How to open Business account and keep your real details private

[ebabe]

So I have a chance to be top-rated, and I know from experience that being top-rated does help with sales. Well, I have an opportunity again to be top-rated on my new MP eBay account that I have had for about 2 years now. When I had a business account years ago on my old account, I was told by eBay that I could put any name and address for the business details. Is this still true? Technically it would be a business account, but I'm not a huge business in the true sense of the word, it's a one-man show, and I would rather not have the whole world see my name, address, and phone number on my listing page. How do you deal with this?? Is it still the same as years before?

[SaiJin]

Do NOT ever EVER trust ebay with anything they say.
I'd treat your account even more carefully.

PS: congrats on top seller status! That's awesome. Your volume is so going to increase =)

[ebabe]

Originally Posted by SaiJin

Do NOT ever EVER trust ebay with anything they say.
I'd treat your account even more carefully.

PS: congrats on top seller status! That's awesome. Your volume is so going to increase =)

''I'd treat your account even more carefully'' what do you mean?

[Roy3805]

Originally Posted by ebabe

''I'd treat your account even more carefully'' what do you mean?

Don’t listen to eBay.. trust your gut feeling

[Hank]

As you know, if you want Top Rated status you have no choice but to convert the account to a business.

You cannot use any old address as they implied, that's simply not true. You will need to use the address where your business is registered because you will have to provide your UTR if you go sole trader, or, if you really do want to hide your address, the address where your Limited Company is registered - the latter can give you the anonymity you require but also comes with more statutory requirements, paperwork, and costs.

Just to put things in context, what do you anticipate your annual turnover would be?

[ebabe]

Originally Posted by Hank

As you know, if you want Top Rated status you have no choice but to convert the account to a business.

You cannot use any old address as they implied, that's simply not true. You will need to use the address where your business is registered because you will have to provide your UTR if you go sole trader, or, if you really do want to hide your address, the address where your Limited Company is registered - the latter can give you the anonymity you require but also comes with more statutory requirements, paperwork, and costs.

Just to put things in context, what do you anticipate your annual turnover would be?

Im not exactly sure at this point as I have only started to source and sell my product over the last month, but I have estimated 24k per year gross sales.

[Hank]

IMO a Limited Company isn't appropriate.

For Sole Traders I've used my accountants address in the past as that's where I work from as far as HMRC are concerned and where I had my UTR letters etc sent.

[ebabe]

Originally Posted by Hank

IMO a Limited Company isn't appropriate.

For Sole Traders I've used my accountants address in the past as that's where I work from as far as HMRC are concerned and where I had my UTR letters etc sent.

Can I use my ebay username as the name? And then an appropriate address, other than home address, as the business address?

[Hank]

Originally Posted by ebabe

Can I use my ebay username as the name? And then an appropriate address, other than home address, as the business address?

Clearly you need to supply legit details to HMRC to get a UTR. Is the account name yours or stealth?

The address can be legitimately manipulated, that shouldn't be an issue as I mentioned above.

AFAIK, ebay will display the name as per your UTR registration.

[ebabe]

Originally Posted by Hank

Clearly you need to supply legit details to HMRC to get a UTR. Is the account name yours or stealth?

The address can be legitimately manipulated, that shouldn't be an issue as I mentioned above.

AFAIK, ebay will display the name as per your UTR registration.

account name is real, Not stealth

Everything is legit on the account, Thanks for your reply

[Hank]

Use your real name, get a business address and then you can do everything by the book.

Your name isn't so unique that anyone is going hunting for it are they, particularly if you put some distance between your home address and business address?

[ebabe]

Originally Posted by Hank

Use your real name, get a business address and then you can do everything by the book.

Your name isn't so unique that anyone is going hunting for it are they, particularly if you put some distance between your home address and business address?

Thanks,

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by ebabe

''I'd treat your account even more carefully'' what do you mean?

As in take good care of it... don't do anything dumb thinking you can get away with it... be more conservative with it?