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How to Correct PST Incorrectly Charged on a Silent Auction Item

Learn how to refund, adjust the FMV, and re-collect payment when PST was incorrectly applied to a silent auction item.

How to Correct PST on a Silent Auction Item

Step 1: Refund the Original Payment

  1. From your Dashboard, go to the All Transactions table.
  2. Locate the transaction for the affected silent auction item and issue a refund for the full amount paid.
    1. If the transaction contains more than one item, only refund the affected auction item.
  3. This will place the unpaid auction item bid back into the winner's cart for future payment.

Step 2: Update the Provincial Sales Tax

  1. In your Fundraiser Builder, navigate to the auction item that had the incorrect PST applied.
  2. Update the PST FMV fields to the correct amounts. For items exempt from PST, set the FMV accordingly so PST is not charged.
  3. Click Save on the item, then click Publish Changes in the top-right corner.

Heads Up! You do not need to reopen the auction or change the auction dates to make this update. Simply saving and publishing the fundraiser is sufficient.

Step 3: Re-Charge the Auction Winner

Choose one of the following options:

  • Option A: Ask the auction winner to visit the fundraiser page, log in, and complete their purchase. PST will be recalculated using the corrected FMV at checkout.
  • Option B: From the Check-In Tool, find the auction bidder, open their cart, and charge their saved payment method. If the bidder is not listed as an attendee, use the Add Attendee function to add them first. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will the auction winner lose their bid if I issue a refund?

No. Issuing a refund through the All Transactions table places the unpaid bid back into the winner's cart rather than cancelling it. They can complete the purchase once the FMV has been corrected.

What happens if we make an item non-taxable?

Whether or not PST applies is not at the discretion of the organizer. The BC Ministry of Finance determines the taxability of items, and Trellis is required by law to ensure compliance.

If you're unsure if an item is taxable, we recommend consulting your accountant or tax advisor, or the BC Ministry of Finance at CTBTaxQuestions@gov.bc.ca. Trellis cannot provide tax advice.

If we identify non-compliance on your fundraiser:

  • You will be invoiced for all outstanding PST.
  • A non-compliance fee will be charged.

If there is future non-compliance, your organization will be blocked from using Trellis and no refund will be provided.

 

Need Help?

Did this answer your question? If not, please reach out to our Product Engagement Team via the blue chat icon or email support@trellis.org.