanding hst/hst rebates | Selling | eBay Canada EN

Buyers now demanding hst/hst rebates | Selling | eBay Canada EN

Buying & Selling

Buyers now demanding hst/hst rebates

Summary: En la discusión, valuestore pregunta cómo eBay está manejando las exenciones fiscales como el GST/HST, a lo que marnotom! sugiere aclarar a los compradores que eBay es quien se encarga de cobrar y remitir estos impuestos. Mientras tanto, femmefan1946 menciona que la exención fiscal solo aplica a libros, juegos y ropa infantil, lo que genera un debate sobre los beneficios reales para los consumidores. chicweb y reallynicestamps discuten sobre cómo eBay categoriza artículos como libros y cómics para aplicar o no el impuesto, notando inconsistencias en el sistema. ilikehockeyjerseys sugiere que los vendedores deben informar a los compradores que los impuestos son manejados por eBay y dirigirlos al servicio al cliente de eBay para cualquier consulta.

I have no control over what is exempt what is not, how is eBay dealing with this?

valuestore

90 View listings

Posted 1 year ago·Last reply 1 year ago

25 comments

reallynicestamps

·1 year ago

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM JANUARY 2025

Reviving zombie threads just clutters up the Board when there are always new problems or new solutions.

flipistics

·1 year ago

It is being charged on things like Haynes and Clymer repair manuals, although mine was listed under eBay Motors. It's not clear to me if it's supposed to be charged on those or not (seems like a grey area).

ilikehockeyjerseys

·1 year ago

Hello,

I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Anything related to taxes is handled by eBay. Individual sellers have no control over what taxes are charged. Any taxes on your order are paid directly to eBay, who then remit it to the government. This means that individual sellers cannot refund the tax portion of your order.

Please contact eBay directly using the 'contact us' button on the buttom of this help page: https://www.ebay.ca/help/buying/paying-items/paying-items?id=4009

Regards,

(your name)

-----

Send them something like that. If you haven't shipped the item, you could offer to process a cancellation but that's up to you.

chicweb

·1 year ago

I sold comic books and I noticed that they don't have taxes on them on eBay.

So, eBay is doing it per category, I think?

reallynicestamps

·1 year ago

Perhaps Revenue Canada thinks comic books are toys or for children?

I should pick up my orders from Curious Comics before the tax holiday is over.

Certainly GST applies to books.

I have a button from the 80s with a picture of Mulroney (spit spit) and "Hi. I tax books."

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@reallynicestamps wrote:
Perhaps Revenue Canada thinks comic books are toys or for children?
I should pick up my orders from Curious Comics before the tax holiday is over.

Certainly GST applies to books.
I have a button from the 80s with a picture of Mulroney (spit spit) and "Hi. I tax books."

@valuestore

@chicweb

@ilikehockeyjerseys

Learn to Read book to Toronto Dec 18 - No tax (Books)

Children's software to NL Dec 19 - No tax (Video Games)

Child's toy to ON Dec 30 - No tax (Doll accessories)

Children's Magazines to ON Jan 2 - No Tax (Magazines)

Magazine Lot to BC Jan 5 - No Tax (Magazines)

Recipe Cards to SK Jan 5 - PST/QST charged (Listed in books category) ??

Lapel Pins to NB Jan 2 - GST/HST charged (other collectibles)

Cell phone parts to ON Dec 29 - GST/HST charged (vintage cell phones)

Look at it as hit or miss. If bad programming was done during roll out by ebay there will be errors. Also take into consideration eBay may have used pick and choose, when it cames to applying to specific categories. You could try appealing but not super confident it would go far.

Complete list of what was supposed to be applicable as per CRA:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html

Even just to look at physical books there are a number of exceptions.

chicweb

·1 year ago

As for books, I see magazines in their examples on

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html

So, I guess comics books count? Not sure.

Note that I sold also magazines with 0 taxes. 😉

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@chicweb wrote:
As for books, I see magazines in their examples on

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html

So, I guess comics books count? Not sure.

