GST/HST on eBay Fees?

135 REPLIES 135

GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Taxation  can drive one crazy.... Ouch!

 

Always learn something new....

Message 61 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Raphael you have been misinformed(you must of been talking to the US side), more later there's work to be done.
Message 62 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

A company outside of Canada that sells a lot to Canadian buyers  will register to collect GST/HST.

 

The buyer pays all of the taxes before the parcel crosses the border into Canada...

 

The label on the parcel states  GST paid, with associated Business Number.

 

This action facilitates the transfer of the purchase into Canada.

 

This approach is similar to eBay's  GSP program.

Message 63 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Raphael if you are posting on behalf of ebay you have to be very careful what you write. There's a tax # attached to ebay for the gsp it would be the same # across the board.

 

From what i'm reading on your post(s), ebay could be  committing fraud.

Message 64 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

re post 46  "with the key # of $150+ per month,"

 

What does $150 have to do with your eligibility for ITC on services where no tax was actually remitted to CRA by the supplier of service?

Message 65 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

I already did. Would you have other questions ?

 

Or questions from new members.

 

Thank you.

Message 66 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

This post is addressed specifically to anguscoinshop and I would appreciate a reply from him.

 

"I already did."

 

I am sorry.  I am getting older and my vision is not what it used to be.  I reviewed this thread twice, from the beginning, and cannot find your reply on the subject.  PJ asked the same question about the relevancy of $150 and that question also went unanswered by you.

 

What I found is:

 

From your first post on this thread (5): "Gst/Hst is already included in your fees, just use the wright formula to extract the tax, your monthly fees are $150 or more monthly and you pay your fees on a canadian credit card."

 

 

Could you please explain the importance (you called it "key") of $150 monthly fees

 

also what is the importance of being charged to a "Canadian credit card"?  Why is the method of payment relevant to CRA when it comes to eligibility of ITC

Message 67 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?


@anguscoinshop wrote:

Raphael if you are posting on behalf of ebay you have to be very careful what you write. There's a tax # attached to ebay for the gsp it would be the same # across the board.

 

From what i'm reading on your post(s), ebay could be  committing fraud.


Please don't twist my words. What I said was that eBay Canada and eBay International AG are 100% not committing fraud. eBay International AG does not have a registered GST number, otherwise it would be on your eBay invoice.

 

The tax collected on GSP items is something different entirely.

 

May I point out that you are the only person on this thread who allegedly has a paper on hand where the CRA asserts that there should be GST or HST charged on eBay fees. So, contrary to what Pierre said earlier in the thread, the question isn't whether people reading this should believe eBay or the CRA, it's really whether they should believe eBay or anguscoinshop.

Message 68 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

The business number associated with eBay's GSP   most likely belongs to Pitney Bowes.

 

A buyer pays their invoice....

 

Paypal sends part of the payment  to the seller  and the other part to Pitney Bowes.

 

Pitney Bowes  collects all GST/HST due on parcels going to Canada....

 

eBay does not have to worry about collecting GST/HST with the GSP .... or .....with seller fees

 

 

Message 69 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Again you are making the wrong point altogether. Everyone knows ebay is notorious for being secretive.

 

So i went to the highest authority in the land regarding tax, the CRA. Who do you believe first, the CRA or anyone else ? That answer is Cristal clear, the CRA, they are the pros in taxation and everything I've done is according to there directive and guidance.

So what was your misguided question again?

 

 There are quit a few large large company that have used the information i acquired and have been applying ITC from there ebay invoice.

 

ebay is not worthy of being believed, there no transparency and they are to secretive. A gst/hst # is a low classification number, no company or individual can profit from it, why don't they want to supply it when someone  ask for it ? that's plainly weird.

 

I said my peace in this tread over the years. If anyone need more info on they subject they know where to find me.

 

Have a good one

 

Angus Coin Shop

Message 70 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

With all due respect you have not answered my simple questions.

Message 71 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

With all due respect, you antagonized me in the past so i decided to ignore all your post.

Happy retirement.
Message 72 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Wonder what CRA would say about this discussion???

Message 73 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

It certainly would be interesting to hear there perspective but  there not the type to volunteer any informations, too bad.

Message 74 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

We have a situation here where a business was audited,  and the business received a letter from CRA saying everything was acceptable....

 

including a claim for the Input Tax Credit in relation to eBay fees.

 

What occurred with respect to this audit..... only applies to the business that was audited.

 

This is a letter specific for this business.... 

 

The letter does not become a ruling  applicable to everyone....

 

Rulings are unique.  In order to obtain a ruling  a business must pay CRA... and CRA will complete an extensive study before a ruling is made....

