eBay Sales Tax: What Sellers Need to Know

eBay is a fantastic venue for internet vendors to list their products for sale. They are user-friendly, have an excellent reputation, and drive a lot of traffic, making it simple to grasp the online selling process. Because of this, many internet vendors consider it the ideal starting point.

Once your ads are operational, the procedure is relatively simple. eBay sales tax, on the other hand, is one topic that generates a lot of uncertainty for online vendors. Let’s check out what you need to know about eBay sales tax.

What Is eBay Sales Tax

Even the sales tax itself is complicated. Sales tax is a state-levied tax, which is why it may be so difficult to understand. Determining if you are liable for eBay sales tax is your job as an online seller.

It is significant to remember that each state has a unique perspective on how internet purchases should be taxed. Some jurisdictions charge sales tax where the customer is situated, whereas others do so at the place of origin.

In addition, laws passed in 2018 made it clear that paying sales tax does not require a physical presence in a state. Because of this, it's crucial to understand eBay sales tax early on and configure your listings appropriately.

What Does eBay Sales Tax Include

You must pay taxes on your gains unless you only use eBay occasionally for garage sales. That is your revenue from sales less your outgoing costs, which include the cost of managing your inventory, shipping and handling, advertising, and other shop operating charges in addition to the money you spend on purchasing merchandise.

What specific taxes should you watch out for? You'll be required to pay income and self-employment taxes on your sales revenue. Depending on the state in which you reside, you might also be required to collect sales tax.

Income Tax

FICA only covers part of your tax liability as a vendor. In addition, you'll need to pay income taxes on your money from your eBay business. Depending on your residence, income taxes may also be delivered to your state.

You may use our income tax calculator to determine how your income and FICA taxes will pan out so that you are not caught off guard.

Sales Tax

Sales tax isn't technically a tax you pay on your eBay earnings. Depending on your operating environment, your customers can be required to pay. Not all retailers are required to collect sales tax. Everything is dependent on your location. If necessary, eBay will handle collecting and sending the money on your behalf.

You might be shocked to learn that most sellers must deal with eBay sales tax because that wasn't always the case.

In the past, for sales tax to be needed, a business had to have a physical presence in the state. We're talking about actual, physical stores. All of that changed in 2018, when the Supreme Court severely criticized Wayfair, making things more challenging for anyone who conducts online sales (or purchases).

Self-employment Tax

The company owner's response to FICA taxes (Social Security taxes and Medicare) is self-employment tax. Everyone, including W-2 employees, must pay FICA taxes. However, the tax rates are twice as high for independent contractors, such as eBay sellers.

FICA taxes are merely 7.65 percent of the income of traditional workers. Their employers add on another 7.65 percent. However, self-employed people must pay the full 15.3 percent FICA tax, which includes both the employee and employer portions.

This twofold FICA tax rate is what we mean when discussing self-employment tax. Unfortunately, it might lead to some sticker shock for novice vendors.

Who Doesn’t Has to Pay eBay Sale Taxes

Any seller that operates their store as a for-profit enterprise must pay taxes on the money they make through the site. Aren't all store companies, you could ask. Nearly but two situations could be an exception:

Stores for Online Garage Sales

Some eBay shops are unique entities. They are opened so that people may discard their outdated belongings. Consider them as the garage sale or yard sale of the twenty-first century. They enabled individuals to donate their used clothing and appliances to an organization more extensive than their community. However, they don't transform someone into an actual business owner.

You won't pay taxes on your income if you run a similar business. You are under no obligation to report those earnings to the IRS. But keep in mind that this might be a slippery slope.

If you make repeated garage sales, what started as a one-time event can rapidly turn into a company. Your virtual yard sale has likely evolved into a legitimate company if you start gathering stuff for resale, for example. And dealing with taxes is a need.

Stores for a Hobby

The third type of eBay store, termed a "hobby shop," exists between the online garage sale and the eCommerce company. Instead of someone performing an occasional spring cleanup, they are operated by casual sellers who sell on eBay frequently.

