VAT invoice for the VAT charged on eBay's buyer protection fees?

[jolly-chef]

Hello, we are VAT registered and recently bought an item from a private seller, eBay have added the buyer protection fees as expected.

I'm now doing the bookkeeping and need an invoice for the VAT that eBay have charged us for VAT.

Where / How can I get the VAT invoice for the fees that eBay have charged us on this order?

[3942rick2005]

Click on "view order details" in purchases, bottom of page click on "view invoice"?

[jolly-chef]

Afraid not, you only get an invoice option from Chinese sellers. 

Unfortunately, the issue with eBay not supplying invoices like Amazon does is why we now buy a lot of supplies via Amazon, rather than eBay, as we are busy and don't have time to chase every seller for VAT invoices.

It is a legal requirement for eBay to supply a VAT invoice to the buyer for the services that they are providing under the guise of "buyer protection fee". 

The original goods are second-hand and don't attract VAT, so I'm not worried about the invoice for those goods, just the service that eBay has provided us with.

I think it's ridiculous if we need to contact support for each item we buy from private sellers to get a VAT invoice for eBay's buyer protection service.

Surely the compliance team at eBay couldn't have missed such an essential legal requirement for them to supply a VAT invoice for their services?

[3942rick2005]

Yes you can - I just did it on a purchase I made from a private seller! Like this: (are you using a pc?)

[jolly-chef]

Perhaps on some listings, however, there is no "View Invoice" link on the listing I bought from - You can see that from my screenshot. Yes, I'm using a PC, not that that should make any difference.

[jolly-chef]

I have just tried the new 24/7 support... They hung up on me as they can't solve the issue.

[3942rick2005]

I may have found how you have got that view - when I made a multi-purchase using the basket the order details appear in the format that you have shown without the access invoice choice at the bottom! Is that purchase of yours part of a basket purchase? 

I cannot access an invoice for any of the 4 items in that basket yet on all single purchases there is no problem with accessing an invoice!

[jolly-chef]

I only bought a single item in this transaction

[3942rick2005]

Ebay seem to have excelled themselves with this male-hen up! I can't see any other way to get that invoice, I am surprised that no-one else has chimed in with a suggestion at all.

[tommystrezures]

I think the vat there shown in post 3, is not BPF but the VAT element of the postage. As the tracked services that RM offer are subject to VAT.

[3942rick2005]

But surely there still should be an invoice that covers it?

[papso22]

Ebay are legally obliged to provide a VAT invoice to a VAT registered business customer for services ebay has supplied to that customer. 

[3942rick2005]

So what? That still does not help the OP in obtaining said invoice does it?

Pointless post!

[keith_west_huntspill]

You would think there would be someway to get an invoice?

[jolly-chef]

Yet more incompetence from eBay "customer services"?

Hello XXXX,

Thank you for writing to eBay Customer Service regarding the VAT invoice. My name is Subham, and I would be glad to help you. I really appreciate your efforts in taking the time to contact us.

I can certainly understand your query as you are looking for a VAT invoice on Buyer protection fee charged on this order “04-13055-XXXX”. Rest assured, I will guide you further on this. I can see that you opened this account more than 21 years ago. Thank you so much for your loyalty.

As per your query, I have reviewed the details of the above order and found that here you were charged Tax, instead of VAT due to which no VAT invoice is generated for this. Generally, whenever you are charged any VAT on eBay checkout page, maybe it’s for item price or postage or Buyer Protection fee, then system automatically generate a VAT invoice which you will be able to check from your view order details page by clicking on “View invoice” option.

For example, order number 04-12705-XXXX on which you were charged VAT on item price + postage. Hence, the system automatically generated a VAT invoice on your view order details page. You can check the same from your end by going to the link below and selecting “View invoice”.

[Link sent is to an invoice for a chinese order made months ago, not the order I am asking about]

Regarding the order “04-13055-XXXX”, I can see that you were charged Tax and no VAT. Hence, I have now escalated your issue to our specialized technical team for further clarification on this. By the time we resolve it, we need your patience and kind understanding of this matter.

