The Truth About Foreign Accounts

[fadetoblk]

Are foreign accounts really as great as people on this forum make them out to be? Wouldn't it be more work to get sales when people see you are based in another country? I'm just asking because after months of research, I finally want to give this stealth thing a go. I have two options, use a family member's info or use a foreign account which I obviously don't want to do for various reasons. With the family option, I'm worried about taxes and how that would work, but also I have no idea how paying taxes with ⊗⊗⊗⊗ information made with the foreign account would even work. If anyone would like to give me the pros and cons of a US account vs a foreign one, go ahead...

[Kajunrook]

Why would you even worry about taxes on a foreign account, just keep your paypal under the tax window and you are good.

[fadetoblk]

Originally Posted by Kajunrook

Why would you even worry about taxes on a foreign account, just keep your paypal under the tax window and you are good.

Because It's pretty hard to figure things out on this forum with so much information spread around and a lot of people like to act like things are this big secret so I didn't know. Thanks anyways.

[WasTopRatedThenBanned]

foreign account has no SSN, no need to worry about irs.

[Kajunrook]

But his paypal will probably be USA, so he needs to stay under 18K

Originally Posted by WasTopRatedThenBanned

foreign account has no SSN, no need to worry about irs.

[big tymer]

I get more sales with my USA based Etsy account than my foreign based etsy account. I think it comes down to how fast people can get their items. When people in the USA know that an item ships from overseas they know it can take a while to reach and it is harder for them to return if they need to.

[fadetoblk]

Originally Posted by big tymer

I get more sales with my USA based Etsy account than my foreign based etsy account. I think it comes down to how fast people can get their items. When people in the USA know that an item ships from overseas they know it can take a while to reach and it is harder for them to return if they need to.

Apparently there's a way to say that you ship from the US, but I'm still trying to find a correct answer to that.

[Nicoleprice]

When a new listing is created it allows you to choose a ship from Destination

[fadetoblk]

Originally Posted by Nicoleprice

When a new listing is created it allows you to choose a ship from Destination

Yeah but etsy is sensitive to literally everything so, I figured it would flag me or cause problems shipping from a US address when my VPN and shop is based in Mexico

[big tymer]

i think they are more concerned about items not being shipped than items from a mexico based store shipping from the usa. I explained it that while my shop is based in Thailand the items have already been shipped to the USA and my sister handles the packaging and shipping. Put something like that is your About Your Shop Story Section and also your listings - that your items ship from the USA, be in front of it with a reason why your items ship from the USA. In my case, I explained my jewellery was hand made in Thailand, where the etsy store is registered, but that we travel throughout the USA for 5 months a year and we sell on Etsy and shipping and packaging is handled by my sister who is based in the USA. Never had a problem.

[fadetoblk]

Originally Posted by big tymer

i think they are more concerned about items not being shipped than items from a mexico based store shipping from the usa. I explained it that while my shop is based in Thailand the items have already been shipped to the USA and my sister handles the packaging and shipping. Put something like that is your About Your Shop Story Section and also your listings - that your items ship from the USA, be in front of it with a reason why your items ship from the USA. In my case, I explained my jewellery was hand made in Thailand, where the etsy store is registered, but that we travel throughout the USA for 5 months a year and we sell on Etsy and shipping and packaging is handled by my sister who is based in the USA. Never had a problem.

Did you ever tell etsy upfront about it or did you just do it and they never said anything? Thank you for the in depth explanation.