Buyers now demanding hst/hst rebates

[valuestore]

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

[marnotom!]

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.

[femmefan1946]

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]

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@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.

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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]

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]

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]

@valuestore 

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

-Lotzofuniquegoodies

[valuestore]

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]

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

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@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.

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@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. 

[chicweb]

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]

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."

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

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)

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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.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@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."

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@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. 

[flipistics]

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).

[chicweb]

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?

[chicweb]

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. 😉

[marnotom!]

@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]

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@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. 😉

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@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.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@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?

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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?