VAT added to my listing on a resale item as a private seller used for personal use

[jiglo1]

I've listed a piece of music production software for sale that I had to pay tax on when I bought it, however once I listed the item, ebay automatically applied VAT to my listing, which seems a bit unfair and my item is now for sale at a far less competitive price than I intended to list it at, which is £200. When ebay adds it's buyer protection fee then VAT, suddenly my listing is £254. That is a massively inflated rate.

I have a private account and this might be the first piece of software that i've actually tried to sell. I'm certainly not a trader, I just occasionally sell random unwanted stuff that I don't use anymore, so this seems draconian.

Is the VAT applied to all software sales from every seller, or is this something I can somehow do something about?

[plpmr]

Everything else aside you cannot sell that digital download as doing so violates eBay rules.

[jiglo1]

Duplicate post.

[jiglo1]

Hi, can I ask which rule it breaks please? I ask as I see many of these for sale at the moment and I’m sure hundreds must have been sold over the years, so I would welcome clarity before removing or relisting in a different way.

[tobiasd4]

See here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/electronically-delivered-items-poli...

[jiglo1]

Ok, thank you, but as Ableton allows transfer of ownership and I’m not selling a key or duplicate,  then it looks to me that it isn’t listed as an item that can’t be sold, just that my listing perhaps needs changing to a different category.

[jiglo1]

As the information above about me selling a licence transfer is incorrect, can I get back on topic please and ask if eBay charges everybody VAT for selling software, even private sellers who have already paid VAT on the item?

[papso22]

Can you provide a screenshot of the page showing VAT being charged?

Surely when you realised you had to have a postage/collection option  that would have indicated a problem with an item you are selling for downloading?

It needs to be a classified advert in the information category.  As it is, a buyer could get the download activated and then make a claim for item not received.   They are guaranteed a refund as you wouldn't be able to prove delivery.

[jiglo1]

Ok, so somebody has taken it upon themselves to remove my listing. I accept it needs relisting in a different category, but the information provided in this thread has been incorrect.

[jiglo1]

Unfortunately I can’t as a member here has closed my listing. I assumed it to be a problem with eBay rather than the item for sale. Lots of people are selling the same product, a license transfer. As Ableton perform the transfer themselves they inform the previous owner that the transfer has happened and the new owner, so that base is covered along with pm’s

[tobiasd4]

VAT is not added to item.

As a private seller, ebay charge buyers a buyer protection fee.

It is this fee that VAT is applied to.

[plpmr]

" a member here has closed my listing" no, as members cannot close other members listing, it was removed by eBay.

[jiglo1]

Yes, it was closed by ebay after a member here reported it.  So, much the same really.

[jiglo1]

Actually, the listing was for £200, then ebay added £8 something buyer protection, then it added VAT on top. So eventually the listing was £254.

It's a moot point now as the listing was closed.  The rules seem to only apply to me though as there are hundreds/thousands of software listings still active, perhaps others taking the same path as I did, ie typing what I was selling and using a template that ebay provided to a previously listed sale and updating it with information relating to personalise my sale.

[tobiasd4]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/paying-items/buyer-protection-fee?id=5594

See here for details of BPF. 

[jiglo1]

Yes, i've no qualms with Buyer Protection. I have perfect feedback from sending things promptly a keeping buyers updated and I buy things myself and know that not everybody is quite as reliable and probably pay a lot more than I do, but I enjoy the security of it. Ebay also has to take it's cut. I was answering a question that was trying to suggest that my item didn't have VAT added on top, which it did.

[jiglo1]

I've since looked at ebay Classified Ads and it doesn't even mention software https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/listings/listing-tips/selling-classified-ads?id=4167

As it outside of ebay too then a buyer and seller has no protection.

Is it still possible to speak to a person at ebay? I remember the golden age of the concierge when things were much simpler.

[tobiasd4]

You can't sell software via classified ad.

[papso22]

I think you can, in the 'everything else information category'.  I think it counts as 'electronically delivered'.