Forthcoming tax configuration functionality - UPDATED

By alexwberg
Posted on April 28, 2011 30 comments

UPDATE: the new tax functionality is now live for users who are opted-in to see experimental features. Experimental feature users will find the link toward the bottom of their advanced settings page.

I’m writing to pre-announce a new feature we will soon be making available for those opted-in to see experimental features – the ability to set your own rules for collecting sales tax. 

The rules are provided to allow you to pre-assess sales taxes and/or service taxes on your Bonanza transactions. Bonanza will not report this information to tax assessment agencies, nor will it verify any tax rates that you set. We’re creating the interface so you can collect tax as you see fit!  It is your responsibility to ensure that this information is reported and accurate. 
 
A few items worth noting are below:
  • Use of the feature is at your discretion.
  • Taxes can be set broadly for an entire country or, for more granular controls, down to the individual state or province or even the postal (zip) code. 
  • If you have two overlapping rules the more specific rule will apply. For example, if you have a tax rate for all of the United States and one for Alaska, and someone checks out with a shipping address in Alaska, then the Alaska tax rate will apply (as it’s more specific).
  • The rate specified for the selected tax rule will be applied in the cart, once the shipping destination has been entered, and will be communicated to PayPal or Google Checkout.
  • Taxes will be applied to goods after any applicable discounts, but will not include shipping unless you say it should. Some states include shipping in sales tax, some do not. 
  • Special offers will be inclusive of tax; just as they are currently inclusive of shipping. We will update site messaging as appropriate.
  • If a merchant has no tax rules in their booth then buyers will not see a tax line item in the cart or for their orders. If a merchant has some tax rules, but not for the applicable shipping destination, then the tax line item will simply show dashes. 
  • Tax rates must be set between 0.1% and 25%.
  • Worth noting - Google Checkout restricts international tax collection to country or country and postal code, but does not allow provinces. 
We expect to have this feature available to users who are opted-in to see experimental features in the next few days. Given the complexities we expect we’ll need to make a tweak or two so we’re launching it here before making it more widely available.
 
Keep an eye on the blog for our launch announcement. And fire away with questions if you have them. 
 
Happy Thursday, 
 
The Bonanza Team
 
 

Comments: 30 comments
Category: Main blog
Tags: taxes, tax, sales tax

30 responses to Forthcoming tax configuration functionality - UPDATED

  • Psquare_thumb128

    permacrisis says:
    04/28/11 at 10:38:39

    Whew- for a minute there I thought you were taking on Washington!

  • Madsci-04_thumb128

    AdventuresAndHobbies says:
    04/28/11 at 11:12:01

    Glad to see this is being instituted. It will be a help to those of us who are required to collect tax for intra-state sales.

    I do have one question: In some cases, the tax rate depends upon the product itself. Here in New York, some products (magazines are one example) are exempt from sales tax. Will we have the option (possibly in a trait?) to specifically tag each item as to its tax liability?

    And in such cases, will the shopping cart be able to process different tax rates for multiple items, such as where some items may be taxable and others are tax exempt?

    Thank you!

  • Shamrock_thumb128

    irishonebac says:
    04/28/11 at 11:38:40

    Very pro-active.

  • Headshotblueframed300_thumb128

    SharsBoutique says:
    04/28/11 at 12:29:37

    I love experimental features! Bring it on.

  • Bookbinavatar_thumb128

    BookbinEtc says:
    04/28/11 at 14:22:38

    This should be helpful when the GPS tax requirement comes in. Thanks for the update, Alex.

  • Coinsyouwantavitar_thumb128

    CoinsYouWant says:
    04/28/11 at 14:30:06

    YAY!!! this should be very helpful!! only been asking since 2008

  • Vintagebarbie3bavatar_thumb128

    just4barbie says:
    04/28/11 at 15:18:52

    Much needed. Thank you.

    How do we know if we’re opted-in?

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    04/28/11 at 15:23:25

    @ AdventuresAndHobbies – item by item tax capabilities is more advanced than the capability we’ve build out for next week’s launch, but we’ll keep that in mind.

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    04/28/11 at 15:24:29

    @just4barbie – check out the ‘other options’ in your account settings.

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    04/28/11 at 15:25:00

    @CoinsYouWant – sorry for the delay, but glad we were ‘finally’ able to accommodate you! ; )

  • Bear_avatar_thumb128

    JB7339 says:
    04/28/11 at 16:50:03

    I would like to see a tick box or drop down menu on the invoice that says “Tax Included” – as it is relevant to some countries and not to others.

