EBay is calling on some 40
million of its users to fight a national legislation that would give states the
power to collect sales tax from out-of-state online retailers.
John Donahoe, eBay's CEO, sent the first of the emails out Sunday morning. The message, aimed at users and sellers in eBay's Marketplace, charges that the proposed legislation, known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, would burden small entrepreneurs. The Act, which the Senate may vote on this week, applies to businesses with more than $1 million in out-of-state revenues. Donahoe argues that the threshold should be $10 million in revenues or 50 or more employees, which would apply to only large online retailers, like Amazon.
Amazon supports the bill, a spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. Reps from
Amazon could not be reached for further comment. The National Retail Federation
is also in favor of the measure.
John Donahoe, eBay's CEO, sent the first of the emails out Sunday morning. The message, aimed at users and sellers in eBay's Marketplace, charges that the proposed legislation, known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, would burden small entrepreneurs. The Act, which the Senate may vote on this week, applies to businesses with more than $1 million in out-of-state revenues. Donahoe argues that the threshold should be $10 million in revenues or 50 or more employees, which would apply to only large online retailers, like Amazon.