It was my pleasure to assist you today and I trust I have provided you with helpful information regarding your query. Thank you for contacting eBay Customer Service.

Have a great time ahead. Stay safe and take care.

Kind Regards,

Subham R.

eBay Customer Service

[jolly-chef]

Yet more incompetence from eBay "customer services":

Hello XXXX,

Thank you for writing to eBay Customer Service regarding the VAT invoice. My name is Subham, and I would be glad to help you. I really appreciate your efforts in taking the time to contact us.

I can certainly understand your query as you are looking for a VAT invoice on Buyer protection fee charged on this order “04-13055-XXXX”. Rest assured, I will guide you further on this. I can see that you opened this account more than 21 years ago. Thank you so much for your loyalty.

As per your query, I have reviewed the details of the above order and found that here you were charged Tax, instead of VAT due to which no VAT invoice is generated for this. Generally, whenever you are charged any VAT on eBay checkout page, maybe it’s for item price or postage or Buyer Protection fee, then system automatically generate a VAT invoice which you will be able to check from your view order details page by clicking on “View invoice” option.

For example, order number 04-12705-XXXX on which you were charged VAT on item price + postage. Hence, the system automatically generated a VAT invoice on your view order details page. You can check the same from your end by going to the link below and selecting “View invoice”.

[Link sent is to an invoice for a chinese order made months ago, not the order I am asking about]

Regarding the order “04-13055-XXXX”, I can see that you were charged Tax and no VAT. Hence, I have now escalated your issue to our specialized technical team for further clarification on this. By the time we resolve it, we need your patience and kind understanding of this matter.

It was my pleasure to assist you today and I trust I have provided you with helpful information regarding your query. Thank you for contacting eBay Customer Service.

Have a great time ahead. Stay safe and take care.

Kind Regards,

Subham R.

eBay Customer Service

[jolly-chef]

eBay CSR then proceeds to attach the order details, which is not a VAT invoice as it's missing eBays VAT number, eBay's address, time of sale etc. etc.

It seems that every member of staff I have contacted regarding this issue is incompetent; there is nobody at eBay who knows about VAT invoicing!!

It's quite unbelievable at the staggering level of incompetence that a company the size of eBay is unable to issue a VAT invoice for a service that they are selling to you and the entire customer support team have no clue!

eBay is clearly breaking the law here: VAT Act 1994, schedule 11 paragraph 2A allows for the making of regulations which may require invoices (to be referred to as “VAT invoices”) containing specified particulars to be provided by taxable persons supplying goods or services to other taxable persons. Such regulations are in VAT Regulations 1995, Regulations 13-20.

[ed_58611]

I'm a UK buyer buying from UK sellers only...

Click on View Order Details in the top right corner of the item in Purchase History / Purchases, then in Other Actions at the bottom of that Order Details page select View Invoice, which brings up a printable invoice detailing all aspects of the transaction including VAT rate & amount.

If you are still unable to get the required result, I suggest contacting eBay CS via the following link by having them call you back... mornings are best when you have a high probability of talking to Dublin

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

[keith_west_huntspill]

These are NOT VAT invoices.

They do not show the legally required information to use on a VAT claim suve as a breakdown of goods and services, the VAT rate being charged, eBay's VAT number. 

eBay are legally required to issue a VAT invoice to VAT registered buyers for goods and services they supply

[dch2112011]

Just to throw the cat among the pigeons !

Ponder on this statement - 

Where a VAT-registered person makes supplies of goods or services to another VAT-registered person, subject to the standard or reduced rate, they must issue a full VAT invoice as this is the customer evidence to validate input tax claims.

Having said that, it is now possible for input tax claims to be allowed without documentary evidence, providing sufficient evidence of entitlement can be given to HMRC. Such claims are at HMRC's discretion. There is no need to give a VAT invoice to a non-registered person unless he asks for one