Discussion Forum: Thread 344358

 Author: sasquatch_eater View Messages Posted By sasquatch_eater
 Posted: Aug 8, 2023 21:29
 Subject: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 277 times
 Topic: Buying
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sasquatch_eater (81)

Location:  USA, Ohio
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 12, 2022 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: The Baboon's repository
I contacted a seller in another country if he could ship to me because it said
in his store that he shipped to the U.S. but not Ohio. He responded saying that
Bricklink wouldn't allow him to ship to some states if he didn't have
an onsite payment method. He suggested we change our state on Bricklink, order
from him, and send him a message with our real address. Now, I'm wondering
if Bricklink doesn't allow orders from stores without onsite payment in some
states because they need to collect tax off of orders? If so, would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Thanks for the help!

--Claude
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 8, 2023 21:34
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 77 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  I contacted a seller in another country if he could ship to me because it said
in his store that he shipped to the U.S. but not Ohio. He responded saying that
Bricklink wouldn't allow him to ship to some states if he didn't have
an onsite payment method. He suggested we change our state on Bricklink, order
from him, and send him a message with our real address. Now, I'm wondering
if Bricklink doesn't allow orders from stores without onsite payment in some
states because they need to collect tax off of orders? If so, would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Thanks for the help!

--Claude

probably as due to recent laws bricklink has to collect sales tax so changing
the address to avoid it would likely mean that. the seller should just add onsite
payment as it makes life easier for everyone involved and means no laws would
be broken
 Author: sasquatch_eater View Messages Posted By sasquatch_eater
 Posted: Aug 8, 2023 21:37
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 77 times
 Topic: Buying
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sasquatch_eater (81)

Location:  USA, Ohio
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 12, 2022 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: The Baboon's repository
In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  I contacted a seller in another country if he could ship to me because it said
in his store that he shipped to the U.S. but not Ohio. He responded saying that
Bricklink wouldn't allow him to ship to some states if he didn't have
an onsite payment method. He suggested we change our state on Bricklink, order
from him, and send him a message with our real address. Now, I'm wondering
if Bricklink doesn't allow orders from stores without onsite payment in some
states because they need to collect tax off of orders? If so, would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Thanks for the help!

--Claude

probably as due to recent laws bricklink has to collect sales tax so changing
the address to avoid it would likely mean that. the seller should just add onsite
payment as it makes life easier for everyone involved and means no laws would
be broken

Thanks! I'll try to tell him but his English isn't perfect.
 Author: calebfishn View Messages Posted By calebfishn
 Posted: Aug 8, 2023 22:05
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 75 times
 Topic: Buying
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calebfishn (2146)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 17, 2009 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Barbie's Brick Store
If you live in a state that requires you to pay tax on your online purchase,
and if you do something that prevents Bricklink from collecting that tax for
your state, and if the state doesn't get the tax by some other way, then
that seems to indicate that you are avoiding paying the tax.
 Author: Dino View Messages Posted By Dino
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:19
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Buying
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Dino (479)

Location:  Luxembourg
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 22, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: dino's world
If the shipment reaches the States and sales taxes were not collected, they will
be recalculated at the border. Not every purchase is made through Bricklink or
Ebay.

In Buying, calebfishn writes:
  If you live in a state that requires you to pay tax on your online purchase,
and if you do something that prevents Bricklink from collecting that tax for
your state, and if the state doesn't get the tax by some other way, then
that seems to indicate that you are avoiding paying the tax.
 Author: SylvainLS View Messages Posted By SylvainLS
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:34
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 46 times
 Topic: Buying
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SylvainLS (46)

Location:  France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 25, 2014 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: BuyerOnly
BrickLink Discussions Moderator (?)
In Buying, Dino writes:
  If the shipment reaches the States and sales taxes were not collected, they will
be recalculated at the border. Not every purchase is made through Bricklink or
Ebay.

Nope.  Sales taxes are a state & local issue, not a federal one.  US customs
don’t check it and don’t collect it.

So “not seen, not caught”… except the US states’ authorities can ask BrickLink
(which is incorporated in the US and is a marketplace) for stats or individual
data about their residents and why do these residents have made orders on BL
but BL hasn’t remitted any tax for these orders.

