[Reality_Check]

I used to actively find what I wanted on Amazon, then proceed to order it off of eBay just to avoid paying sales tax which I loathe. I recently picked up the Pentax 540FGZ flash for $66 on ebay (which I thought was a steal), only to find out that they tacked the tax on, too. Granted, this is a smaller Wisconsin seller and I do not believe that they have a "physical presence" here in MN. I do not recall having to pay sales tax on anything unless the represented business actually has a footprint here in MN. My questions are: Is this new across the US? Or is this just unique to the MN/WI reciprocity deal?


Either way, I'm bummed. (Spoiled, but still bummed.)

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Last edited by Reality_Check; 10-07-2019 at 12:44 PM. Reason: I believe I have posted this in the wrong area.

[reh321]

I used to actively find what I wanted on Amazon, then proceed to order it off of eBay just to avoid paying sales tax which I loathe. I recently picked up the Pentax 540FGZ flash for $66 on ebay (which I thought was a steal), only to find out that they tacked the tax on, too. Granted, this is a smaller Wisconsin seller and I do not believe that they have a "physical presence" here in MN. I do not recall having to pay sales tax on anything unless the represented business actually has a footprint here in MN. My questions are: Is this new across the US? Or is this just unique to the MN/WI reciprocity deal?


Either way, I'm bummed. (Spoiled, but still bummed.)

I’m guessing it is a delayed effect of the U.S. Supreme Court’s “Wayfair” decision ... but I’m not certain how it came to be {other than quietly}

[UncleVanya]

Granted, this is a smaller Wisconsin seller and I do not believe that they have a "physical presence" here in MN. I do not recall having to pay sales tax on anything unless the represented business actually has a footprint here in MN. My questions are: Is this new across the US? Or is this just unique to the MN/WI reciprocity deal?


Either way, I'm bummed. (Spoiled, but still bummed.)

NC set to collect online shopping sales taxes by Nov. 1

Many states followed the same path.

[Mistral75]

Neither Pentax news nor rumour --> wrong sub-forum.

[jatrax]

Look up "wayfair decision". Basically the court decided that a state could decide what a "physical presence" means. And each state has interpreted that differently. I don't sell on ebay but I do sell on Amazon and Amazon is assessing and collecting sales tax for all states that have declared that sellers need to. It is a bit of a mess right now. I've no idea about how MN is handling this but in WA if you sell a certain volume into the state or go through a "sales processor" (ebay or Amazon) then you have to collect sales tax and send it to WA. They also passed a law going into effect next year that any business selling into WA (over a certain volume) also must pay their business & opportunity tax on the gross. Personally I think that part is unconstitutional but so far no one has challenged it.

[UncleVanya]

Neither Pentax news nor rumour --> wrong sub-forum.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/newthread.php?do=contactmoderator

Send a message and the mods will move it. Likely general non-photography.

[luftfluss]

• Minnesota – effective January 1, 2019 (However, Minnesota has enacted a small business exemption for out of state unregistered sellers whose taxable retail sales into Minnesota are less than $10,000 in the previous 12-month period. These sellers are not subject to the Minnesota marketplace tax laws, and eBay will not be collecting sales tax on these transactions.)
• Washington – effective January 1, 2019
• Iowa – effective February 1, 2019
• Connecticut – effective April 1, 2019
• District of Columbia – effective May 1, 2019
• New Jersey – effective May 1, 2019
• Nebraska – effective May 1, 2019
• Idaho – effective June 1, 2019
• New York – effective June 1, 2019
• Alabama – effective July 1, 2019
• Arkansas – effective July 1, 2019
• Indiana – effective July 1, 2019
• Kentucky – effective July 1, 2019
• New Mexico – effective July 1, 2019
• Oklahoma – effective July 1, 2019
• Pennsylvania – effective July 1, 2019
• Rhode Island – effective July 1, 2019
• South Dakota – effective July 1, 2019
• Virginia – effective July 1, 2019
• West Virginia – effective July 1, 2019
• Wyoming – effective July 1, 2019
• Vermont – effective July 1, 2019
• California – effective October 1, 2019
• North Dakota – effective October 1, 2019
• South Carolina – effective October 1, 2019
• Texas – effective October 1, 2019
• Utah – effective October 1, 2019

[bwgv001]

never understood why there was the distinction in the first place.

[Mistral75]

That was meant to help e-commerce at its beginning.

[Serkevan]

You guys were not paying taxes online at all? Here anyone who makes more than 17000 (so a lot of "established" Ebay sellers) per year has to charge the VAT, which is 19% in Germany. If it's under that you don't pay IIRC.

[Reality_Check]

Neither Pentax news nor rumour --> wrong sub-forum.

Agreed - I actually tried to Delete my post and listed that as a reason. I must not have done that correctly either.

[Mistral75]

That's OK, the thread you opened has been moved to General Talk.

[Reality_Check]

That's OK, the thread you opened has been moved to General Talk.

Thanks for the help - much appreciated.

[aslyfox]

it isn't out of hand to obey the law

should a state choose to make internet sales subject to sales tax [ which is now perfectly legal to do ]

that is the right of the state

either the seller or the buyer then has to pay the tax

guess who will end up paying it.

https://www.ksnt.com/capitol-bureau/tax-on-out-of-state-internet-sales-coming-in-kansas/

[Rondec]

it isn't out of hand to obey the law

should a state choose to make internet sales subject to sales tax [ which is now perfectly legal to do ]

that is the right of the state

either the seller or the buyer then has to pay the tax

guess who will end up paying it.

Tax on out-of-state internet sales coming in Kansas

In most states internet sales were supposed to be reported at tax time and paid by the individual. Obviously there wasn't teeth in it since they weren't going after people on it, but people like my parents-in-law have extremely carefully tracked all internet purchases and turn them in at the end of the year and pay the "use tax."

Unfortunately, most of us aren't quite that careful...