Tax & Duties Policy
Tax & Duties Policy — US & Canada
We are committed to complete transparency about every charge that appears on your order. This page explains precisely how sales tax, provincial tax, import duties, and customs charges apply when you purchase sports footwear from Eww Sports Shoes.
Who collects and remits tax on your order
Eww Sports Shoes, trading as Wellnessmasco Ltd, is the merchant of record for every order placed on this website. This means we are the party legally responsible for determining, collecting, and remitting applicable taxes to the relevant tax authorities in the United States and Canada.
Our legal entity
Eww Sports Shoes is owned and operated by Wellnessmasco Ltd, a private limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 15150625, with its registered office at 15 Herbert Rd, London N15 4FG, United Kingdom. We operate exclusively online, with no physical retail locations in the United States or Canada.
Our Shopify checkout automatically calculates the applicable tax for your delivery address at the point of purchase. The tax amount is displayed clearly on the order summary screen before you confirm payment. You will never encounter a charge that was not disclosed before you placed your order.
Marketplace facilitator note: Eww Sports Shoes is a direct retailer operating its own Shopify storefront. We are not a marketplace. We sell our own inventory, and we are solely responsible for tax collection on every transaction made through ewwsportshoes.com.
Tax rules for cross-border online retail change periodically. The information on this page reflects the rules applicable as of the date shown above and is updated whenever regulations affecting our obligations change.
US sales tax — how it applies to your purchase
Sales tax in the United States is administered at the state and local level, not federally. Each state sets its own tax rates, rules, and exemptions. As an online retailer selling to US customers, our obligation to collect sales tax in any given state is determined by whether we meet that state's economic nexus threshold.
What is economic nexus?
Following the US Supreme Court's 2018 ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., states gained the authority to require out-of-state online retailers to collect and remit sales tax once they surpass a defined economic activity threshold in that state, regardless of physical presence. The most common threshold is USD $100,000 in sales or 200 separate transactions into a state within a calendar year.
Where we meet or exceed the economic nexus threshold for a state, we collect that state's applicable sales tax at checkout. Where we do not yet meet the threshold, sales tax will not be collected by us — however, you may still have a personal use-tax obligation under your state's laws.
How tax is calculated at checkout
Our Shopify checkout uses real-time, address-level tax calculation. When you enter your delivery address, the checkout engine applies the correct combined rate for your state, county, city, and any applicable special jurisdiction — automatically, before you pay. The tax amount is displayed as a separate line item on your order summary. The price you pay is the price you see.
Sales tax is calculated on the price of the footwear after any discount codes or promotional reductions have been applied. Shipping charges may also be subject to sales tax depending on the state — the checkout will indicate this where applicable.
States with no general sales tax
Five US states do not levy a general state sales tax. If you are shipping to a delivery address in any of these states, no state-level sales tax will be charged on your order. Please note that even within these states, some local jurisdictions (such as Alaska's municipalities) may impose their own local sales tax — our checkout will calculate and display any such charge accurately.
Oregon
No state sales tax. No local sales taxes either — orders shipped to OR have zero sales tax.
Montana
No state or local sales tax. Orders shipped to MT carry zero sales tax.
New Hampshire
No general sales tax. No local general sales taxes. Zero sales tax on footwear orders.
Delaware
No sales tax. Orders shipped to DE are never subject to sales tax.
Alaska
No state-level sales tax. However, certain Alaskan boroughs and municipalities levy their own local sales taxes. Our checkout calculates any applicable local tax based on your exact delivery address.
State-specific footwear and clothing exemptions
Several US states either fully or partially exempt clothing and footwear from sales tax. Because Eww Sports Shoes sells exclusively footwear, these exemptions directly affect how much, if any, sales tax is charged on your order. The table below sets out the specific rules that apply to our products in key states. Our checkout applies all applicable exemptions automatically at the time of purchase.