Current tax regulations put you in a bad situation if you enjoy making internet transactions. The IRS must be informed of your sales proceeds; nevertheless, write-offs are not permitted.

How can you determine if your eBay store is a business or a hobby? The distinction is in the motivation driving it. Is it done for fun or to earn a profit? You should plan for your taxes, whether your store is a company or a pastime, to be on the safe side.

Where to Find eBay Sales Tax Details

Your eBay account's seller's center serves as your sales tax destination. Your gross eBay sales, sales tax collected, your chosen tax table, and much more may be seen here. For eBay sellers who have tax-related questions, it is the ideal source.

Your eBay account allows you to access the seller's center. Prepare yourself for tax season by becoming familiar with the platform. It contains all the information needed to determine and pay sales tax on your eBay purchases. You may find the solutions to any problems with your sales tax returns here.

How to Pay Your eBay Seller Taxes

Your tax position will require several documents, both ones you obtain and ones you fill out on your own if you sell on eBay. Here are a few simple steps you may follow to resolve them all.

Step 1: Look out for the 1099-K Form

You will receive a 1099 form if your gross eBay sales total $600 or more. (These forms indicate your earnings while running a store as a self-employed enterprise.)

You will specifically receive a 1099-K form. These are issued to independent contractors, company owners, and freelancers paid by credit cards or PayPal, among other third-party payment processors. Of course, internet vendors are included in this.

Before 2022, only vendors who made at least 200 transactions and sold products worth $20,000 were eligible to get 1099-Ks. The barrier, however, has recently been lowered to $600. A minimum quantity of transactions is no longer required. A single sale of $600 is sufficient to generate a 1099-K.

Getting your 1099-K: Your 1099-K must be accessible on online marketplaces like eBay by January 31. Automatically, a copy will be mailed to you. But there's also the choice of downloading it straight from the Seller Hub.

Step 2: Review the 1099-K Detailed Report

Along with your real 1099-K, eBay will also provide you a report that breaks down the form in great detail, referred to as your "1099-K detailed report." You can see here how much you made from each transaction that went toward the income on your 1099-K.

You may receive it in two different ways: through My eBay and the Seller Hub.

From the Seller Hub

You may personalize a 1099-K detailed report in the Seller Hub by selecting the time frame you wish to view:

• Navigate to the "Payments" tab.
• On the menu on the left, select "Taxes."
• Choose "1099-K detailed report".
• Select the time for the transactions you wish to examine.
• Choose "Create report."

From My eBay

On My eBay, you may get a summary of all of the transactions for the whole year:

• Navigate to the "Payments" tab.
• Also, choose the "Taxes" tab.
• Choose "1099-K Forms" > Choose "Request detailed report".
• Watch for an email with download information.

Step 3: Pay Attention to 1099-Ks from PayPal

You would receive a second 1099-K from PayPal if you sold things through their service for at least $600. PayPal must deliver 1099-K by January 31st, the same as eBay's filings. You may view your form online by connecting to your PayPal account if you don't want to wait for it to come in the mail.

Step 4: Get Ready to Report Your Income

One crucial piece of advice applies regardless of whether your paperwork is from eBay, PayPal, or both: Just because you can't view your 1099-k doesn't mean you don't owe taxes. Many small company entrepreneurs in the eBay marketplace fall into this trap. However, the fact is that even if you don't receive a form, you still need to record your company revenue through eBay.

Step 5: Fill out Schedule C with Your Income & Write-offs

How should you record your eBay earnings on your taxes? Schedule C Form will be used. Box 1 of the form should contain your "gross revenues," or profits before costs. In Box 2, you'll also include any refunds you provided to clients.

You must include all of your business costs in Part II of the form to claim them as a deduction from your taxable income. That makes Schedule C, even though it might be challenging to complete, your best buddy as a salesperson.

Final Words

In its most basic form, eBay sales tax is straightforward, but as your company expands, things may rapidly get challenging. To guarantee that your online company runs properly and without any corruption, you must be well informed about eBay sales tax. Read more about online marketing and eCommerce tips on DSers Blog.