Ebay forces upgrade to Business due to new HMRC regulations

[sportex-uk]

Hi All.

I've received an email from ebay forcing me to switch to business account due to the volume of my recent sales. Customer service explained that I exceeded £1800 in one month, so they act in line with new HMRC regulations. The email is a bit threatening: "We need you to make these changes to your account within the next 21 days. If you don’t, your selling privileges may be blocked. This includes listings ended and loss of selling history."

However, As I'm not ready to go business and I consider my increased activity as temporary, Customer Service advised that if reduce my sales volume, I can stay private. Has any of you passed through this process?

Also, what happensto your existing promo listings if you switch to business? Are they allowed to continue on promo terms and with 'no returns accepted' until they sell or end?

[litp*records]

180 replies for the OP to just stick their fingers up to all the advice given, smh

[thebeautician]

Great thread!

It took me a full lunch to read it. 🤣

[potters_uk]

For anyone who might think that HMRC dont have the personel to deal with large numbers of Ebay accounts, you might want to look up the word " out sourcing "

[sportex-uk]

I agree with you totally. IIt's ebay who creates pathologic situation, as how different can you call FVF Promos on such huge volumes, with monthly sales limit of £15,000 for new users? It's encouraging people to sell this way, so people just do this. Another thing is promo listings are far worse positioned and receive far less views than non-promo. Business sellers can also do premium service, what maximises visibility and I'm going to benefit from this, despite higher fees.

Another thing is lot's of crying business sellers here think that selling on a private means avoiding HMRC as well and they're serious in this nonsense belief.

Thanks for reminding - my backup account is on a different bank account, but I stopped all sales just in case, so I can take some time off and finalise my HMRC return in the meantime, then submit it straight away in April. Unless ebay will check it retrospectively and that will be the end.

[pillarboxred]

Business activity goes up and down and is thus always temporary.

I didn't know "no returns accepted" is approved by eBay and in some cases returns and refunds can be forced if eBay determines the seller is at fault. It happened to me recently.  If they kick you off, the business you would have had will go to sellers who are compliant: they will make your money for themselves. Maybe look at this change as an opportunity: the Dragon's Den hate businesses that aren't properly run. If you are a well-run business you become "investable".