| State | Footwear / Clothing Rule | Threshold per Item | Tax Applied? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Clothing and footwear exempt from 4% state tax when priced below threshold per item | Under $110.00 | Exempt at checkout |
| Pennsylvania | Most clothing and footwear (including athletic footwear for general use) fully exempt from state sales tax with no price cap | No limit | Fully exempt |
| New Jersey | Clothing (including footwear) is fully exempt from the 6.625% state sales tax | No limit | Fully exempt |
| Minnesota | Clothing and footwear exempt from 6.875% state tax below threshold per item | Under $110.00 | Exempt at checkout |
| Massachusetts | Clothing exempt from 6.25% state tax below threshold (per item, per transaction) | Up to $175.00 | Exempt at checkout |
| Vermont | Clothing and footwear priced below threshold are exempt from 6% state tax | Under $110.00 | Exempt at checkout |
| Rhode Island | Clothing and footwear priced below threshold are exempt from 7% state tax | Under $250.00 | Exempt at checkout |
| Texas | General clothing and footwear (without embellishments) exempt per item below threshold | Under $100.00 | Depends on price |
| California | All clothing and footwear fully taxable at the applicable combined rate (state + county + city) | No exemption | Tax applies |
| Florida | Clothing and footwear generally taxable at 6% state rate plus local surtax | No exemption | Tax applies |
| Illinois | Clothing taxed at reduced 1% state rate; local rates may apply on top | Reduced rate only | Reduced rate |
| All other states | Standard state + local sales tax rates apply unless a specific exemption exists under that state's tax code | Varies by state | Calculated at checkout |
The exemptions listed above apply to standard athletic and sports footwear such as running shoes, which is what Eww Sports Shoes exclusively sells. Whether a specific item qualifies for a footwear exemption can depend on factors including the item's listed price, the state's definition of "clothing," and whether the footwear is marketed for a specific sport only. Our checkout applies the relevant rules based on the item price and your delivery state. If you believe an exemption has been applied incorrectly, please contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com before your order is dispatched.
Canadian sales tax — GST, HST, PST, and QST
Canada's tax system combines a federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) with provincial and territorial sales taxes, which vary significantly depending on where you live. Your checkout total will reflect the correct combined rate for your province or territory, calculated automatically based on your shipping address.
Federal GST — 5%
The Government of Canada levies a 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on most goods and services supplied in Canada, including footwear purchased online and delivered to a Canadian address. The GST applies in every province and territory.
Foreign online retailers supplying taxable goods or services to Canadian consumers are required to register for, collect, and remit GST to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) once they surpass the registration threshold of CAD $30,000 in annual sales to Canadian customers. Where we are registered and required to collect GST, we do so on every eligible order delivered to Canada.
Harmonised, Provincial & Quebec taxes
Five provinces have harmonised their provincial sales tax with the federal GST into a single Harmonised Sales Tax (HST), which we collect at a single combined rate. Other provinces maintain a separate Provincial Sales Tax (PST) alongside the federal GST. Quebec administers its own Quebec Sales Tax (QST) in addition to the federal GST.
The total tax rate you see at checkout depends entirely on the province or territory you are shipping to. All rates are set by government and are not within our control. The full province-by-province breakdown is shown in the table to the right and below.
| Province / Territory | Tax Type | GST | Provincial Rate | Total Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario (ON) | HST | 5% | 8% (provincial component) | 13% |
| Nova Scotia (NS) | HST | 5% | 10% (provincial component) | 15% |
| New Brunswick (NB) | HST | 5% | 10% (provincial component) | 15% |
| Newfoundland & Labrador (NL) | HST | 5% | 10% (provincial component) | 15% |
| Prince Edward Island (PE) | HST | 5% | 10% (provincial component) | 15% |
| British Columbia (BC) | GST + PST | 5% | 7% PST | 12% |
| Saskatchewan (SK) | GST + PST | 5% | 6% PST | 11% |
| Manitoba (MB) | GST + RST | 5% | 7% RST | 12% |
| Quebec (QC) | GST + QST | 5% | 9.975% QST | 14.975% |
| Alberta (AB) | GST only | 5% | No provincial tax | 5% |
| Northwest Territories (NT) | GST only | 5% | No territorial tax | 5% |
| Nunavut (NU) | GST only | 5% | No territorial tax | 5% |
| Yukon (YT) | GST only | 5% | No territorial tax | 5% |
British Columbia PST note: BC's PST generally applies to most clothing and footwear. Unlike some other provinces, British Columbia does not offer a blanket exemption for footwear of any price range. The full 7% PST applies to sports and athletic footwear sold to BC residents, in addition to the 5% federal GST, for a combined rate of 12%. Our checkout applies this correctly.