 

The business promotes the view  that what  it did was correct... so other businesses selling on eBay can do the same.

 

One has to be extremely careful  as we can see in this discussion...

 

where

 

(1) an eBay  Representative consulted the appropriate eBay  department   and confirmed  that eBay does not charge GST/HST on fees.

 

(2) CRA has very specific rules  with respect to invoices  and how the amount  for GST/HST is presented on an invoice.

 

(3) Every Canadian seller  can consult their own invoice  for fees from eBay.....  and there is no entry for GST/HST... and absolutely no mention of this tax on the invoice....

 

The best thing to do is consult an accountant and maybe several accountants    that know eBay, and then also consult CRA.... 

 

and be very specific  with respect to which questions to ask.

 

and do tell them about this discussion....

 

 

The business that was audited has this unique and special letter from CRA  .....  The letter from CRA is specific to this one business....  It is not a ruling....

 

and should not be applied as  absolutely correct by other businesses on eBay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message 75 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?


@anguscoinshop wrote:
With all due respect, you antagonized me in the past so i decided to ignore all your post.

Happy retirement.

I asked the question before Pierre and you didn't answer me then either so are you saying that I antagonized you as well?

 

 

Message 76 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

It's crystal clear that ebay does not charge gst on their invoices which is why there is no gst number on the invoices.  If they did, they would have to break it out because of the different taxes across the country. You and I pay the same percentage of fvf depending upon the category yet you're saying that you get to claim 13% of your fees as a tax credit, someone in NS could claim 15%  and I would only be able to claim 5% in Alberta.  You can't believe that's how it really works?

 

I think that it is possible that someone asked the gst department if they could claim a gst/hst credit  even when the tax was not entered separately on the invoice. They would say yes assuming that person was asking about a company that charged gst/hst.   I doubt that the question about whether or not that company actually charges gst was brought up. I do find it odd that an auditor wouldn't look into that but perhaps they just made an assumption based on a previous assumption.

 

 

Message 77 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

Auditor don't make assumption, everything is about what is on paper. If its backed up by something on paper they will authorize it if not it is extremely likely they will disallow it.

 

Now i did what is best for my business, most of you love to shove money in ebay's pockets, that's your prerogative. Quit a few business have follow suit and are benefiting from my work.

 

I'm not going to get into a shouting match with non believers, its counterproductive.

 

You guys and gals have at it, i'm going on to other treads.

 

Good By

Message 78 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

"It's crystal clear that ebay does not charge gst "

 

You are absolutely correct. Sorry it took me so long to return to this thread as CRA does not move very quickly and took longer than expected to discuss the subject!

 

It is also made more difficult by the fact that CRA, rightfully, will not discuss the tax affairs of anyone else.  It is a question of privacy and applies to all, for our protection.

 

As posted by all members (but one) and eBay staffer, the service provided by eBay-Canada is not taxable, whether it is supplied by eBay.com, eBay.ca or by other eBay international sites.  The same conclusion applies to the service provided by PayPal: it is non taxable although for other technical reasons. 

 

The monthly invoice supplied by eBay.ca or eBay.com does not and has never included GST or HST for Canadian sellers.  Any claim to the contrary is false.

 

There is no written "ruling" within CRA suggesting that GST/HST in included in the amounts charged for fees provided and eligible to ITCs.

 

Also, CRA confirmed it is illegal and fraudulent to make a claim for ITC when the applicant has knowledge that no tax (GST/HST) was in fact paid,

 

That said, it raises the question: how can a registered seller make a claim that GST/HST is included in the fees charged when no tax was charged or paid?

 

The answer I received was simple: it should not be done.

 

On the question of a "written ruling", the answer was simple: there is no such ruling.  Period.

 

Managers at CRA would not speculate on that issue.  However, it would be relatively easy for anyone to knowingly misrepresent the situation by contacting CRA and asking if "one could claim ITCs for payments made to a seller who has a GST registration number and monthly payments made by credit card averaging $125 month although not showing the GST registration number of the credit card statement".

The written reply would be yes, an applicant could make the calculation and claim the appropriate ITCs.

 

The misrepresentation here is that while eBay has a GST registration number it does not provide a taxable service to sellers and we all know that.  At time of GST/HST audit, the registered seller could pull such letter and the auditor would most likely not investigate the matter any further.

 

At the end of the day, a seller claims a refund for taxes never paid and Canadian taxpayers all foot the bill.

 

End of saga.

 

Message 79 of 136
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GST/HST on eBay Fees?

This supposedly last post is totally irrational and works against all  business principal. Sometime this week i will write a common sense last post.

Message 80 of 136
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