And then BL will have to take actions against the members, both buyer and seller,
especially the seller when they are the one who proposed the fraud.
 Author: Dino View Messages Posted By Dino
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 13:22
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Buying
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Dino (479)

Location:  Luxembourg
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 22, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: dino's world
How should customs know that the sale was made via Bricklink?

In Buying, SylvainLS writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  If the shipment reaches the States and sales taxes were not collected, they will
be recalculated at the border. Not every purchase is made through Bricklink or
Ebay.

Nope.  Sales taxes are a state & local issue, not a federal one.  US customs
don’t check it and don’t collect it.

So “not seen, not caught”… except the US states’ authorities can ask BrickLink
(which is incorporated in the US and is a marketplace) for stats or individual
data about their residents and why do these residents have made orders on BL
but BL hasn’t remitted any tax for these orders.

And then BL will have to take actions against the members, both buyer and seller,
especially the seller when they are the one who proposed the fraud.
 Author: SylvainLS View Messages Posted By SylvainLS
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 14:08
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 51 times
 Topic: Buying
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SylvainLS (46)

Location:  France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 25, 2014 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: BuyerOnly
BrickLink Discussions Moderator (?)
In Buying, Dino writes:
  How should customs know that the sale was made via Bricklink?

Customs don’t have to, especially because, again, it’s not their job to check
sales taxes.

But, as I said, a US state (New Jersey, California…) can ask BrickLink to give
them stats or individual data from the residents of the state.

When BL needs to collect sales taxes for US state X, BL also needs to report
to US state X which orders were made through BL by residents of state X.  BL
doesn’t just send money without any explanation / accounting.

And if the accounting isn’t deemed sufficient or if State X smells a fish, it
can ask for more data and/or it can cross data with other data it has, and then
BL will be in troubles.

No need to guess, no need to search, BL has to tell them.
 Author: ghyde View Messages Posted By ghyde
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 00:43
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 95 times
 Topic: Buying
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ghyde (203)

Location:  Australia, Queensland
Member Since Contact Type Status Collage
May 10, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
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Store: Far North Bricks
In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  I contacted a seller in another country if he could ship to me because it said
in his store that he shipped to the U.S. but not Ohio. He responded saying that
Bricklink wouldn't allow him to ship to some states if he didn't have
an onsite payment method. He suggested we change our state on Bricklink, order
from him, and send him a message with our real address. Now, I'm wondering
if Bricklink doesn't allow orders from stores without onsite payment in some
states because they need to collect tax off of orders? If so, would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Thanks for the help!

--Claude

Changing your address would get you entangled in issues changing it back as BrickLink
admins might consider that fraudulent behavior. You've already had enough
trouble with the admins. You do not want to give them further reason to
suspend your account.

Cheers ...

ghyde
 Author: sasquatch_eater View Messages Posted By sasquatch_eater
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 10:12
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 68 times
 Topic: Buying
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sasquatch_eater (81)

Location:  USA, Ohio
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 12, 2022 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: The Baboon's repository
In Buying, ghyde writes:
  In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  I contacted a seller in another country if he could ship to me because it said
in his store that he shipped to the U.S. but not Ohio. He responded saying that
Bricklink wouldn't allow him to ship to some states if he didn't have
an onsite payment method. He suggested we change our state on Bricklink, order
from him, and send him a message with our real address. Now, I'm wondering
if Bricklink doesn't allow orders from stores without onsite payment in some
states because they need to collect tax off of orders? If so, would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Thanks for the help!

--Claude

Changing your address would get you entangled in issues changing it back as BrickLink
admins might consider that fraudulent behavior. You've already had enough
trouble with the admins. You do not want to give them further reason to
suspend your account.

Cheers ...

ghyde

Hi! are you still planning on making a purchase from my store some time this
August as you said you would or not? If not that's ok, but I'd like
to know any way. If you are I can offer you a %5 off coupon.

