Huh, that's weird. I'll pay attention next time I'll be buying anything.

This is kinda basic business stuff. Companies either suck up the costs themselves, or charge whatever VAT/Tax of your origin country to you, as they as a business have to legally file those to tax offices. I'm surprised they didn't do this already??

I doubt they would have been sucking it up themselves, they are in Poland and have no obligation to the Ontario, Canada government.

Isn’t GOG registered in Cyprus? Maybe the tax situation has changed somehow recently. I remember after Greece had their little financial crisis some years back one of the conditions for bailing them out was Cyprus had to become less of a tax haven than it had used to be.

You do business in Ontario, you comply with Ontario laws.

I don't get why this is open for discussion. We're talking about a reputable internet shop here, not some shady (half-)criminal organisation.

Last edited by emphy on 14 November 2023 at 1:44 pm UTC

Quoting: emphyYou do business in Ontario, you comply with Ontario laws.

I don't get why this is open for discussion. We're talking about a reputable internet shop here, not some shady (half-)criminal organisation.

If they are doing business IN Ontario, yes. But are they? If I buy something outside of the EU, I don't pay VAT either. If it's a physical product, customs might bill me. If it's digital, I'm supposed to declare it myself (fat chance). Not collecting VAT has nothing to do with being reputable, but having a legal presence in the country of the customer.

Buddy, you would hate the UK. Every single transaction for regular consumers includes Value Added Tax (VAT).

The only way to avoid VAT is to run a business and purchase without it that way. But you still have to report your purchases and pay the VAT at the end of the year. Along with a whole bunch of other taxes.

Yeah, and VAT is around 20%, not below 10% like it is in America. You spoiled brats don’t know how good it is you are having.

Quoting: emphyYou do business in Ontario, you comply with Ontario laws.

I don't get why this is open for discussion. We're talking about a reputable internet shop here, not some shady (half-)criminal organisation.

Oooh, "authority". You're not going to brow beat me. It's open for discussion because I opened it for discussion. Do you like paying pointless tax? I'll bet that others don't either. That's the problem, it's pointless taxation. I pay income tax (resist claiming things so I can pay some tax to stay off radar, contribute etc.) and I don't mind sales tax on most goods

They don't have a presence over here, not in Canada, not in North Ameerica even, and it's absolutely unenforceable. Provinces and states are trying to grant themselves that right. This is the first time GoG has ever tried to charge me sales tax.

It's now commerce that's just not going to happen and nobody is getting the money. This stopped an impulse buy right in its tracks, and it also put my back up and made me rethink this. I don't have to pay for software and nobody "needs" to buy games. I'm no longer tolerating that intrusion. I'll not pay tax on downloaded bits... they aren't entitled to money from ether.

I'm just sitting here realizing how foolish I've been. Thousands of dollars in "digital property", most of which I don't even use. Any or all of it can go poof any day.

I don't know why you think international transactions should be easy and tax-free, when it is generally the opposite, but this tax was neither created by nor benefits GOG in any way. They have less control and less to gain from it than you do.

Anyway, I don't think that paying local taxes is something to be outraged about. Yes, growing up you find you have to pay all kinds of taxes, it sucks, it is a fact of life.

Quoting: EhvisIf they are doing business IN Ontario, yes. But are they? If I buy something outside of the EU, I don't pay VAT either. If it's a physical product, customs might bill me. If it's digital, I'm supposed to declare it myself (fat chance). Not collecting VAT has nothing to do with being reputable, but having a legal presence in the country of the customer.

If you can pay in CAD, they either operate in Canada or their partners for processing payments do.

Last edited by eldaking on 14 November 2023 at 5:57 pm UTC