Got the UK Ebay VAT email

[rafoman]

Hi all,

I tried searching (search doesnt allow 3 letter word searches, lol), anyway,

I have a UK ebay account which has £36,000 in sales over the past year. Today I got an email stating that I need to provide them with a VAT number.

My question is, what is the threshold in sales before ebay ask for VAT numbers? This seems like a low figure to be honest but got me thinking about my other accounts,

thanks in advance

[james_112233]

It's 85k in the UK there must be some glitch on the site for it to trigger a VAT number request.

[rafoman]

Originally Posted by james_112233

It's 85k in the UK there must be some glitch on the site for it to trigger a VAT number request.

I thought I had read about £85k too.

hmm, what would you guys do? continue selling until its potentially toast (maybe not) or put it on gardening leave a while?

I am not bothered about not using it for a few weeks...

Any experience in this anyone?

cheers

[Hank]

If you're adamant that there is no reason for this account to be VAT registered then you need to sort it out with ebay and ask what their reasoning is.

Putting it on gardening leave will not make the issue go away.

Just a wild guess but is it possible they are aware you are the owner of more than one account and have added the turnover of two accounts?

[defwax7]

I think eBay signed up to an HMRC intiative in 2018, designed to tackle foreign based sellers fraudulently misrepresenting their location to evade vat. Could be a glitch tho!

[james_112233]

Ok, what defwax makes sense. If ebay think you are not a UK resident you are required to provide a VAT number regardless of the 85k limit.

[StealthHarry]

I also got it on all my accounts

One hasn’t even passed £1k sales in the year

I doubt it’s a glitch (it could be though), but from the looks of it ebay is going to become very difficult for us to operate stealth off

Anyways best of luck to everyone always

[rafoman]

Originally Posted by StealthHarry

I also got it on all my accounts

One hasn’t even passed £1k sales in the year

I doubt it’s a glitch (it could be though), but from the looks of it ebay is going to become very difficult for us to operate stealth off

Anyways best of luck to everyone always

Wow. I assume they are business accounts?

Possibly new rules with Brexit completion impending?

[james_112233]

Simply not possible

eBay would lose all of their UK sellers if they start asking everyone for a VAT number regardless.

People deliberately stay within the threshold because VAT is a nightmare when it comes to accounting unless you can significantly grow your business and make it worthwhile.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by StealthHarry

I also got it on all my accounts

One hasn’t even passed £1k sales in the year

I doubt it’s a glitch (it could be though), but from the looks of it ebay is going to become very difficult for us to operate stealth off

Anyways best of luck to everyone always

So are you, and also rafoman if they see this, UK based sellers? Are you, or do ebay think, you're not UK residents?


Given you're both displaying the UK flag and haven't mentioned being based in another country, I assumed you were. It's pretty important to know to work out ebays angle.

[rafoman]

Originally Posted by Hank

So are you, and also rafoman if they see this, UK based sellers? Are you, or do ebay think, you're not UK residents?


Given you're both displaying the UK flag and haven't mentioned being based in another country, I assumed you were. It's pretty important to know to work out ebays angle.

Yes I'm in the UK and I use a UK sim for mobile broadband etc. But I will say this,, I've sent a few items from Germany to the UK recently using a partner in Germany. The tracking would show this. I dont know if that would raise flags?

I have done this before (months, years ago) on other accounts, no issues.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by rafoman

Yes I'm in the UK and I use a UK sim for mobile broadband etc. But I will say this,, I've sent a few items from Germany to the UK recently using a partner in Germany. The tracking would show this. I dont know if that would raise flags?

I have done this before (months, years ago) on other accounts, no issues.

Done on other accounts without issues...quite likely won't cause issues on the account as long as customer is satisfied

[Bigblackdog]

If you are UK based, shipping from the UK they will have no need to ask you about VAT unless you are above the threshold

If you are a UK based account but shipping from outside the UK they will

If you are registered on .co.uk but are based outside the UK (Chinese sellers usually are) they will ask for VAT details

The game is getting harder to play all the time

[StealthHarry]

I’m UK based sending to U.K. only

The account is honestly not passed a £1000 in sales, they’ve flagged all my accounts for it, none of them have even done £10k in sales this year

Chinese sellers are having a laugh, killing the U.K. market via eBay, and eBay screws us UK Sellers to top it off

[Bigblackdog]

Originally Posted by StealthHarry

I’m UK based sending to U.K. only

The account is honestly not passed a £1000 in sales, they’ve flagged all my accounts for it, none of them have even done £10k in sales this year

Chinese sellers are having a laugh, killing the U.K. market via eBay, and eBay screws us UK Sellers to top it off

You need to contact EB and explain that your turnover is below the VAT threshold and Customs and Excise have told you that you are not required to register - EB cannot force voluntary registratiob

[Rusek]

Got on absolutely fresh accounts (personal all) with no sales, just clicked that I am not vat registered