Note that I sold also magazines with 0 taxes. 😉

@chicweb

In bygone days of ebay...Over 5 years ago, if you listed something in the wrong category, you would get a message to correct immediately. In the last 5 years eBay has been condensing, tinkering, modifying, messing, removing/deleting categories basically willy nilly. If you do a click on the category header at top of a listening you will routinely find items either inadvertently or on purpose put in the wrong category. If your item happens to be in the "wrong" category, there is a good chance it won't be picked up by the tax holiday. But as per always, your results may vary.

From a personal perspective I will often see what category someone has a similar item listed in. If the other seller happens to be in the USA I routinely find categories that exist on dot com but NOT on ca. So 2 different teams working from different ends tinkering with this hodgepodge of eBay categories map.

chicweb

·1 year ago

Good thing then that ebay take cares of all this... No headaches for us. It's not in our hand to deal with issues like this anymore.

I guess, customers who want a rebate from eBay as OP asked, then they would need to contact eBay directly.

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@chicweb wrote:
Good thing then that ebay take cares of all this... No headaches for us. It's not in our hand to deal with issues like this anymore.

I guess, customers who want a rebate from eBay as OP asked, then they would need to contact eBay directly.

@chicweb

Is there an actual appeal process to do that? Not a big deal on low value but could be a major difference on a higher priced item. Anyone bought a Christmas tree on ebay recently. Was it tax exempt?

marnotom!

·1 year ago

@lotzofuniquegoodies Why do you seem surprised that provincial sales tax was charged on the recipe cards? Why do
You seem surprised that HST was charged on the lapel pins and cell phone parts?

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@marnotom! wrote:
@lotzofuniquegoodiesWhy do you seem surprised that provincial sales tax was charged on the recipe cards? Why do
You seem surprised that HST was charged on the lapel pins and cell phone parts?

The 2nd bunch of items was included as comparison. Notice question marks were only on the cards. They were listed in books under recipes. All depends on if ebay set up by title or by category. That would be the million dollar question. As with most things eBay how often is ever actually any consistency?

This is from the Dec announcement which included what was supposed to be covered.

eBay already collects the required sales tax at the point of sale and remits it on behalf of sellers. Listings for items that are covered under the sales tax holiday will automatically have the appropriate sales tax adjustments made starting on December 14, 2024.

As a side it has been pointed out in the past that tax rates can vary on some items in different provinces or items can be exempt. eBay has never been able to address or correct this discepancy. Suddenly it was possible for a limited time only tax holiday?

marnotom!

·1 year ago

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

The 2nd bunch of items was included as comparison. Notice question marks were only on the cards. They were listed in books under recipes. All depends on if ebay set up by title or by category. That would be the million dollar question. As with most things eBay how often is ever actually any consistency?

You mentioned twice in the Item Specifics that the item was actually cards, @lotzofuniquegoodies. so it may be that the AI is able to also take in information from that part of the listing.

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

As a side it has been pointed out in the past that tax rates can vary on some items in different provinces or items can be exempt. eBay has never been able to address or correct this discepancy. Suddenly it was possible for a limited time only tax holiday?

I don't recall any discrepancies like this being brought to the discussion boards. Seeing as this is only GST and HST being affected by the tax holiday, I can't see how or why any tweaking would be done to the application of provincial sales taxes unless the programming of the site is so awkward that both have to be amended at the same time regardless.

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@marnotom! wrote:
@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

The 2nd bunch of items was included as comparison. Notice question marks were only on the cards. They were listed in books under recipes. All depends on if ebay set up by title or by category. That would be the million dollar question. As with most things eBay how often is ever actually any consistency?
You mentioned twice in the Item Specifics that the item was actually cards, @lotzofuniquegoodies. so it may be that the AI is able to also take in information from that part of the listing.