What happens when your order crosses the border
Because every order from Eww Sports Shoes is dispatched from the United Kingdom, your purchase is an international import. This means it may be subject to import duties and customs processing in addition to any sales tax. The rules differ significantly between the United States and Canada, and we explain both in full below.
United States — de minimis threshold
The United States applies a de minimis threshold of USD $800 per shipment. This means that any single shipment with a declared customs value at or below USD $800 enters the United States free of import duties and federal taxes. This threshold applies to each individual shipment, not to your cumulative annual spend with us.
The retail price of individual pairs of sports footwear sold on ewwsportshoes.com is below USD $800. As a result, the vast majority of orders shipped to US addresses will enter the United States without incurring import duties. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) informal entry is processed, and no duty payment is required of you before delivery.
In the unlikely event that a future order exceeds the USD $800 de minimis threshold, the shipment would be subject to standard US import duties under the applicable Harmonised Tariff Schedule (HTS) heading for footwear, which can range from approximately 6% to 20% depending on the specific materials of the upper and sole. We would notify you in advance of any such situation arising.
In plain terms: For almost all single-pair orders shipped to the United States, you will pay no import duties. Sales tax, if applicable, is collected by us at checkout. You should not receive a duty bill from a courier or customs broker for a standard order.
Canada — CBSA de minimis and import duties
Canada's import duty threshold, administered by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), is significantly lower than the US threshold. For commercial shipments imported by courier, a de minimis threshold of CAD $150 per shipment applies for both duties and taxes. Shipments valued above CAD $20 via postal services are subject to assessment.
Because the retail price of most footwear on our website exceeds CAD $150, orders shipped to Canadian addresses are typically subject to Canadian import duties and GST/HST/PST at the border, in addition to any tax we collect at checkout.
The applicable import duty rate for footwear from the United Kingdom depends on the specific construction and materials of the shoe, classified under Chapter 64 of Canada's Customs Tariff Schedule. Under the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA), goods originating in the United Kingdom may qualify for preferential tariff treatment, potentially reducing or eliminating import duties. However, the specific rate that CBSA applies depends on the product's origin documentation and tariff classification.
We declare the accurate commercial value on all customs documentation. We do not under-declare values, falsely describe goods, or take any other action that would misrepresent the nature of the shipment to customs authorities.
Canadian customers please note: Import duties and any difference between taxes collected at checkout and taxes assessed at the border are the responsibility of the recipient. We recommend checking the CBSA website for the most up-to-date information on import thresholds and duty rates before placing your order. If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com before purchasing.
What to expect during the customs clearance process
Order dispatched from the UK
We prepare a commercial invoice and customs declaration with an accurate description, HS code, and declared value of the goods. This documentation travels with your parcel.
Arrival & customs review
On arrival in the US or Canada, the customs authority reviews the shipment documentation. US shipments under $800 are typically released automatically. Canadian shipments are assessed against CBSA thresholds.
Duty & tax assessment
For US orders under $800: no duty is payable. For Canadian orders exceeding CAD $150: the CBSA or the courier may assess import duties and GST/HST before releasing the parcel for delivery.
Delivery to your address
Once any applicable customs charges are settled, your order is released for final delivery. If duties are due, the courier will typically contact you for payment before delivery.
Questions? Contact us
If you receive an unexpected customs charge or have a question about the documentation included with your parcel, contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com or call +44 20 3322 5623.
Delays due to customs
Customs clearance times are outside our control. If your parcel is held at a customs facility, we will assist with any information request from the relevant authority. Please allow additional transit time for this process.
How prices and taxes are displayed on our website
Transparent pricing is a fundamental commitment at Eww Sports Shoes. Every customer deserves to know exactly what they are paying for before confirming their order, and our checkout is designed to ensure that no charge is hidden or introduced after payment.
