Most reality is far more complex than the term fair. Our sales tax is 7%. That means if I can buy out of state and am not charged sales tax it is 7% cheaper. Taxing mail order sales is not a new idea it has been around for 30-40 years that I am aware of-likely longer than that.

My experience is with photo equipment. A regular event in a photo retail store, the reason why most are gone, a person buys a camera mail order and expects a PAID store employee to show them how to use it. Then, if, they need batteries, film, memory card etc they say it is less on mail order and I don't pay tax.

I am not innocent. Before I buy things, I look up mail order pricing and reviews. Mail order is truly tough to compete with. Next day delivery, sharp pricing compared to I can get it for you next week. Look at the trash how many boxes are obviously mail order?

Effective July 1 of this year

This only became effective July 1 of this year. Florida was one of the last states to implement this.

Not new

I think this relates to a national decision and companies have to collect the state sales tax even if they do not have employees or a physical location in the state.

Funny how it works. Some stuff from Amazon is no sales tax and some is taxed. Don't understand.

The fee structure on eBay motors is not the same as merchandise, it's a flat fee based on the selling price just as it always has been. I have sold several cars and RVs on eBay motors with great success.

It was effective on July 1 of this year. Amazon as well. Actually ANY purchase from anyone on eBay Amazon and every other site.

Even better when you SELL something on eBay and eBay collects the sales tax and submits it for you at no extra charge, they still hit you with new 13% seller fee on the sales tax which you never see. It also takes much longer to get paid because they no longer pay you through PayPal they to a transfer to your bank account. So instead of immediate payment from buyer it takes 2-4 days. Been selling on eBay for well over 20 years (no so much now) but they really suck the life out of you.

I was an ebay seller for a few years, and I used to fume over how they nickel and dime'd sellers to death. They were always changing the fee structure. I remember years ago they wouldn't include the shipping in the total for the fees but then they said sellers were overcharging in order to make money off shipping so that was their rationale.

I was angry when buyers had to pay sales tax but ebay couldn't do anything about that. It was a bad decision, borne out of government greed. They were just itching to get their hands on more tax money, even from small sellers like me. The whole concept behind internet commerce is that you didn't have to pay sales tax, it was like a duty-free zone. And by the way, collecting sales tax did nothing to help "brick and mortar" businesses stay afloat. It was inconsequential and a false, straw man argument.

But you're right- it seems there might be something illegal about charging the seller a fee on the sales tax that the buyer is paying.

All you complainers are silly. It was a nationally recognized policy not to tax e-commerce sales for many years, to help grow the industry itself. The state's over the last several years have all decided that they need more revenue which of course they always need more revenue. Or would you prefer a Florida income tax? And eBay is a for-profit company giving you a service and making you money, if you can complain about the percentage just consider what it costs to open a retail store and the national reach eBay has as well as dozens of other e-commerce companies. So I ask you would you refer a Florida income tax or just to pay 7% on the few things you buying on eBay or Amazon?

In New York State paying sales tax on a Ebay purchase has been going now for over a year. So much for saving dollars making a purchase on Ebay. I am certain the State politicians and Amazon had all to do with the new sales tax on Ebay. You have to be a smart consumer even more so now making a purchase on ebay. I believe in all fairness a sales tax on Ebay should only be on new items not preowned / used items.

You mean like the "fairness" when you go down to a car dealership and only pay sales tax on the new auto, not the pre-owned?????

Internet sellers didn't have to charge sales tax in states where they didn't have a physical presence. Buyer was supposed to pay use tax. In states where there is a state income tax filing there is a line for tax on purchases where you didn't pay sales tax. FL had to go to sellers since buyers apparently weren't paying the use tax.

You have always been required to report sales you did not pay tax on. So many don’t so they fixed the loop hole

Unfair
 

You know Fl. will get it's taxes out of you if not through ebay they'll find another way. These on line stores where putting brick and mortar stores at a disadvantage and should have been collecting tax from the beginning.