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

As a side it has been pointed out in the past that tax rates can vary on some items in different provinces or items can be exempt. eBay has never been able to address or correct this discepancy. Suddenly it was possible for a limited time only tax holiday?
I don't recall any discrepancies like this being brought to the discussion boards. Seeing as this is only GST and HST being affected by the tax holiday, I can't see how or why any tweaking would be done to the application of provincial sales taxes unless the programming of the site is so awkward that both have to be amended at the same time regardless.

@marnotom!

You don't recall any of the posts made by customers that purchased gold that should have have been tax exempt (on both boards) and eBay's refusal to address?

Personally, I have pointed it out in several discussions that there is no posted way for a customer that is tax exampt to apply that status at time of purchase like there would be with B & M store or any business that that have that procedure in place.

valuestore

OP1 year ago

You need to spend more time selling lotz, your to caught up in narcissism forum posts.

chicweb

·1 year ago

On https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html

I see that Physical Books and Printed newspaper.

Maybe it enters into Physical Books?

femmefan1946

·1 year ago

The GST holiday is a lot more limited than most think.

Since you probably don't sell restaurant meals or christmas trees, the holiday would only apply to books, games, and children's clothing.

recped

·1 year ago

@femmefan1946 wrote:
The GST holiday is a lot more limited than most think.
Since you probably don't sell restaurant meals or christmas trees, the holiday would only apply to books, games, and children's clothing.

Yeah, if you don't have any young children or eat out frequently or are an alcoholic or eat a lot of cake and candy there is not much tax saving. I figure I'll probably see a $20 - $30 tax saving.

I know of people who have a ton of money to spend, they thinking nothing of dropping $200 - $400 on a meal for two and then doing it again two days later all while their kids are home enjoying their brand new tax free game consoles.

Oh yeah, the kids clothing, game consoles, alcohol and a lot of the food products will be imported goods so who benefits, people with money and foreign manufacturers/producers.

femmefan1946

·1 year ago

To be fair, Canada produces most of its own beer, even the foreign brand names.

And we also produce a great deal of our spirits.

Have you tried Ungava Gin from Quebec? Or my BIL's Phrog brand gin or vodka?

(Phrog is only available in BC and Alberta but he boasts it "makes childbirth a pleasure".)

Between the Ontario Golden Triangle and BC's Okanagon Wine district, we can boast some very fine wines indeed.

valuestore

OP1 year ago

Appreciate the feedback, but at the same time it's hard not to get political. The fed government has created confusion, it's created conflict between consumer and shop owner. I might take the time to understand what is exempt but your customer most of them will not. Conflict , especially in a feedback dependent venue can be very damaging, exact a real cost to private sector.

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@valuestore

If they wanted to do something super useful remove GT from services...Utilities, phone bills, hotel rooms, flights, shipping. That would be incredibly helpful!!!

-Lotzofuniquegoodies

valuestore

OP1 year ago

That's great you saved 7.12 on your hotel booking to Brampton Ontario, I don't see how that's useful to a Canadian eBay seller.

lotzofuniquegoodies

·1 year ago

@valuestore wrote:
That's great you saved 7.12 on your hotel booking to Brampton Ontario, I don't see how that's useful to a Canadian eBay seller.

@valuestore

Was just a suggestion for the government. Removing the tax to shipping (a service)/ and or fuel surcharges, imagine the FVF fees we would save over the course of a year on Canadian shipping? On the other items listed added bonus.

valuestore

OP1 year ago

I find the Cheerios boxes turned inside out are the best, most economical.

marnotom!

·1 year ago

No idea how eBay is dealing with this, but some buyers aren't aware that it's eBay who charges, collects, and remits GST/HST and not the seller, so ensure that your buyers know this.

You might also want to point them toward this webpage before sending them off to eBay Customer Service. Some users may be under the wrong impression about their item being subject to the tax holiday. You might want to look at it too, ensuring that your items are being listed under the correct categories as it's the category that eBay bases the tax exemption on since its AI isn't sophisticated enough to recognize what an item actually is most of the time. It has to go by the category the item is listed under instead.