Product prices shown
All product prices displayed on ewwsportshoes.com are shown exclusive of tax. Tax is added and shown as a separate line item during checkout, once you have entered your delivery address and your location has been confirmed.
Currency selection
Prices are displayed in USD for US customers and CAD for Canadian customers, based on your selected region at checkout. We do not charge currency conversion fees. The price you see in your selected currency is the price you pay.
What you see before you pay
The final checkout screen displays an itemised breakdown of: product subtotal, applicable discount (if any), shipping cost, sales tax or GST/HST/PST/QST, and the total amount you will be charged. You can review and cancel your order on this screen before payment is confirmed.
Tax on sale and discounted items
When items are on sale or a discount code reduces the price of your order, sales tax and provincial tax are calculated on the reduced (discounted) price, not the original retail price. This means your tax charge reflects the amount you actually paid for the goods.
If your order qualifies for a footwear exemption in a specific state (for example, New York's exemption for footwear under $110 per item), the exemption is applied to the discounted price of each item. If a discount brings an item's price below the exemption threshold, that item becomes tax-exempt at checkout.
Promotional events and tax-free weekends
Some US states hold annual sales tax holidays during which clothing and footwear below a certain price threshold are temporarily exempt from sales tax. Where our checkout system can identify that a current tax holiday applies to your state and your order qualifies under the holiday rules, the exemption will be applied automatically.
Tax holidays are temporary and their dates change each year. We recommend checking your state's official revenue department website for the most current schedule. We make no guarantee of our system's ability to capture every tax holiday in every jurisdiction, and customers who believe an exemption was not applied correctly should contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com.
How tax is handled when you return an item
If you return a product in accordance with our returns policy and we issue a full or partial refund, the tax component of your original payment is refunded in the same proportion as the goods refund.
Full refunds
When a return results in a full refund, the entire amount charged — including the original tax collected — is returned to your original payment method. You will not be charged any fee for the tax portion of a refund. The refunded tax amount is clearly shown on the refund confirmation email we send you.
Refunds are processed within the timeframe set out in our returns policy. The time taken for the refunded amount to appear on your statement depends on your bank or card provider and is typically 5 to 10 business days after we process the refund on our end.
Partial refunds
If a partial refund is issued — for example, when only some items from a multi-item order are returned, or when a goodwill adjustment is applied — the tax refunded is calculated as a proportional amount based on the value of the goods being refunded.
For instance, if you paid $10.00 in sales tax on a $130.00 order and you return an item valued at $65.00 (representing 50% of the order value), we would refund $5.00 in sales tax alongside the $65.00 goods refund. Your refund confirmation email will always itemise the goods refund and the tax refund separately.
Import duties are not refundable by us. If your Canadian order incurred import duties assessed by CBSA at the border, those duties were paid to the Canadian government, not to Eww Sports Shoes, and are therefore outside our ability to refund. You may be able to apply to CBSA directly for a duty drawback if you export the goods. We are happy to provide documentation to support such a request — email us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com.
Obtaining your tax invoice or receipt
Every order placed on ewwsportshoes.com generates a digital order confirmation that includes a full breakdown of the goods purchased, the tax charged, the shipping cost, and the total amount paid. This document serves as your primary purchase record.
Order confirmation email
Immediately after your purchase is confirmed, Shopify sends a detailed order confirmation to the email address you provided at checkout. This email includes your order number, an itemised list of goods purchased with unit prices, the tax charged and the rate applied, shipping charges, and your total payment amount. Please retain this email for your records.
Requesting a formal tax invoice
If you require a formal tax invoice for business expense or tax purposes, please contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com with your order number and the name and address you require on the invoice. We will issue a formal invoice document within 2 business days. Invoices can be provided in PDF format by email.
GST/HST registration information
If you are a Canadian business customer who needs our GST/HST registration number for input tax credit (ITC) purposes, please contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com and reference your order number. We will provide the registration details applicable to your transaction by return email, along with a revised invoice confirming the registration information.
Record keeping: We retain transaction records for a minimum of seven years in accordance with applicable accounting and tax requirements. If you need documentary evidence of a past purchase for a tax audit or dispute, contact us at info@ewwsportsshoes.com and we will retrieve the relevant records and provide them to you promptly.
