New GB Compliance Fee
Just curious if anyone else received this message from GB. It states effective today there will be a "compliance Fee" accessed on all sales. I checked under the seller fees and do not see any information listed about it.
Dear - Bob,
On 7/26/2021 GunBroker.com will be assessing a compliance fee. The fee will be assessed on the purchase price of the item only and will be added to the order total paid by the buyer. The compliance fee will be collected by the seller and remitted to GunBroker.com through the seller fee ledger. The fee will appear as a separate line item on the seller statement.
What is the Compliance Fee?
The Compliance Fee is a fee assessed by GunBroker.com and added to the price of the Item at the time of purchase. The U.S. states have been very active in passing new laws applicable to GunBroker.com, including in the areas of taxation, privacy and firearms. These laws have increased the compliance costs of GunBroker.com substantially.
Thank you,
The Team at GunBroker.com
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clays: 31153732311707/comments/31153761055387
Change was implemented effective yesterday 7/26, I would be interested to hear from any sellers how it is incorporated into the final billing and if there is a percentage rate stated.
We have two ending tonight, around 8pm Central, I will give an update to see how it goes.
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I found online sales at GB to be convenient, that is why I signed up. I have been able to get what I need for five decades without online sales platforms. These platforms are not a necessary service to obtain guns, ammo and accessories, they are just convenient. Increasingly more and more online sellers and services are displaying the same attitudes and customer service concerns that, in part, drove people away from the local gun stores. Not very smart for a non vital segment of the industry. Local shops are going to recognize this and take advantage. Of course pendulums swing as this was one will too, local shops attitude will follow prosperity.
Prices are high beyond maintainability. Some used guns are selling at above MSRP for new models. There are several factors involved one of which is new people not understanding or being tapped into their local network. This will change and like all things these people will start looking for sources with better prices. There are rarely bargain or even reasonably priced guns on the online sites. A single shot .22 rifle that sells for about $125-150 is selling for more than that online then shipping, tax etc. is added. This can not maintain itself, adding extra fees will only quickens this market segments decline.
Oh well, it's not my concern. I am just a buyer and like all buyers I'll take care of myself. When online buying is good for me I'll use it, when it's not I won't
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Just got the e-mail. My biggest concern right now, as others have noted, is exactly HOW MUCH is this? I like to be very upfront in my listings so bidders know exactly what their final cost will be; I also like to know how much I'm paying when bidding. I'm completely in the dark about how much this will add -- it seems a bit ridiculous to roll this out without giving clear information about how much it will be -- nor giving sellers any time to add information about this to their listings; I only have a few listings to update, but how will the sellers with a lot of listings update them to alert their bidders/buyers of the added cost? Is there a minimum or maximum, or is it just a straight percentage no matter how low or high the selling price is?
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The Compliance fee appears to be Exactly 1% of the selling price. We had two items end last night, they sold for $500 and $655, when I check the statement it took $5.00 and $6.55. I'll share a screenshot of what it looks like on the statement.
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Thanks for sharing the information.
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I am guessing this is how Gun Broker is going to offset the added manpower they are having to provide just to deal with taxes. I understand this is a large ordeal for them and I cannot imagine what they've paid out to get this handled.
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Locust Fork: 31153732311707/comments/31153753729435
I am guessing this is how Gun Broker is going to offset the added manpower they are having to provide just to deal with taxes. I understand this is a large ordeal for them and I cannot imagine what they've paid out to get this handled.
I was wondering if it was "compliance" with collecting sales taxes too -- they didn't explain exactly what the "compliance" issue was, but I know the sales tax issue is crazy. While it does cost them, all established online "facilitators" now have a moat they didn't have before. No small business trying to sell nationally can reasonably comply with the new sales tax laws, so they have no choice but to use a "facilitator" to handle the transaction and pay the taxes.
The more practical solution (governments don't like the practical) would be to treat the BUYER as the person traveling virtually to the seller's online store; the seller would collect sales tax on every transaction based on his local sales tax rate, and would be sending collected taxes ONLY to his state. Treat an online sale the same as if a person drove their car and physically purchased from the retailer.
The convoluted system, trying to treat every seller as "traveling virtually to the buyers' location" is a nightmare for all but the largest companies to comply with when it comes to collecting sales taxes. If this "logic" continues, I'm sure states will start requiring sellers outside their state to be buying business licenses for the "privilege" of selling products in their state. Everyone in government is thinking how they can "collect taxes from outside their jurisdiction" without understanding how it kills any small business trying to grow larger with national sales -- and rewards the established big businesses.
