It's about time You Lot backed off the 'private seller' with threats of HMRC

[the-bee-keeper]

The private seller is getting very tired with all the threats of HMRC

Because that is all they are threats.

Unless you know about their circumstances it is not for you to comment and make threats!

So you must have a very sad life to keep targeting the 'private seller' with threats!

Time to back off!!

Kudos to the genuine hard working private sellers!!

Innocent until proven guilty 

So Good Luck!

[moldosgifts]

No threat here but the thing you possibly refer to its the law.

Online transaction have to be reported to HMRC so all online platforms have to do it not just eBay.

The figures have been set at 30 items or £1700 sales which ever comes first at that point eBay will pass on all sales data to  HMRC.

Then IF HMRC come calling its for you to prove your not a business 

But if you are a business it will benefit you from 4th of feb to register as such on ebay. And if your not it MAY benefit you to register as such.

You'll have to work that out for yourself.

What account you actually have on ebay has no bearing on whether HMRC will contact you or not.

[papso22]

I also give kudos to the genuine private sellers.

It's the fake ones I object to, and believe it or not, many of them are ridiculously easy to spot, or even expose themselves as businesses with what they post on the boards.

[bravergrace]

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@the-bee-keeper wrote:

The private seller is getting very tired with all the threats of HMRC

Because that is all they are threats.

Unless you know about their circumstances it is not for you to comment and make threats!

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Personally, I don't make threats to report anyone to HMRC.

And you're absolutely right to say that people need to know about a seller's circumstances to judge whether they're running a business.  But sometimes, the seller tells you all about their circumstances in the listings.  You don't need to guess and make assumptions.

I can't speak for anyone else, but here are four (real-life) examples of eBay sellers who claim to be private sellers, not running a business.  Judge for yourself.  (I have changed the product details and wording so the sellers can't be identified - I'm not "naming and shaming")

- Seller A, sells brand new saucepans.  Their username is the exact same name as the real life kitchenware shops they run.  I know this, because their "about me" page includes photographs of the inside and outside of their shops.  They have £10,000 worth of  saucepans listed, and each listing says "Buy from us with confidence.  We have 30 years' experience in the trade.  Or visit our High Street shops in S..town and C....ford."

- Seller B, sells fancy dress costumes.  Each photograph of their items includes their business card, giving their High Street Shop name, address, telephone number and website. Each listing says "This costume is available in at least 12 sizes.   Bulk discounts available to trade buyers.  Phone for details."

- Seller C, is selling 100 original 1930s oil paintings, all by the same painter.  These were sold at a public auction house last week, all to the same buyer.   Their user name includes the words "art" and "dealer".  Their listings say "Viewing within normal business hours at our gallery in the Market Square, ...town.  Our standard trading terms and conditions apply -  available on application at our registered office."

- Seller D, sells 10 different types of walk-in showers for disabled people.  Each shower is listed for 99p + free delivery.  The listing says "DO NOT BUY THIS LISTING.  EMAIL ME FOR DETAILS.   PRICES START AT £999 + £299 labour charge."  You can easily e-mail them because they have included a picture of their email address on each listing.

Honestly, can you see why businesses that sell this sort of thing on eBay - and pay the proper fees, and accept returns, and generally obey the law - might get cross with these 4 businesses?  

[jma2815]

I don’t see any threats. At the moment I do see people quite rightly being told why they shouldn’t be complaining about the upcoming fee changes when their posts are full of things like ‘this is will hurt my small business’, ‘how am I to make a profit’, ‘I can’t restock’, ‘but my items have a lead-time’, ‘import’, and on and on.

There are some who claim their selling is a hobby, (my favourite was one poster who sold hundreds of mobile phones a week as ‘emotional therapy’) but they’re wrong. They too are rightly advised otherwise but will never accept the truth. 

I am a genuine, occasional private seller of a few old clothes and craft supplies. If I were to turn my hand to using those craft supplies to make things to list for sale I would consider that a business and pay all legally required expenses associated with that, including eBay fees. 

[555njp]

Bottom line is, if you are a genuine private seller (literally only clearing out your home, not buying or making goods to sell on) then you have absolutely nothing to fear if reported to HMRC.
Be that by disgruntled business sellers, other p’d off private sellers or eBay’s legal requirement to report everyone selling over £1740 worth of goods or more than 30 items in a year.

HMRC will get this info and decide accordingly if any action needs taking.

As you say innocent until proven guilty, but that’s the problem, plenty of evidence available to prove beyond reasonable doubt that some ‘private sellers’ (we know they are not, so no offence intended to the genuine ones!) are easy to spot and taking the mick.
Their tax position is nothing to do with anyone but themselves and HMRC however using the wrong account in order to avoid fees and deny buyers of their consumer rights should concern everyone with any morals/ethics.

[buffster1963]

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@the-bee-keeper wrote:

The private seller is getting very tired with all the threats of HMRC

Because that is all they are threats.

Unless you know about their circumstances it is not for you to comment and make threats!

So you must have a very sad life to keep targeting the 'private seller' with threats!

Time to back off!!

Kudos to the genuine hard working private sellers!!

Innocent until proven guilty 

So Good Luck!

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Nobody on these boards, not once, has accused you of being a business seller or threatened you with HMRC ( have not seen anyone threaten to report anyone actually) so not even sure why you are posting this.

tThe only sellers being told they should be a business are the ones ( usually with business sounding names) selling hundreds of brand new items on a private account. 

[yorkshire*flower · Accepted solution]

You have 264 listings and yes that may be you having a clear out, which is fine, BUT you will still go over the 30 transactions and your name will go to HMRC, by law. This isnt a threat its real.

Its then upto you to then explain your circumstances to HMRC whether you are selling these as a reseller or as a pre-owner..  Granted they probably wont bother with anyone just over but if you have around 264 items rolling all year and go way over the £1700 threshold then you are realistically going to be on their radar.

Its as simple as that, no threats nor do "circumstances" really come into it, if youre selling as a reseller for profit.  Im guessing by the tone of your post and the comment "Kudos to the genuine hard working private sellers!!" you are a reseller making a profit as  "Hard working" isnt really the words of someone selling pre-owned possessions would use.   Also you have used your actual login to write these comments  for HMRC to also see, so a little more difficult for you to reply back to them saying they are personal possessions, also reading back on your previous posts you are very active in selling and changing your name doesnt work, its all linked to read - but good luck