Confusion with credit card payments and taxes

[mlerner]

Greetings,

I do like the new revamped look of the website and self service portal but I was drawn to confusion with the wording and implementation of the included taxes with credit card payments.

The bottom of the page states: "† Credit or Visa Debit payments include taxes based on the applicable province of your phone number. GST/HST# 10065 2692, QST# 10029 28058."

I acknowledge the applicable tax rate based on my province but I interpreted this statement to mean that the amount I loaded and shown on the form would include the applicable taxes and would show on Amount Due. The web form does calculate or populate the applicable tax rate automatically when other is selected but inititally when I loaded, I selected Amount Due which did not populate the tax field or the total which I found to be undesirable.

On top of the amount I loaded I was charged another $1.30 for the transaction on my credit card.

I just thought this might be useful feedback to improve and to help those who get the same issue.

Thank you.

[mlerner]

Thank you (Public Mobile). I appreciate the response and the community.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your colleagues!

[CS_Agent · Accepted solution]

@mlerner

We appreciate the feed back 🙂

One quick thing, the reason taxes do not show up in self-serve Transaction History is because it is not an official invoice. 

Upon request we can provide an official invoice that displays taxes. If you ever need one please contact one of the moderators(with the help of SIMon) and provide your name, address and the requested month/s and year you want the invoice/s for, along with the email address you want the invoice to be sent to. 

Best regards, 

Public Mobile moderator team

[Korth]

You are charged taxes (GST, HST, PST, QST, whatever) at point of purchase. When you buy a Payment Voucher, when you or your AutoPay make a credit card payment.

The amount paid before tax is added to your Self-Serve account balance. A $10 Payment Voucher deposits $10 into your account balance, it's not taxed again. If your Plan costs $10 then $10 is subtracted from your account balance, it's not taxed again. 

Rewards are basically funds added to your account balance, taxes are not computed (or paid) on them.

I live near a vendor on First Nations Reservation land (Shell gas station at Eagle Landing, Chilliwack) which allows sales tax exemption on Payment Vouchers to customers with First Nations status. 

I'm guessing there must be other vendors across Canada with similar arrangements. 

[mlerner]

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@popping wrote:

Prepaid account in Canada always charges tax when your add fund to your account.  The fund shown in your prepaid account is without tax.  Chatr, Speakout and PM are doing exactly the same

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I don't know about that first part especially since things like cash balances and gift cards are exempt from that requirement. Otherwise I say fair enough. I was disputing the wording however as it would contradict Ontario sales policies and generally the total amount would need to be displayed before they place a charge on my credit card.

[popping]

Prepaid account in Canada always charges tax when your add fund to your account.  The fund shown in your prepaid account is without tax.  Chatr, Speakout and PM are doing exactly the same

[mlerner]

What province are you in?

Ontario

What is your plan?

Right now I'm on the $10/month plan

What was charged to your credit card?

The total amount was $11.30

What is the amount of available funds afterwards?

The available funds now show $0.00. Transaction history only shows $10 top-up and then 30 day plan debit.

[totalUser]

I'm a bit confused now as I never noticed it before, once selected it would warn me of taxes and it always seemed correct.

What province are you in?

What is your plan?

What was charged to your credit card?

What is the amount of available funds afterwards?

Thanks