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A big problem as well is that GB is using the sellers credit card processors to charge for a lot of these new charges, which passes on the costs to the sellers. Taxes and now new fees, are being charged to the customer, but the processing fees of these are being paid by the seller. It may not sound like a lot, but if you're selling several items the processing fees in total from the taxes and now new fees, add up and will hit your bottom line. Seems to me that GB should be doing something to make up for these extra processing fees thats being passed onto the sellers.
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may end up banned for this but if I am going to have to pay a compliance fees in addition to:
Shipping costs, TAXES, and Credit Card Fees every time I win something or BIN, I will buy elsewhere.
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chiefr: 31153732311707/comments/31153790733723
may end up banned for this but if I am going to have to pay a compliance fees in addition to:
Shipping costs, TAXES, and Credit Card Fees every time I win something or BIN, I will buy elsewhere.
And transfer fee if you are not a FFL.------------------Ray
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This sales tax collection system was designed with Amazon in mind, and others that want to be like Amazon. Smaller/midsized companies like Gunbroker just got scooped up in the net, but as long as they’re in the net, they can participate in the same convoluted mess.
Government has shown over the last year and a half it has no concern at all for small businesses. The fact that this is unworkable for a small business is of no concern to politicians and bureaucrats.
It’s hard enough to run a successful small business. Add regulations like this and they’ll all be crushed. We’ll never see low unemployment numbers again. Just my $0.02.
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July of 2020, I paid 1284.00 for a Walther Q4 SF I purchased on gunbroker. No credit card fees and NO SALES TAX. Tax would have been around 80 bucks. Looks like that was "the good old days" and I have probably bought my last firearm through GB. But, enough GB patrons will just shrug and accept GB's nickel and diming us to death, so, I'm pretty much just talking to myself.
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For every fee they add it just brings my finale bid down I all ready figure shipping cost and credit card fees into my final bid looks like I need to add another 1% in for this new fee
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Here are some simple numbers from two auctions I closed in the last 30 days from the same buyer for the same item both times for the same price (item and shipping) both times….
Original Purchase Price on both auctions $ 249.95 each
Shipping and Handling on both auctions - $20.00 each
MS sales tax on both auctions - 7%
Auction Total about one month ago (7/7/21) for this $249.95 item - $288.85
Auction Total four days ago(7/31/21) for the same $249.95 item - $291.35
1% of the item for sale fee added to the final auction payment price….. I wonder if this is a result of GunBroker selling last month to a large corporation…..
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You people who are "going to buy elsewhere" ought to just move on off these free forums too......
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I went to my GunBroker page. Under "How to Buy a Gun" it still states "To place a bid on this site, you must first register with us. We charge no recurring membership fees. There are no fees to bid on an item; GunBroker.com does not charge a buyer’s premium."
Either they haven't updated their information or ????? I copied and pasted the info currently under "What does it cost?" on GunBroker's info page.
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I can't recall when I registered for GB- must be more than twenty years ago. I registered for this forum because I wanted to express my displeasure at GB's new policy, and I figured this was the appropriate place to do so. As for this forum being "free"- well, I can't say I've been a super-active customer here over the years, but I've certainly spent a tidy little sum on merchandise, and on each of those transactions, GunBroker made money, That being the case, I don't feel as if I'm taking advantage in any way by posting my complaint. Don't worry, I won't use any more of your bandwidth. Instead, I'm going to the ballpark to watch the umpires.
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firstharmonic: 31153732311707/comments/31153783671963
I went to my GunBroker page. Under "How to Buy a Gun" it still states "To place a bid on this site, you must first register with us. We charge no recurring membership fees. There are no fees to bid on an item; GunBroker.com does not charge a buyer’s premium."
Either they haven't updated their information or ????? I copied and pasted the info currently under "What does it cost?" on GunBroker's info page.
What is incorrect about the "How To Buy A Gun"?
Is there a recurring membership fee?.....no
Is there a fee to bid?......no
Is there a buyer's premium?.....no
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Normally, I do not voice my opinion if it may upset some folks, but I will this time.......All of this crying/complaining of the sales tax/compliance fee from the potential buyers, I fail to comprehend. I would understand it a lot more from the sellers than the buyers. This sales tax, which was mandated by the states and Gunbroker has no choice, has been around for enough time, and has certainly been discussed enough here on the forum, that all buyers should be aware of it.
