eBay warned sellers of new rules when exporting goods to the UK as of January 1, 2021. eBay said US sellers who list on the US eBay site don’t have to take any action, while sellers who list directly on the UK or EU eBay sites will see changes to the listing flow.
According to eBay a new model is going into effect for the VAT treatment of goods arriving into Great Britain from outside of the UK. Among the changes are the following:
- Sellers will be obliged to register for UK VAT and collect UK VAT on goods shipped to the UK with a value up to £135 (approximately $180 USD).
- Where a package is above £135, the buyer will have to pay import VAT.
You can find the full announcement with more details on the eBay Main Street blog. It serves as a reminder that sellers who export goods should do research to make sure they comply with regulations.
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.
