At the end of April, ACityDiscount President & CEO, John Stack was invited to attend eBay’s Government Relations Advocacy Day. For over a decade, eBay has sent leaders from their network of small businesses to Washington DC once a year alongside their Government Relations team to discuss issues facing small businesses that sell online.
This year, ACityDiscount was one of 25 businesses in attendance on the trip to our nation’s capital. It was the second time John Stack has attended on behalf of ACityDiscount.
eBay Main Street & ACityDiscount
For nearly 20 years, working with eBay has been an integral part of ACityDiscount’s business strategy. Before setting up our online store, ACityDiscount solely sold equipment on eBay; eventually becoming one of eBay’s biggest sellers and winning numerous awards (including Best Merchandiser in 2003). Over the years, our relationship has blossomed beyond that of the traditional seller relationship, and ACityDiscount has become a prominent member of eBay Main Street; a coalition of small businesses that work directly with eBay on issues that impact all online sellers.
eBay Main Street is the heart and soul of eBay’s Government Relations team. As an online marketplace, eBay knows that it has a vested interest in the businesses that utilize its services to sell online. Their Government Relations team helps small business that may not have a strong voice in local or national politics by uniting them and giving them an audience with elected officials. eBay Main Street & the eBay Government Relations team help member businesses fight for a tremendous variety of important issues, ranging from Postal Reform, to Net Neutrality, and even Global Trade issues.
#NoNetTax
For the last few years, one issue that has become an increasingly hot topic has been the proposition of Internet sales tax. As the law currently stands, businesses that sell online are only obligated to pay sales tax in states in which they have a nucleus – a physical presence. In the last five years, however, there have been several pieces of legislation introduced that would impose the burden of having to collect and pay sales tax in all states on small businesses. This would be tremendous imposition on most small business that sell online, especially very small operations that may have one or two employees.
eBay Main Street has been a powerful voice in the fight against Internet Sales Tax. The eBay Government Relations team holds frequent meetings with Main Street members to inform and to collect feedback on legislation like the Marketplace Fairness Act; the most recent attempt to impose an Internet Sales Tax. In many ways, eBay Main Street acts a rallying cry for all small online sellers, and their annual Advocacy Day actually puts lawmakers considering voting on this legislation in the same room as business owners these laws would affect.
U.S. of eBay Advocacy Day 2016
ACityDiscount has been very vocal about our apprehension regarding Internet Sales Tax and the Marketplace Fairness Act, and others like it. Wary of the burden this type of legislation would place on businesses like ours, ACityDiscount’s management and team members have been actively participating in activism and awareness campaigns with eBay Main Street to highlight that these types of taxes border on taxation without representation. ACityDiscount President & CEO, John Stack has been particularly vocal on this issue, and was anxious to discuss it with our local representatives in the House of Representatives and in the U.S. Senate.
While in Washington, Mr. Stack parlayed with a number of influential politicians from Georgia and all over the country. After introductory meetings, attendees were broken up into small groups that travelled around Washington and discussed national and regional issues with their respective representatives. Mr. Stack’s group included: Hal Lawton, Sr. VP of eBay North America, John Lawrence, Sr. Manager & Counsel of the eBay Government Relations team; Harriet Melvin, eBay Consultant; Tony Brocato, Co-Owner of Fredrickson Tire & Appliance; and Joe Migliorino, Owner of QuikDrop eBay Store.
Mr. Stack and “Group 3” were very productive in their meetings. Mr. Stack was able to speak directly with two local members of the House of Representatives, Rep. Hank Johnson (D–Georgia), ACityDiscount's Representative, and Rep. Rob Woodall (R–Georgia), John's elected official, as well as both of our local Senators, Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia). Additionally, the group met with Representatives and Senators from Alabama and Florida, along with other top members of Congress such as Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).
For a look back at the event and meetings as they unfolded, be sure to check out #DCFlyIn16 for more information.
ACityDiscount Thank You's
Mr. Stack and the entire ACityDiscount team would like to personally thank Hal Lawton, John Lawrence, Harriet Melvin, Federica Rabiolo, and everyone working with the eBay Main Street and eBay Government Relations groups.
Additionally, Mr. Stack would like to thank all of the Representatives and Senators that took time out from their busy schedules to meet with his group. This was a great trip, and a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of some issues that are very important our business.
For more information on Internet Sales Tax and the Marketplace Fairness Act, visit eBay Main Street’s website or follow #NoNetTax on Twitter, and for more pictures of Mr. Stack's trip check out the ACityDiscount Facebook Page!