LUCID and restrictions on selling to Germany

[dza-4617]

Hi, I received an automated email from ebay basically saying to provide the LUCID number to keep selling to German customers and that I may have noticed that my listings are not visible to German buyers. Upon checking, all my listings are visible on the ebay.de (guest mode and logged in with a German address) so not really sure what is up. I checked my mailbox and did not have previous emails from ebay about this.

I did notice a sharp decline in sales to Germany, just a few in last 3 months when before that had around 10 every month. 

Thoughts?

[therenewalworkshopltd]

What's to think about?

If you want to sell to Germany, then you need to be registered with Lucid!  It's as simple as that.

[dza-4617]

Yeah but why ebay says listings are not available to German buyers, implying that they are not for some time now, yet it appears they still are visible? Is there like a firm date by which this needs to be taken care of?

[bojangled]

@dza-4617 

It came into play in July 2022.

Also need to look at GPSR regulations for selling to Europe from December. 
Jo

[nurse-watch-fun]

ebay does my overseas sales items as it goes to their dropship centre.  i've looked on lucid site but i'm not vat registered and everything with a * that you must input i don't have (except my name, email address and phone number!)  i just spoke to help at ebay and person couldn't wait to get me off the phone so i'm still none the wiser.  what does this mean?  i can't fake up a vat number or any other numbers.  also on the list of goods watches and id badges are not listed so even what i make and sell aren't showing.  anyone help me? purleaseeeeeeee!  brain fog at worst!

[nurse-watch-fun]

even if ebay send it to germany for you and charge the customer the shipping fee?  i have ebay send all my stuff abroad.  i can't understand this lucid thing and i'd hate the day to come to be booted off ebay.  if i can't sell to germany then do i just add them to places i will not post to or is it different because i may wrap the item up but ebay are responsible for the courrier service.  so confusing!  hard enough to get uk buyers to purchase

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Ebay are not going to be able to help you with registration for Lucid.

It is something that is entirely separate from them.

I registered for it some time back and it was quite a painless process to be honest.

But it only applies to items that your sending to Germany at this point.

So if it's not many, just stop sending to Germany.

There is a charge with Lucid, depending on the amout of packaging that is used etc.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

The service Ebay provide is basically just a courier service.  ie. you could just as easily be using DPD, Royal Mail etc.

You are the person/company sending the items, so regardless of using GSP or not, you will need to register, if you are sending to Germany.

[nurse-watch-fun]

that short answer gave me more understanding than what the narky customer service girl said yesterday! until yesterday i'd never even heard of lucid (only in the context of being alert and understanding! lol!).  ebay do my overseas as i thought it would get more coverage but not so.  sales overseas at least 5 a month now nothing and ebay are charging £5 more for this to the customers.  i'll just put germany on my banned list (unfortunately) as i went to apply for lucid yesterday but i am not vat registered and not a company - just a sole trader paying uk tax - so i don't have any numbers that the website ask for and as they are asterisked they are compulsory answers!  they don't even have the choice of my status name (mr, ms etc) and the 3 they do have i dont use so would that be falsifying a document?  i'll have to stop selling to germany.  i've updated the battery and child safety pics and words ebay asked for but as i'm not buying from toshiba and selling on the documentation that is needed is impossible to get

[rclark8449]

Had the same problem but more so , used to sell loads to germany , then they asked for a german vat number and a quartly return plus the lucid number , i am already vat/tva registered but they still wanted a specific german vat number , i went ahead and registed for lucid which is pretty painless but its touch and go if i sell enough to germany now to cover it and i have german customers say they can see but not buy items , if you can i would do the lucid registration it s less then 50 euros a year starting rate and i think you could send an elephant load of packaging for that price   

[nurse-watch-fun]

thank you - trouble is i don't think germany is or was ever my niche market.  that said even 50 euros is 50 euros too much as my turn over is so poor that i'm seriously thinking of just chucking everything in the bin.  being a business seller on ebay since 2010 this year for the first time ever my shop fees weren't covered so had to pay from my bank to ebay.  in my mind i custom make goods that will put a smile on your face but that doesn't equate to cash sales.  etsy possibly the worst!  phone doesn't stop pinging and i think i've made a sale but all it is is a person favouring an item!  had to get rid of my accountant as his bill was more than i earned in a year so this is my situation.  whilst my profit margin is minimal without bankrupting myself i don't think i want to pay customers to actually buy my goods.  so.... many thanks to everyone who had advised me as i do appreciate and now understand what this lucid thing is but i think i'll just put down germany as a country i don't send to.  shame because i'm losing out (possibly or possibly not) and so is ebay because the less i sell the less fees they get