MJSSC, A 501(c)3 Nonprofit Corp - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: BalticLab
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 11:47:39 pm
content: I was just researching MJSSC, an alleged Nonprofit Coorporation that I found as 100 % beneficiary of several Israel based eBay sellers. Of course I foundthisthread talking about surplustechmart. But it seems like there's more sellers out there, like sportshiny and ronenct1. I tried to research but did find absolutely nothing about this Organization. Since eBay says "In addition, all eBay for Charity items will qualify for a fee credit on basic insertion and final value fees equal to the percentage donated.", I assume it's a scheme to save eBay fees.Am I missing something or are these sellers really in the business of being good samaritans?

author: techvolley
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 18, 2014, 11:07:44 am
content: i have the same question... i am looking to buy from suprlustechmart who sponsored this charity and wanted to see if there was any more informaiton onnline. did a search and this blog came up. any more news on these guys? i checked into them and they have been around since 2002 and they had a link on their web site that took me to the IRS.gov site...it said they are registered in good standing with the IRS so it appears they are legit. I also looked into eBay's program for nonprofits and MJSSC has been actively selling chartiable items since 2004 and there werent any complaints about them. they provide services to the disabled. guess they can't be all that bad. no doubt i could think of worse cuases to support such like these:http://www.tampabay.com/americas-worst-charities/and heres another article by CNNhttp://www.cnn.com/2013/06/13/us/worst-charities/so, my other burning question is how are these recycled tech sellers able to exist if they are giving all their profits to charity? i looked into these sellers and foudn out that these sellers have big corporate and government contracts from which they derive most of their revenue. apparently ebay is jus ttheir dumping block to get rid of whatever isn't fit for their regular stream of commerce. also from what i could deduce, these sales have got to be corporate writeoffs.. they are selling and mostly junk and spare parts which were probably donated by cthe microsofts, googles, intels, universities, military, and other R&D hubs. they donate the money and write it off, or they give the charity a bunch of free merchandise that they can't sell and hire the charity to sell it for them in exchange for a writeoff.in the end though i think it all lines eBays pockets because they are the ones who probably benefit the most. not all the ebays fees are in fact creddited back to the charity... ebay still profits, paypal takes their cut, the postal service gets its fees, the sellers/techs/warehouses/govt gets thier cut, and at the end of the day, the charity and subsequently the disabled people it helps get whats leftover.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2014, 06:04:59 pm
content: They are only donating 10%. Which is the same as the eBay fees.

author: BalticLab
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2014, 04:04:20 pm
content: QuoteCareful with that. All it takes to be in 'good standing' is that you file and pay your taxes on time. This is really a big catch that tricks lots of people. Like for my AR (USA) based company I get a "Certificate of Good Standing" after I pay my $150 corporation tax to the state. Now this is a real business, not non-profit. But the non profits are the same, pay the IRS and you're in "good standing" with them. These certificates of Good Standing are often used to convince customers that they're dealing with a legit or even superior kind of business.QuoteThere's always worse. And I guess there have been no complaints because the buyer has no damage. I wouldn't even be surprised if most people don't even notice the charity part. Getting accepted by the IRS as charitable organization is a piece of cake. I just went through the process with a local amateur radio club.Quote from: echen1024 on March 18, 2014, 06:04:59 pm

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2014, 07:23:45 pm
content: Wouldn't they be able to claim these sold items as "donation" and get a discount at the end of the year when they pay the taxes in Israel (or wherever they are)?I think that's pretty much the scheme here. They collect stuff, what they can't sell they "donate" through eBay.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2014, 12:48:56 am
content: Quote from: mariush on March 20, 2014, 07:23:45 pmIf they buy it as scrap metal in cents/kg, they might make a profit simply front he tax returns.

author: techvolley
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 23, 2014, 02:32:06 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on March 18, 2014, 06:04:59 pmEchen1024 not sure where you are getting you information? They advertise they are donating 100%. By the way, eBay fees are only credited in instances where an item sells, so, eBay is getting paid by the charity everytime they list something and it doesnt sell. If eBay, a multibillion dollar corp, were truly noble, it would donate all the fees to the charities and charge them nothing... he he wishful thinking.

author: techvolley
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 23, 2014, 03:17:40 am
content: Quote from: KF5OBS on March 13, 2014, 11:47:39 pmKF50BS what search engine are you using? The reason I ask is because I did a simple google search for MJSSC and got dozens of links to their nonprofit website, directors, tax returns, youtube, twitter, etc. I am a skeptic like yourself when it comes to good samaritans, but these guys information and outreach is well published and accessible in several websites (their contact information is quite transparent unlike some other corps I know... ahem ... "eBay") and they are corroborated by other nonprofit professionals that direct programs that appear to be operating on significantly greater budgets.Anyway, I took it upon myself to do my own due diligence on these guys, and a simple email to the organization requesting additional information was helpful. I am going to start a new thread to share with you what i found. But for the purpose of this thread, the bottom line here for peace of mind is 1) This organization is chartered by the IRS, as a legitimate nonprofit with a federal tax exemption categorically for education which means they can accept donations of money/property/etc and issue tax deductions. 2) they have been around since 2002 and are not a 'fly by night' organization 3) they have been registered with eBay Giving Works in good standing since 2004. They appear to do right by their customers, and their sellers and sponsors all have outstanding eBay ratings. Not sure what else I need to know here? My main concern was whether or not this organization was a front for some diabolical plan by the israelis to take over the world... (sorry Israel but thats the cynic in me) and LOL, what I found was very far from that -- See my new thread. if i had reason to doubt the quality of the recycled tech they are selling, that would be one thing, but i am not about to throw them under the bus because i am not privy to how they manage their fundraising. i trust the powers that be and the watchdogs whose job it is to scrutinize the NGO industry are keeping them and other organizations that raise fudns on eBay in compliance.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2014, 05:31:40 am
content: Quote from: techvolley on March 23, 2014, 02:32:06 amOn some sales, I have seen 10%. The one you pointed to and many others are 100%. Sorry for the confusion.