Change Country from USA to Canada - Payments on Hold

[mikesgarage60]

I have been with Ebay since 1998. I am in Canada. Back then there was no Ebay Canada. My Registration address is a post box I have in Blain Wa. I lived near the border and often shipped from the USA. Have not lived there for years. My Country of Residency shows Canadian, my ship from address is Canada.  When ebay switched to managed payments I used a RBC USA account I had in the USA. 

Now ebay has held my payments until I send in a W9 form and update my idenity. I sent in a wben8 but they dont seem to even know what that is. I have tried to chaneg to my Canada bank account, no dice. I have tried to change my registrations address to Canada, will not allow be, country is greyed out. 

I contacted ebay online chat. They seemed to not really know and said to close my account and open new on on ebay canada. I will lose my 6000 - 100% pos FB and my top seller rating. They just said sorry about that but thanks for your loyalty. 

Has anyone else ran into this issue. Seems a bit ridiculous thier only solution is to erase 23 years of history and start new?

Mean while items are been sold and they wont pay me. I still have to ship the items I sell. 

[femmefan1946]

tyler@ebay   Is taking questions in the Weekly Chat today.

He may be able to offer advice.

At least one Canadian seller went through the same problem a month or two ago.

[marnotom!]

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@mikesgarage60 wrote:

When ebay switched to managed payments I used a RBC USA account I had in the USA. 

Now ebay has held my payments until I send in a W9 form and update my idenity. I sent in a wben8 but they dont seem to even know what that is. I have tried to chaneg to my Canada bank account, no dice. I have tried to change my registrations address to Canada, will not allow be, country is greyed out. 

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Are you trying to change your registration address on the dot-com site or the dot-CA site?  If you haven't tried the CA option yet, give it a whirl for grins and giggles.

I suspect that attaching a US-based bank account to Managed Payments is what started this avalanche of issues, as sellers in Canada need a US dollar chequing account with a Canadian-based financial institution if they want US dollar payouts from their dot-com sales, but you've probably already figured that out.

Hope you can get some assistance through today's Weekly Chat session.

[mikesgarage60]

I tried both sites and it is the same issue. Yes the managed payments going to a bank account in the USA is what did it. I was having trouble with getting managed payments set up and an ebay rep told be to do it to a usa account, he knew I was in Canada. Now ebay says if I sell anything to wait for 72 hrs before I ship they are trying to figure out if they will pay me for the sale or keep the funds. I said I would have to end my listings and they said no keep them going,,,,what? and not be paid. !!

[mikesgarage60]

WOW! Ebay in chat just told be to break the law -"" I understand the gravity of the situation and right now as per further details you are required to fill that form (w9) and sent it across.""

I told them - The W-9 only applies to U.S. citizens, the W-8BEN does the same thing for foreign nationals earning money in the U.S.

[recped]

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@mikesgarage60 wrote:

WOW! Ebay in chat just told be to break the law -"" I understand the gravity of the situation and right now as per further details you are required to fill that form (w9) and sent it across.""

I told them - The W-9 only applies to U.S. citizens, the W-8BEN does the same thing for foreign nationals earning money in the U.S.

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On the other hand YOU didn't change you country of registration when you moved back to Canada. This is what led to your issues.

As far as eBay knows you are a US resident and must follow the US rules. It's not an issue until Managed Payments which will insist that since you are a US Resident you have to go by the US rules (SSN vs SIN).

There may be a way to recover without opening a new eBay account, I can't help with the specifics of how it is done.

One thing for sure, you will need a Managed Payments specialist, regular customer service won't be able to assist.

[pjcdn2005]

@mikesgarage60 

We've been told that it shouldn't be necessary to change your registration address or account.

You have tried to register for MP on .ca with a Canadian based bank chequing account?  You can choose to have your payout in $US or in $C as long as your account is in the same currency and is based here.

[mikesgarage60]

I never lioved in the USA, back in 1998 when I registered I lived to close to the USA border and had a mailing address there, that is what many sellers did back in the day, they used that address to register. Was never an issue until MP, and the rep told me to use a USA bank account not a cad one as a cad one would not work. He should have told me at that time to change my registration address to Canada. He knew I was in Canada and always was

[mikesgarage60]

when MP came about rep told me to use a USA account as CAD one would not work, he should have told me to change my address to canada, once mp was hooked to a usa account ebay wont help

[lucitabby]

It seems all the people you have contacted at ebay are saying to open a new Canadian account with a Canadian address and Canadian chequing account.