Purchasing on a tax-exempt basis
We recognise that some customers — including registered charities, non-profit organisations, and qualifying resellers — may be entitled to make purchases free of sales tax under applicable US state law. We are able to accommodate verified tax-exempt orders on a case-by-case basis.
How to apply for tax-exempt status
If you believe your purchase qualifies for a sales tax exemption under your state's tax code, please contact us before placing your order at info@ewwsportsshoes.com with the subject line "Tax Exemption Request" and include:
1. Your full legal name or organisation name
2. Your state of purchase and delivery
3. A copy of your current, valid tax exemption certificate or reseller's permit issued by your state's revenue authority
4. A brief description of the intended use of the goods
We will review your documentation and respond within 2 business days. If your exemption is verified, we will provide a discount code or adjusted invoice that removes or refunds the sales tax element of your purchase.
Important conditions
Tax exemptions are applied strictly in accordance with the laws of the state to which the goods are delivered. We are required to verify the validity and applicability of any exemption certificate before waiving the tax charge. We reserve the right to decline a tax exemption request if the documentation provided does not satisfy the requirements of the relevant state's tax authority.
Providing false or fraudulent exemption documentation in order to avoid paying legally owed sales tax is a criminal offence under US state law. Any person who provides false documentation to obtain an unwarranted tax exemption assumes full legal responsibility for the consequences of that action.
There is currently no equivalent self-certification exemption mechanism for Canadian GST/HST/PST in the context of consumer goods. Canadian business customers seeking relief from GST/HST may claim input tax credits directly with the Canada Revenue Agency after purchase. Contact us for the invoice documentation needed to support an ITC claim.
How and when this policy changes
Tax law in both the United States and Canada is subject to change through legislation, court rulings, regulatory guidance, and government budgets. We review and update this Tax Policy regularly to reflect any changes that affect how tax is applied to your purchases from Eww Sports Shoes.
When we update this policy
We update this page whenever a material change occurs to the tax rules that govern our sales to US and Canadian customers. This includes changes to state economic nexus thresholds, new footwear exemption rules, Canadian GST/HST/PST rate changes, changes to Canadian or US import duty thresholds, and any other regulatory development that directly affects what you pay.
The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this page before placing an order, particularly if you are ordering after a known regulatory change such as a provincial budget or a new state tax law.
Questions about this policy
If you have a specific question about how tax applies to your order that is not answered by this page, we encourage you to contact us directly before you purchase. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM GMT, and we will do our best to provide a clear and accurate answer.
Please note that while we can explain how we apply tax to orders placed through ewwsportshoes.com, we are not tax advisers. If you have a complex personal or business tax question relating to your purchases — for example, regarding deductibility, ITC eligibility, or personal import obligations — we recommend consulting a qualified tax professional or your relevant government tax authority.
For official US state tax information, visit your state's department of revenue website. For official Canadian federal and provincial tax information, visit canada.ca/cra. For US Customs and Border Protection information, visit cbp.gov. For the Canada Border Services Agency, visit cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.
Talk to us about your tax question
Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Greenwich Mean Time. If you contact us outside business hours, we will reply on the next business day. Please include your order number in any tax-related query so we can retrieve your records quickly.
This Tax Policy applies exclusively to orders placed through ewwsportshoes.com and dispatched to addresses in the United States and Canada. Eww Sports Shoes is a trading name of Wellnessmasco Ltd (Company No. 15150625), registered in England and Wales with its registered office at 15 Herbert Rd, London N15 4FG, United Kingdom. The information on this page is provided for transparency and customer guidance. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Tax rates, thresholds, and regulations are set by government authorities and may change. We update this page to reflect changes as they occur. For the most current official information, refer to the relevant government tax authority in your country, state, or province. All product names and trademarks referenced on this site, including On Running, HOKA, and Brooks, belong to their respective owners. Eww Sports Shoes and Wellnessmasco Ltd are independent retailers and are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of these brands. For our full privacy practices, see our Privacy Policy. For all other enquiries, visit our Contact page or browse our full product catalogue.