Seller cannot claim GST on Postage Charges as deemed "non-taxable amount" on eBay Tax Invoice?

[pano_solutions]

I have a query relating to claiming GST for local shipping charges when shipping is booked via eBay.

When I sell an item and book the shipping via eBay (using AusPost or Sendle), the cost appears as a non-taxable amount on my monthly Tax Invoice.  When I book shipping directly with either AusPost or Sendle, I am able to claim the GST on this expense.

This means that if I am unable to claim GST on the shipping labels booked via eBay, that these labels are actually more expensive compared to booking direct in most cases, especially if one takes bulk discounts offered by AusPost or Sendle into account.    

eBay fees are shown as a taxable amount, so I can claim the GST on that.

Am I missing something somewhere?  I have spent hours on the phone with eBay thus far trying to get an answer but am just being passed around with no proper answer being provided, as to why a local supplier provides eBay with a taxable supply, and eBay Australia resells that service to the buyer at a markup and also make it a non-taxable supply.

[pano_solutions]

*Correction to last sentence*  This should read:

...eBay Australia resells that service to the Seller...

[davewil1964]

I suggest you don't use eBay labels, then.

As you said, they are more expensive than dealing directly with the relevant companies.

[pano_solutions]

That will be the outcome if the way that I explained it is in fact confirmed, but I feel eBay is misrepresenting their fees as being "more affordable" than going direct, if you are registered for GST.

I look forward to someone (or eBay) confirming the way that they deal with GST.

The eBay fees are a taxable supply, even though much of the eBay operation seems not to be happening in Australia, but when I ship something locally it is definitely local, so I cannot see the reasoning in shipping charges not being a taxable supply.

[davewil1964]

If you pay GST to AP or Sendle, you have a claimable input.

Unless you're on a special deal with eBay, their charges don't even match Band 1 of AP MyPost Business. Which you can link to your eBay account and theoretically postage details will be migrated to AP and tracking migrated to eBay.

[pano_solutions]

Thanks for that.  I am on AP MyPost Business and will no doubt take all my shipping that Sendle cannot do more competitively through there rather than via eBay - I think I might get to Band 2 quite easily.

In terms of migrating tracking between the two platforms - is there something more automated to it rather than just inserting AP tracking number into eBay order?

[eol-products]

Do you have your ebay account linked to your mypost account.

[pano_solutions]

I believe not as I cannot recall ever linking the two accounts.

[gutterpunkz05]

Sign in to your  My Post Business account, go to settings  and select integrations. it will show if you have already integrated the accounts, or will give you the option to integrate.

Once integrated when you log in to My Post Business, simply go to  Orders, then import ebay orders. 

[pano_solutions]

Thank you for the integration help - managed to integrate both AP and Sendle very easily.

I just noted on my eBay Order page that eBay shows the following:

Send it tracked from $4.18 incl GST.

This infers that their other local shipping charges should also be inclusive of GST, and as such the tax invoice should reflect this.

Sadly, still no contact from eBay to clarify despite numerous promises - I will continue to pursue and report here, but I have just booked my first couple of shipments using integration direct with Sendle.