Since this case has been an ebay fiasco and because they appreciate your loyalty, maybe in this unique situation they could transfer your feedback numbers/history to a new Canadian account.

Could this not be done to solve the problem?  tyler@ebay   Just in this particular case?  Is that too simple?

[recped]

You got told what you were told because your profile clearly shows you are a US Resident!

[sylviebee]

I had a bit of trouble and I think we had the same issue except that I've never had a US bank account.

My profile indicated that I lived in the US.  I had to change it to Canada and to do that you have to make the change from the ebay.ca (not eBay.com.).

Then, you'll have to register a Canadian bank account in place of your US account.

Also, if you want to continue to get paid in US$ open an account with a Canadian bank which accepts US dollars.  Make sure it's a checking account and not a savings account.

You might have to shop around for a bank which offers checking accounts in $US as some banks do not have that option.

[mikesgarage60]

Not a helpful comment.  I think I know that by now, back in the day you could not register in Canada you needed a US address, and it was acceptable to have a post box in the USA. I simply want to change it to Canada, my Ship from address and my residency shows Canada. 

Ebay should have no problem accepting a w8ben in place of a w9, but they wont. 

Even states that they may require a w8 if not a usa resident. 

Upload signed Form W-9

To learn more, visit our 1099-K FAQ.
https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/service-and-payments/2022-changes-to-ebay-and-your-1099-k.html

How does this affect me if I am not a US citizen or resident?

These 1099-K reporting requirements won’t impact you if you are a non-US citizen and non-US resident selling on eBay. However, you may be required to provide a Form W-8 to eBay in order to claim non-US status.

[mikesgarage60]

Its ridiculous they will not accept a w8 when there own information states they may require it.

Upload signed Form W-9

To learn more, visit our 1099-K FAQ.
https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/service-and-payments/2022-changes-to-ebay-and-your-1099-k.html

How does this affect me if I am not a US citizen or resident?

These 1099-K reporting requirements won’t impact you if you are a non-US citizen and non-US resident selling on eBay. However, you may be required to provide a Form W-8 to eBay in order to claim non-US status.

[mikesgarage60]

tyler@ebay

Upload signed Form W-9

To learn more, visit our 1099-K FAQ.

How does this affect me if I am not a US citizen or resident?

These 1099-K reporting requirements won’t impact you if you are a non-US citizen and non-US resident selling on eBay. However, you may be required to provide a Form W-8 to eBay in order to claim non-US status.

[levelzeromotorsports]

I only used an americian bank account for MP since they wouldn't accept my canadian one and now I'm stuck in the loop of being unable to correct any of the information. 

Any progress on this? I've had no luck getting anyone from thr IRS on the phone to figure out if i can even get an ITIN and what the implications would be.

[recped]

ITIN info

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/individual-taxpayer-identification-number

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-i-apply-for-an-itin

It's possible to get one but it could mean you would have to file a US Tax Return.

I see there are private service companies that will get you one (US$300+) but you can DIY if you follow the links above.

[reallynicestamps]

I think I know that by now, back in the day you could not register in Canada you needed a US address, and it was acceptable to have a post box in the USA.

Not exactly.

In 1998 we could open dotCOM accounts, because there was nothing else, and use a Canadian address.

That was still true in 2001 when I opened a new dotCOM account.

[marnotom!]

I agree with @reallynicestamps, I don’t recall any sort of limitations on sellers’ locations on the dot-com site in the late 90s. (Most of my selling experience is with my wife’s account which was registered in 1999.)

The only reason I can think that some Canadian sellers may have wanted to “Americanize” their eBay accounts back then was to take advantage of eBay’s in-house electronic payments facilitator (Billpoint) and attach it to a US bank account, as the service wasn’t available to Canadians for eBay’s first few years.

[swagger-like-me]

I got the exact same advixe and now I'm in the same exact boat as you are. Have you found any solution?