When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

lauren4reall
Community Member

If I bid and win the bid, do i pay only the amount I bidded for?

Or when i buy something at the listed price do i pay any other fees like tax or a fee to eBay?

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

Buyers do not pay fees to eBay or to Paypal.

Taxes--it depends.

If the seller is in Canada, he may or may not be registered to collect GST. A few large US sellers may be registered to collect GST too. Canadian sellers may or may not be registered to collect HST or PST.

And some sellers are registered, but do not add the tax to their asking prices, giving a level playing field to Canadian and foreign buyers.

If the seller is collecting taxes, he is required to say so in his listing.

The seller should be providing an invoice with his tax number printed on it.

 

Then there is UPS (and other couriers).

If you buy outside of Canada and the item is valued at more than $20, you are required to pay GST/PST/HST on it when it crosses the border. In addition, Canada Post will charge you $8.50 as a service charge.

BUT

If your seller uses a courier like UPS, the deliveryman will demand a much larger 'Customs Brokerage Fee" on your doorstep (plus duty and tax if applicable).

Your seller has nothing to do with this, nor does eBay, nor does Paypal. It's the courier and of course the government.

If your seller indicates that he uses UPS for delivery, ask if he will consider (a) using the postal system which only seems more expensive or (b) using the courier's Express service which prepays the border costs at a lower rate. If he refuses, move on to someone who will cooperate.

 

 

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

scifan57
Community Member

While you pay no fees to eBay as a buyer, you may be charged sales taxes and it the item is imported, you may have to pay duties and brokerage fees as well.

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

Buyers do not pay fees to eBay or to Paypal.

Taxes--it depends.

If the seller is in Canada, he may or may not be registered to collect GST. A few large US sellers may be registered to collect GST too. Canadian sellers may or may not be registered to collect HST or PST.

And some sellers are registered, but do not add the tax to their asking prices, giving a level playing field to Canadian and foreign buyers.

If the seller is collecting taxes, he is required to say so in his listing.

The seller should be providing an invoice with his tax number printed on it.

 

Then there is UPS (and other couriers).

If you buy outside of Canada and the item is valued at more than $20, you are required to pay GST/PST/HST on it when it crosses the border. In addition, Canada Post will charge you $8.50 as a service charge.

BUT

If your seller uses a courier like UPS, the deliveryman will demand a much larger 'Customs Brokerage Fee" on your doorstep (plus duty and tax if applicable).

Your seller has nothing to do with this, nor does eBay, nor does Paypal. It's the courier and of course the government.

If your seller indicates that he uses UPS for delivery, ask if he will consider (a) using the postal system which only seems more expensive or (b) using the courier's Express service which prepays the border costs at a lower rate. If he refuses, move on to someone who will cooperate.

 

 

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

scifan57
Community Member

While you pay no fees to eBay as a buyer, you may be charged sales taxes and it the item is imported, you may have to pay duties and brokerage fees as well.

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

I'd like to know also.
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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

Hi, if a long-time seller has not put that any taxes will be charged for domestic orders, (no mention of taxes in listing at all) can he still charge taxes after I've paid in full already?
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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM 2012

 

The problem with zombie threads is that the information in them may be out of date or inaccurate.

In this thread there is no mention of the Global Shipping Program and the Canada Post service charge is too low.

 

@omplat0

can he still charge taxes after I've paid in full already?

No.

And if he doesn't ship, you can open an Item Not Received Dispute in the Resolution Centre at the bottom of this page.

 

 

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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?

Right, but isn't the end result of a dispute a refund? How would I get the item I paid in full for? Thanks for your help - can eBay help enforce the no tax (since not listed) policy?
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When i want to buy something on ebay do i pay tax and/or a fee to eBay?


@omplat0wrote:
Hi, if a long-time seller has not put that any taxes will be charged for domestic orders, (no mention of taxes in listing at all) can he still charge taxes after I've paid in full already?

A Canadian seller can only charge sales tax if it is included on your invoice -- the seller may not make a separate request for taxes after you have paid.

...

However, an American or UK seller may be enrolled with the GSP (Global Shipping Program) and you will get a separate charge for taxes/duty/handling from Pitney-Bowes (the company that manages GSP for eBay).  The seller is not involved with that money charge. The seller mails the item to the GSP clearing center, which processes it and then sends it the rest of the way to you.

-..-

 

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