Ebay charging their commission on VAT & Import charges on International Sales

[datsunpartsinoz]

Hello all

It has just come to my attention that ebay is adding the value of any Overseas VAT and Import Charges THEY collect from International buyers to the total Transaction amount before calculating the Final Sellers Fee.

I find this rather rude if not illegal.

This is not money the Seller ever sees and is not aware of the amount (if any) until after the sale so can not be allowed for when advising the Buyer of a total cost.  It is too confusing as well as not all countries charge import taxes and when they do it can vary.

Nor is it a service the Seller is providing.

The amount in question can work out be a large percentage of the sale, for example, a sale I did to Greece today is:  Item Price $68, Postage $76 plus Import Tax $34.

So I am out of pocket another $4 on a $68 sale!

This is a Tax that is solely the responsibility of the Buyer that ebay is collecting on behalf of the Buyers country Tax department.

Does anyone else see this as being yet another ebay rort?

I do accept that ebay can charge their commission on Freight & Postage costs added to the sale as that is an action of the Seller and money they collect, these Import taxes are not.

What do other Sellers think?

Has anyone ever challenged ebay on this ?

Thanks in advance

Simon

[siddieswans]

"Sorry if you were the one honest person who got caught up in their great system."

Didn't affect me at all. I wouldn't have known anything about it except that the buyer told me. When I said many years ago I meant many years ago, long before eBay added VAT to invoices. As I said I have no idea of this is still the case.

[kopenhagen5]

All I could find on this.

VAT. You must pay VAT of 25% on all goods purchased in countries outside the EU. VAT is charged on the total amount payable for the goods, shipping costs, customs duties and any other duties. You pay VAT either when the goods arrive in Denmark or in the webshop where you buy the goods.

[countessalmirena]

Thank you, kopenhagen. 🙏🏻🤗

It puts our 10% GST in a kinder light…

There’s no suggestion there that Danish customs gave some sort of super price database for all items. If there is such a thing, it is kept sub rosa, apparently.

[siddieswans]

When I said a long time ago, it would probably be 15 years, maybe more. From what the buyer said, it seemed to me that they had one of those Price Guide books - they had a list of B & G design numbers, checked his, and said "that's what it's worth, that's what you pay duty on."

[sugar249]

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@siddieswans wrote:

When I said a long time ago, it would probably be 15 years, maybe more. From what the buyer said, it seemed to me that they had one of those Price Guide books - they had a list of B & G design numbers, checked his, and said "that's what it's worth, that's what you pay duty on."

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Or the buyer was just trying to get you to feel sorry, and refund a few dollars

[domino-710]

How on earth can you compare diamonds to a piece of collectable pottery with a hair line fracture. ??

[domino-710]

Perhaps the Danish should be watching ' Antiques Roadshow ' - oh dear - hairline fracture - 1,000 quid - but had it not had the fracture add another 9,000 quid. LOL

[sugar249]

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@domino-710 wrote:

How on earth can you compare diamonds to a piece of collectable pottery with a hair line fracture. ??

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I was comparing the unethical behaviour of some sellers and buyers to defraud the government (thats us) and other businesses.  Antiques is one where there is a lot of unethical behaviour.

[domino-710]

Well - to be fair - not all indulge in unethical behaviour.

[domino-710]

Wonder what the Danes think of pink diamonds from Thailand. lol