rlw2970 wrote in eBay sales tax?:Sellers do not pay sales tax when someone buys an item from themThe sales tax is paid by the buyer. ONLY in states who collect sales tax on 'Internet or Online' sales.Many retailers have been doing it from the start, some just started doing itEbay is a great online marketplace. People complain about fees but I have no problem paying some $$ to reach thosands, even millions of potential buyers
Sardan wrote in eBay sales tax?:Books are exempt from VAT so eBay shouldn’t be charging VAT on books. That doesn’t mean it isn’t and I haven’t checked. I largely stopped buying from the US over the last ten years as shipping costs have increased dramatically and I have most of the things I want. So it’s really important for non-UK sellers to mark packages as “books” rather than “games”. There may be differences in the approach eBay takes depending on the category an item is listed in. Again I haven’t checked. I have had to reclaim VAT in the past when US sellers have not marked items as books, although one could never get the £8 handling fee back. It has been covered by the press, well the FT at least, it’s the only daily I read so may be covered elsewhere. Subscribe to read | Financial Times
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:I'm wondering when they'll make it illegal to sell second hand vehicles, unless it is done through an approved reseller, on health and safety grounds. In fact, why not make it illegal for a person to work on or maintain a vehicle or appliance unless it is done by a major vendor network. If the muppetry buy into that and then you can stop them darning their own socks and pants too.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:Thanks for the link (Sadly I do not subscribe).Note that not all books are tax exempts. RPG books are classed as games and are taxable.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:The problem isn't the tax. Most buyers from abroad agree with and pay the tax. The problem is going to be all the small businesses that sell everything online, that will not longer ship to the UK rather than registering with HMRC and making quarterly returns to the British Government under threat of fines if they make a mistake. Better to not sell to UK customers and avoid all the headaches plain and simple.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:This is why the majority of banks will not entertain US citizens as customers, not because those citizens are unwilling to pay the bank charges, or because they are inclined toward money laundering, but because it simply is not worth jumping through all the hoops and opening up their banks to the IRS requirements.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:Interesting though that all European buyers are to be isolated from the world and corralled into buying from a few select major sources though, and interesting also that soon US buyers will be seriously penalised if they sell to anyone in Europe, and not just the UK, unless they sell through Amazon or eBay Marketplace.Seems like quite a nail in the coffin of mom and pop businesses.
Sardan wrote in eBay sales tax?:I successfully reclaimed VAT on a Kickstarter package on the basis that even though there were other items not just books (a ruler, a bookmark etc., I think) those other items were stretch goals and supplied for no payment and the cost solely related to the books.
They just won’t sell to the EU/UK unless via an online marketplace.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:I don't really thing any of the countries in Europe are ready to give up their sovereignty any time in the next half century.
sauromatian wrote in eBay sales tax?:True, but what if the EU can support separatist movements within those countries, which would then break away to join the EU? Sounds crazy, but it just might work.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:That's the problem though. I dealt with it for decades. Royal Mail impose VAT on products as they see fit, and on top of that they impose an £8 charge, so they are incentivised when opening a package to find a reason to impose a charge. You can fill out a form and claim your VAT back, but you don't get your £8 charge back, and you spend your own time chasing £5 in VAT instead of working and creating turnover. Yep, that's what I think will happen. It'll take time for people to get the message, and lots of nasty letters from HMRC to sellers, but soon we'll only be able to buy through eBay Marketplace and Amazon, and maybe a big reseller like Noble Knight Games, but I can't see small businesses anywhere selling as an independent to people in the UK/EU, and if anyone is going to pick up the cost, it can only be the buyer, because sellers are not that dumb or that desperate.That said, with a company like NKG, are they really going to register with HMRC and do tax returned to the UK? And then register with the tax authorities in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and do the same? Maybe come July the EU will have a single tax authority and a single tax structure.
mbassoc2003 wrote in eBay sales tax?:Well at least that's sensible.So if I sell materials to Europe, and Germany is the bulk of my clientele, I register to pay the tax on goods in Germany, and it covers tax paid on all countries in Europe, so when I ship to Portugal, it just gets added to the total tax I collect and pay to Germany?I assume taxation in all countries in Europe will then be made the same, and I'm not expected to tax at X% when shipping to county X, Y% when shipping to country Y, for example?All apart from the UK who went rogue of course.
Sardan wrote in eBay sales tax?:I think you only need one VAT return in one country but have to charge, collect and pay at the different rates for each country you trade with.