The sellers are the one who are ultimately paying it. A buyer should (if they have common sense) know what they are willing to pay "all in" for something. This will include the sales tax, shipping, transfer fee, etc. Any increase of the additional items will ultimately decrease the selling price for the seller.
I assure you that if GB and the sellers could have it any other way, they would definitely not want the costs and the headaches of the sales tax ramifications, but they cannot.
And if an additional charge of 1% makes it too expensive to buy, then you didn't need the dang thing in the first place.
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It's the principle of the matter, and this seems lost on some of you. Repeating "one percent, one percent" is meaningless, as if we're balking over a sawbuck. Some of us object to these new fees, regardless of the speciics, especially coming on the heels of a change of ownership at GB. Perhaps, before too long, Gunbroker will add even more fees. which will give those of you who are OK with this, additional opportunities to be OK with it.
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Okay, I have seen the light in your thinking.
"Hey, there is the item I have been wanting for sometime but have not been able to find it locally without paying an arm and a leg. And, man that is a great price at $1,000. I just knew it would be at least $1,200. The cheapest I have seen it around here is $1,300 plus tax. I am just going to hit that Buy Now Price and get that sucker."
Closes his laptop, fluffs his pillow and has sweet dreams about the deal he just got.
Then his invoice comes up. "WTH??? I have to pay sales tax on it? And another $10 for come kind of fee? I kinda remember reading the buyers guide maybe 8 years ago and I don't remember any of that crap. I thought I would save that sales tax I would be paying locally along with $250 because I know my local dealer will charge me the transfer fee, but now I am only saving $240. I know GB is getting some money from the seller to sell for him and this crap ain't right. How dare they not absorb the new costs that the states have forced on them and instead pass them on to us. The new owners should have known about all of this when they entered into an agreement to buy the business several months ago, but why should I have any responsibility to know about this when I bought that gun. Them dang new greedy owners of GB need to make this right and I am going to the forum that they are providing at no charge to let everyone on there know I ain't happy."
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Some people will not realize how silly their complaints really are until all that is left are big box stores who sell firearms and the selection is limited to the ten crappy versions of whatever is pumped out by the few manufacturers that produce whatever garbage they feel like stocking. Pay the few extra bucks and hush.
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You have a point, Locust Fork. I guess it all depends upon the individual- what I mean is, in my case, my gun-buying days are about done, I think. I've said this a few times before, but, for me, it's not like when I was younger, and really eager to build a collection. For those guys still working on it, yes, sites like Gunbroker need to stay around. But, that doesn't mean that we should all accept without question an increase on fees. After all, I'd say Gunbroker needs its customers more than its customers need GB.
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She said HUSH!!!! hahaha
You better listen bub. She can arrange to have a person crushed under a mountain of empty gun boxes never to be seen again.
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Oh, yes, of course- initiation for the FNG. I regret to say it's all for naught. I won't be staying around to be dazzled by all the brilliance and awed into silent admiration for the old hands around here. As I've stated, I came here to voice my displeasure, that's all and as I've also stated, I do realize the futility of my effort. But, given that GB is a business I've patronized for many years, I just wanted to have my say.
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Alas
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mpakt: 31153732311707/comments/31153817897499
Alas
The funny part is, @... is still a FNG. Oh, buoy!
But he's better than most of us older types.
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The only thing I have to say about this whole thing is if we look back at what things were once like and what we have today.....its pitiful. I used to have a dozen gun stores within an hour of my house....and I'm in the middle of nowhere. I'm not talking about chain stores with some nimrod wearing a polo who doesn't know crap about what they have. I'm talking about GUN STORES with guys that will make fun of you while helping you. The guys that didn't tell you how stupid you were until you came in the third time to their store and you had to build up the courage to come in the fourth time because your gun is apart and you can't get it together. (Pre Youtube's saving grace.)
If we can't figure out a way to keep what we have its going to get a LOT worse. Taxes....we all knew this was eventually happening and I'll be the first to admit I cannot deal with it so I'm thankful GB has people that can. A service fee of 1% for them to be able to keep up with this is fair. Its either a small service fee or raising the overall fees.
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mpakt: 31153732311707/comments/31153816589467
It's the principle of the matter, and this seems lost on some of you. Repeating "one percent, one percent" is meaningless, as if we're balking over a sawbuck. Some of us object to these new fees, regardless of the speciics, especially coming on the heels of a change of ownership at GB. Perhaps, before too long, Gunbroker will add even more fees. which will give those of you who are OK with this, additional opportunities to be OK with it.
Yep, I can remember when many taxes were 1%
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