Invoice cannot be paid using the "Unpaid invoice" page

[andybal]

I have a long standing relationship with a seller. Currently there are more than 40 items (each low cost) purchased for which I have still to pay. The seller has sent an inovice for 40 items. When I try to pay this invoice a message appears saying that something has gone wrong  and I should try again later. This has been happening for a few months. I can go to the cart and pay it there but that invoice shows an additional 6 items each with another postal charge. It will not let me pay for only the 40 items invoiced.

If I pay this invoice through the cart Ebay charges an additional 10% for Australian tax (GST) and the seller then has to give a refund via Paypal.

Why are these software errors persisting?

When can we expect to be able to pay an "Unpaid invoice" using the invoice payment section?

This is happening for single items also. I have logged it with Ebay help several times but the problem has not been fixed.

[countessalmirena]

I don't quite understand what you mean.

Are you perhaps not aware that when you purchase from an overseas seller through eBay, eBay collects 10% GST on the total? The seller doesn't receive the GST amount, so is absolutely not responsible to you for that amount, nor can the seller "refund" you for the GST amount. You are required by Australian law to pay that GST if you purchase low-value imported goods through eBay; eBay collects it and remits it to the ATO.

Is the situation other than this?

[lyndal1838]

If you purchase further items after the seller has sent you an invoice, ebay will automatically add the extra items to your payment.

I don't think a seller can invoice you for more than 40 items so cannot send you an updated invoice.

At one stage I think ebay had a limit of 6 items to be paid for through the cart although I have not had the problem personally.

I think you will just have to bite the bullet and pay for all your items as requested.

You also need to be aware that after 30 days the oldest items start to fall off the list of items to be paid for.

[andybal]

But the GST is calculated on a incorrect total larger than it should be. Doesn't anyone at Ebay understand how GST works?

[andybal]

This happens even if the selller has n't sent an oinvoice. If you put items in the cart how do youy telkl the seller that they are there.? The seller doesn't see the items until you pay for them or request a total. Take away the option to ask for a total and you must pay or else risk losing then items.

[andybal]

The seller will give me a refund for the excess postage but the portion that has been paid in GST will not. For 20 extra items I will be billed $100 extra in postage and US$10 extra in GST. The Paypal anmount for excess postage will be refunded but not the excess GST. Do programmers understand the process? GST is only payable on the final cost not on the inflated incorrect total.

[davewil1964]

Programmers probably don't, given their demonstrated inability to fix known problems.

Either stop buying from the US, or negotiate with the seller beforehand.

[andybal]

Why did you assume that these were bought from the US? These are not items bought from the US but they are often in US$. I have an understanding in place with the sellers but I cannot notify them of the items I have placed in the cart (except by email which is a lot of extra work and subject to being censored). Previously you could ask for a total and they would amend the invoice. But now Ebay has removed that option and you can only pay..

This is also happening if the seller has not yet made an inovice. You cannot add items from the cart to those purchased.

[countessalmirena]

andybal, can you post from which country these will be coming?

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@andybal wrote:
But the GST is calculated on a incorrect total larger than it should be. Doesn't anyone at Ebay understand how GST works?

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Are these items being sent through the Global Shipping Program (GSP)?

If so, the GST is going to be collected by Pitney-Bowes (PB) and it will be payable on the following:

• item price
• domestic postage (to GSP warehouse)
• PB's processing fee
• any relevant import charges
• PB's international shipping charge from overseas warehouse to your address in Australia
• GST on the item price
• GST on the domestic postage
• GST on PB's processing fee
• GST on the international shipping
• PB's charge for processing/collecting GST
• GST on PB's charge for processing/collecting GST

(Have I missed anything?)

However, if your item is coming from a country where the GSP is not set up for its eBay sellers, there must be another scenario / explanation.

1. Are all of these items from the same seller?
2. Has your seller, in effect, given you a partial refund? If so, did your seller process the refund through eBay, or outside eBay's systems?

I ask this because on eBay's Paying tax on eBay purchases page, it says:

❝Refunded purchases

If you paid GST or tax on your purchase through eBay and you get a refund for your order, you'll also get a refund for the proportionate amount of tax. For example, if you receive a full refund, you'll get the entire tax back. If you receive a 50% partial refund, you'll get 50% of the tax back. Any refunds processed outside eBay's systems are not eligible for a tax refund.❞

So... if your answer to question 2 is that the seller didn't refund through eBay's systems, you may be in trouble.

eBay do say in their User Agreement that:

❝If you receive a full or partial refund for your purchase, you will also receive a refund for the proportionate amount of GST.❞

The User Agreement refers users to eBay's Tax Policy page for further information re GST. Nothing on the Tax Policy page speaks to any ratification to the UA's statement concerning any "refund for the proportionate amount of GST."

I suggest that you contact eBay via "Have us call you". eBay's "Have us call you" option is by far the best way to get in touch with eBay. (Emails are useless, for a number of reasons, but primarily because the responses, when they are finally sent, are bot-generated. Chats are often contradictory and full of false hope, since eBay's chat staff are the lowest CS staff with no decision-making powers.)

eBay say: We'll call you at the phone number registered to your account, or you can enter a different number.

We’re available from 8am to 10pm AET, 7 days a week.

When you speak to the CS rep, refer to the UA. Quote the statement from it that I've quoted above. Explain (with the utmost politeness) that the total was incorrect (too high), that the seller has refunded you the overcharged amount, have all the evidence ready to upload to prove your case if the CS rep cannot see for him/herself, and then politely quote "If you receive a full or partial refund for your purchase, you will also receive a refund the proportionate amount of GST." Explain that you haven't received the refund of the proportionate amount of GST.

Be prepared to be patient, and repeat the same information as often as necessary without sounding impatient, frustrated, or snarky.