    There is no extra amount to add – just to have it accounted for on those invoices that it is relevant to.

    But being an overseas seller – I am probably in the minority

    Jules

  • Postersunflowers1_thumb128

    jacksplace says:
    04/28/11 at 19:26:14

    Thanks Alex, this will help immensely.

  • Dscn3064_thumb128

    JohnGermaine says:
    04/28/11 at 20:06:55

    Thanks, it’s been LONG overdue!!

  • Profile-bluepenny_thumb128

    bluepennylady says:
    04/29/11 at 05:48:00

    HI

    Totally excellent! Thank you all!

    Judy/blue

  • Img_2002_thumb128

    kbarrd says:
    04/29/11 at 12:24:18

    No sales tax in Oregon.

  • Bellavistaboutiqueavatar2_thumb128

    bellavistaboutique says:
    04/29/11 at 17:54:39

    Sounds like a terrific upgrade…thanks for the work on this!

  • Once_upon_a_time_thumb128

    wblresources says:
    04/29/11 at 18:45:09

    Hmmm… brings to mind the Beatles’ Taxman song

  • Dscn3064_thumb128

    JohnGermaine says:
    05/01/11 at 07:16:17

    Will there be an announcement when this goes active? I checked in “Other Options” and I see no button to turn on in advance – which is how I read your reply to Just 4 Barbie, so I assume the option to opt in isn’t an option yet??!! LOL didn’t mean to make that so funny to read.

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    05/01/11 at 07:47:01

    It should be going live this evening. I will update the blog when it goes up! ; )

  • Vintagebarbie3bavatar_thumb128

    just4barbie says:
    05/01/11 at 11:53:02

    @johngermaine I just checked mine again…the option is the second from the bottom under Other Options.

  • Dscn3064_thumb128

    JohnGermaine says:
    05/01/11 at 20:26:26

    Thanks, I’ll go take a look! Woo-Hoo!! I don’t mind paying MY taxes, but I really don’t want to pay it for others!!

  • Logo-mask-blue_thumb128

    CrystalBlueAttitude says:
    05/02/11 at 04:34:51

    How will this work with the new Google tax info requirement?

    Their Help article says, “Include item-level override values in your data feeds or via the API: These values will override your account-level default settings for that item.”

    If we set our tax info in Bonz settings will this be included in our Google feed?

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    05/03/11 at 08:58:41

    @ CrystalBlueAttitude – sorry for the delay in replying. I’m looking into this on our side (confirming things) and will get back to you later today.

  • Logo-mask-blue_thumb128

    CrystalBlueAttitude says:
    05/03/11 at 10:47:39

    Thanks, Alex!!

  • Alex_2b_thumb128

    alexwberg says:
    05/03/11 at 17:33:58

    @CrystalBlueAttitude – we will pass the tax rules as configured along with the product data in the Google feed. This should go up with our next release and well in time for Google’s deadline.

  • Logo-mask-blue_thumb128

    CrystalBlueAttitude says:
    05/04/11 at 04:44:19

    That’s good news! Thank you, Alex.

  • Blue_oval_logo_thumb128

    gearseller2 says:
    05/04/11 at 09:01:37

    This is great news- I just asked about this a couple of weeks ago! Thanks for coming through for sellers as always!

  • Pas_avatar_thumb128

    Pas_HalfPints_Shoppe says:
    05/08/11 at 20:08:53

    I’m a little late in asking this so if anyone reads this I’m still a bit confused. If we have the tax set up here does that or does it not override the tax setup on our GCO and Paypal accounts? I’m still not quite understanding this issue and if I need to change it. Thanks.

  • Ao175x175_thumb128

    AmbleOutdoors says:
    05/11/11 at 01:23:11

    No nexus? No sales tax.

    Those that huddle around the government tax trough and similar Big Box paid sycophants have yet to explain how they’re going to SAVE us all some lunch money, instead of SPEND it at every notion.

    The only thing streamlined about the alleged Streamlined Sales Tax is the forest service road to cut down more innocent trees to fulfill more parasitic revenue scold paperwork, with no known increase in productivity at any level – other than China.

    So endeth the old EU VAT lesson for today.

  • Vintagebarbie3bavatar_thumb128

    just4barbie says:
    05/22/11 at 08:32:39

    I was checking my items in Google Shopping and now the price shows “with tax and shipping”.

    This is a problem because I only have to charge sales tax to buyers in my state.

    Wondering if this is because of my Google account settings. It also shows it on sellers items listed on other sites.