--Claude
 Author: peregrinator View Messages Posted By peregrinator
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 08:11
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 71 times
 Topic: Buying
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peregrinator (784)

Location:  USA, New Jersey
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jan 21, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Faber Family Bricks
In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Yes
 Author: 1001bricks View Messages Posted By 1001bricks
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 10:30
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 65 times
 Topic: Buying
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1001bricks (52485)

Location:  France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Member Since Contact Type Status
Sep 6, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: 1001bricks
In Buying, peregrinator writes:
  In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Yes

Made this one, happy
 
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 11:51
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 54 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, 1001bricks writes:
  In Buying, peregrinator writes:
  In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Yes

Made this one, happy

and the defenders are sellers from Europe who almost never put the actual
value on the packages
 Author: Dino View Messages Posted By Dino
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:21
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 44 times
 Topic: Buying
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Dino (479)

Location:  Luxembourg
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 22, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: dino's world
No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  In Buying, 1001bricks writes:
  In Buying, peregrinator writes:
  In Buying, sasquatch_eater writes:
  would changing
my state on Bricklink and having him ship to my real address be tax evasion?

Yes

Made this one, happy

and the defenders are sellers from Europe who almost never put the actual
value on the packages
 Author: SylvainLS View Messages Posted By SylvainLS
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:36
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 37 times
 Topic: Buying
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SylvainLS (46)

Location:  France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 25, 2014 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: BuyerOnly
BrickLink Discussions Moderator (?)
In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

“I was asked to do X” is not an excuse to do X, especially when X is illegal
in all the countries involved.  It’s called being an accomplice and generally
leads to the same punishment for everybody.
 Author: 1001bricks View Messages Posted By 1001bricks
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:39
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 37 times
 Topic: Buying
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1001bricks (52485)

Location:  France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Member Since Contact Type Status
Sep 6, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: 1001bricks
In Buying, SylvainLS writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

“I was asked to do X” is not an excuse to do X

Sure! Do X only if you like to do it.
 Author: Dino View Messages Posted By Dino
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 13:24
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 36 times
 Topic: Buying
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Dino (479)

Location:  Luxembourg
Member Since Contact Type Status
Oct 22, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: dino's world
That was not my intention either. That it is not right is clear. But it would
not happen if the buyer does not ask.

In Buying, SylvainLS writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

“I was asked to do X” is not an excuse to do X, especially when X is illegal
in all the countries involved.  It’s called being an accomplice and generally
leads to the same punishment for everybody.
 Author: peregrinator View Messages Posted By peregrinator
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 17:17
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 58 times
 Topic: Buying
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peregrinator (784)

Location:  USA, New Jersey
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jan 21, 2003 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Faber Family Bricks
In Buying, Dino writes:
  That was not my intention either. That it is not right is clear. But it would
not happen if the buyer does not ask.

I don't know about BrickLink as I haven't asked. But I've definitely
had packages come to the house labelled as "gift" where it wasn't
asked. And in the USA it doesn't really matter whether it's labelled
or not.
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:36
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 43 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:40
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 35 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business

But then for some reason they often have signature required on the same packages
(and be Europe I’m referring more so to “eastern” Europe so not France,
I’m, etc but Romania, Hungary, etc
 Author: 1001bricks View Messages Posted By 1001bricks
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:41
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 34 times
 Topic: Buying
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1001bricks (52485)

Location:  France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Member Since Contact Type Status
Sep 6, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: 1001bricks
In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business

We don't, we can't.

But this reminds me the envelopes from Aliexpress with completely random and
low numbers; now it's over since VAT's paid at source. Which is why they've
implemented this, of course.
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 12:44
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 43 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, 1001bricks writes:
  In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  In Buying, Dino writes:
  No seller gives the wrong data unless it has been the wish of the buyer from
Canada or the States.

Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business

We don't, we can't.

Many packages from places in “eastern” (as mentioned in my other message) Europe
do for some reason 🤷‍♂️.
 Author: wildchicken13 View Messages Posted By wildchicken13
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 14:36
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 45 times
 Topic: Buying
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wildchicken13 (876)

Location:  USA, Illinois
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 11, 2014 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Wild Chicken
In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business

That's why I always put twice the actual value on the customs form: to compensate
for sellers who don't declare the full value.
 Author: Nubs_Select View Messages Posted By Nubs_Select
 Posted: Aug 9, 2023 15:11
 Subject: Re: Tax evasion or not?
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Buying
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Nubs_Select (3833)

Location:  Canada, Ontario
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 15, 2016 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Nub's Select
In Buying, wildchicken13 writes:
  In Buying, Nubs_Select writes:
  Nah there are so many sellers (seemingly only from Europe) who just default every
customs form to $5. Probably to try to get repeat business

That's why I always put twice the actual value on the customs form: to compensate
for sellers who don't declare the full value.