eBayin' in Ohio?

Topic: eBayin' in Ohio? (Read 3768 times) previous topic - next topic

eBayin' in Ohio?

March 08, 2005, 09:08:38 PM

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050308-4684.html

Quote

A license to eBay? Maybe in Ohio
3/8/2005 8:00:06 PM, by Eric Bangeman

A new Ohio law that took effect on February 1 will have the unintended consequence of requring residents of that state to get auctioneer licenses and be bonded in order to sell items on eBay. In order to obtain an auctioneer license, Ohioans will need to pay a US$200 license fee and post a US$50,000 bond. Along with the out-of-pocket costs, sellers will have to attend an approved auction school, undergo a one-year apprenticeship to a licensed auctioneer, and pass both oral and written exams.

Is all this really necessary just to list your old PC or other detritus laying around in your basp00get? Apparently not, according to State Senator Larry Mumper (R-26th District). When he introduced the legislation, it was not his intention for it to apply to all eBay sellers. While promising some changes to the law to exempt "casual sellers," he said it could still apply to "anyone who sells a lot."

The question of government regulation of eBay sellers is an interesting one. A number of Power Sellers manage to make a nice living purely through eBay, which offers group health insurance and other benefits to that group. From an end-user point-of-view, it often appears as though oversight by eBay is somewhat lacking. The feedback system is an imperfect one, often functioning as an exercise mutual back-scratching. Furthermore, getting eBay to take action against shady sellers can turn into an exercise in frustration with little apparent result, a topic that has been a frequent topic of discussion at a coin forum I frequent.

Is government oversight the answer? Definitely not for the occasional auctioneer. As to those for whom eBay is a full-time job, it would behoove the online auction company to keep more stringent safeguards in place in order to stave off government regulation.

Posted this for comment since we have a lot of people from Ohio here, and also a lot of people (like myself) who deal with Ebay. So does this impact any of ya?

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #1 – March 08, 2005, 09:15:33 PM

I read about this earlier at work. In all honesty it probably doesn't have any legs. It doesn't apply to the "occasional" seller, and in all likelyhood won't apply to ebay seller's period. I think it's a crock, one that's been put in place to essentially extort money from ohioans. But that's just my :2c: .

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #2 – March 08, 2005, 10:04:32 PM

Quote from: nirvanagod

I read about this earlier at work. In all honesty it probably doesn't have any legs. It doesn't apply to the "occasional" seller, and in all likelyhood won't apply to ebay seller's period. I think it's a crock, one that's been put in place to essentially extort money from ohioans. But that's just my :2c: .

you have to give that :2c: to the govt now

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #3 – March 08, 2005, 11:02:25 PM

Ohio is number one IMHO of thinking up ways of keepin us hommies down

for crying out loud,, its yard sale,,garage sale,,bake sale,,flea market,,
whats next,,
making the yard sales and after school bake sales charge tax!!!!!!!!

ooopss did i give em an idea?

i think mister mumper bumper humper funker got screwed on ebay so he had his hissy and won.

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #4 – March 08, 2005, 11:20:27 PM

Quote from: zpyro

you have to give that :2c: to the govt now :p

Uh, Uh, Uh, hang on... Lemme get my feet set

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #5 – March 08, 2005, 11:40:41 PM

This is f'n stupid, I'm from ohio and I have parts for sale on ebay right now!

Hey Bob Taft :flip:

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #6 – March 09, 2005, 09:22:47 AM

Quote from: CougarSE

Hey Bob Taft :flip:

AMEN BROTHA!!!!! I will back you up on that....he is a first class ass in all the way. He's singlehandedly taken our state back 15 years. Can't wait to vote his sorry ass outta here.

Ohio is all about the taxes. Not as bad as our PA neighbor, and VA, and MA, but still near or in the top 10 in the nation. It's pretty sad. A few years ago our wonderful governor thought raising fees for drivers licences and plates would help out our state. My plates went from $37.50/year to $48/year literally overnight. And the plates for the convertible went from $76/year to $94/year. This hurts when you've got plates on multiple cars. Drivers license renewals went up over 50% as well. Keep in mind that we do not have state inspections nor do all the funds go into maintaining the roads (obvious if you've ever driven through or in our state). And my county has the highest plate fees---and worst roads---in the state. So, hearing about a way for the state of Ohio to further gouge its own residents doesn't surprise me one bit.

However, I pay a measly $350 a HALF for insurance on all my cars, so I won't complain any further. :D

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #7 – March 09, 2005, 09:38:23 AM

Next thing you know they'll be putting a tax on Cat Jam. Or you'll need a license to host car enthusiast get togethers, Eric.

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #8 – March 09, 2005, 10:13:20 AM

Hey, they don't call us taxachusetts for nothin

Speaking of which... gotta pay my excise tax bills It's only like $60 it just sucks...

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #9 – March 09, 2005, 10:24:35 AM

Another reason for you to loathe Floridians.. no state taxes down here, not counting sales tax. (like 7% I think) :p

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #10 – March 09, 2005, 10:54:24 AM

Quote from: Bird351

Another reason for you to loathe Floridians.. no state taxes down here, not counting sales tax. (like 7% I think) :p

You're just so begging for some wrench throwing... :flip: :brick:

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #11 – March 09, 2005, 11:19:09 AM

Quote from: EricCoolCats

. . . Ohio is all about the taxes. Not as bad as our PA neighbor, and VA, and MA, but still near or in the top 10 in the nation. . .

Ah stop whinnin' :D PA is a haven compared to where I live. That's why I pay car insurance there. $461.00 per month now, it went up because they can now base your insurance premiums on your credit history (mine is good for someone my age, but I don't have a real "history yet), but still not as much as it would be in NJ, with GEICO (they want $492.00), the cheapest you can get in this state. I also paid $7500.00 in income taxes this year. I STILL can't sit down. Soon as I'm done with school, PA is the state where I be headin' (maybe even sooner than that).

BTW, this is full coverage with 1 car and a clean PA liscence.

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #12 – March 09, 2005, 11:59:06 AM

here in ny with a clean licence and a old car you are looking at over 500 for 6 mounths. :flame: ny taxes and restrictions

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #13 – March 09, 2005, 03:30:20 PM

$461 PER MONTH! WOW!!!

Does that cover everything: fire, theft, liabililty, collision damage, third party liablilty?

Here taxes run 14% on all goods are serveces except food (which is reduced to 7%. Income tax is about 42% of gross (under 50K annual income.) However we in Canada have some really weird taxes too.

Enviromental Levys: Every 2L bottle of Pop (soda) or case of cans has a 4 cents enviro tax.

When ever I buy automotive refridgerant products (with I had to get a fricken expense license to handle in the first place) there is a substancial enviromemtal tax.

Their is a federal tax specifically for pizza places (worked into their annual federal taxes so it is not as evident to the public).

Liquer taxes (its all sold by a governement corporation) are quite high. Smokes are publically sold but are taxed about $8 a pack.

At least we got cheep car insurance and free heathcare

Re: eBayin' in Ohio?

Reply #14 – March 09, 2005, 03:32:04 PM

Quote from: merccougar50

$461 PER MONTH! WOW!!!

Does that cover everything: fire, theft, liabililty, collision damage, third party liablilty? . . .

Yes. But it's still too muckin' fuch.