Business operations registered as private sellers - worth reporting?

[txt.ltd]

In your own experience, does eBay take satisfactory action on these accounts that are clearly buying goods to resell as a profitable enterprise?

I'd report them more often if I knew eBay takes action consistent with their policy.

I bookmark those I report and the results are very inconsistent.

It's a tad disappointing.

[missdollydaydream]

If eBay were interested in stopping businesses trading on a private account, they would. They are very aware of this practice and condone it. 

[the_book_seekers]

ebay very very occassionally will tell a private seller to switch to a business account, but it seems to be very rare.

[btr.style]

There is no option to report it. As I've said before many times:

"Business seller fails to display correct contact details" is for reporting those who are business registered but have different contact details or obscure ones that wouldn't match such as Mickey mouse, Disneyland, Florida. 

It isn't for reporting those business sellers on private accounts. 

eBay know about them but they don't give a ****. I guess it's why I don't give 2 ****'s about eBay anymore either. 

[messier44000]

As #4 post, there is not an option to report. The eBay chat team finally  admitted this .

Also I believe it is AI that see reports.  Saw that on weekely chat aswell .

Report to trafing standards, HMRC, even local councils if you know addresses.

Unlike eBay, the above are less likely to bury their heads in the sand 

[jamz_21]

If the private seller is registered as self employed to the relevant tax authorities and keeping track of their sales and profits and sending their tax information across to hmrc then it's perfectly legal to sell in this way. As far as i can tell being self employed and having a private account is fine, a self employed individual can also be a private individual. Register as self employed, outsource and accounted to help with allowable expenses for tax year, send your data to hmrc, pay any relevant tax. An eBay business would be a net negative to anyone not making much money. So why would a private seller go straight into having a business account if they only have like 40 items to start. Once you grow and an ebay store actually benefits you then look into expanding to that end. I see only negatives going straight into a store subscription when you can start of private, build yourself up, make sure your registered as self employed, paying taxes. Then when it is economically viable and makes sense from a business growth perspective pay to have an ebay store, and just let people report you, if they so wish. Cause if you're legitimately registered as self employed and paying taxes, hmrc won't do anything cause you have done it all correctly in their eyes 

[ett1954]

"If the private seller is registered as self employed to the relevant tax authorities and keeping track of their sales and profits and sending their tax information across to hmrc then it's perfectly legal to sell in this way."

Totally incorrect - selling as a business that way is illegal as it doesn't conform to the distance selling regulations of the Consumer Rights Act, 2015.  Registering as a business seller is the only way you can do this on eBay.  It is nothing to do with paying tax.   I would suggest you read up on the government website on the requirements of distance and online selling.

[moldosgifts]

What about the registered address? This is a legal requirment if your a business as detailed on the hmrc website for businesses with an online precense.

Private sellers are not required to display this address 

Bussines are required

[moldosgifts]

Here is your option

Online Customer Service - Report an issue with a seller

Pick The seller has violated one of eBay’s policies

then pick Other

[*vyolla*]

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@jamz_21 wrote:

If the private seller is registered as self employed to the relevant tax authorities and keeping track of their sales and profits and sending their tax information across to hmrc then it's perfectly legal to sell in this way. As far as i can tell being self employed and having a private account is fine, a self employed individual can also be a private individual.  

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It's not fine, and it breaches lots of consumer regs. A business seller has different obligations to a private one, For example, business sellers must, by law, accept change of mind returns, whilst private sellers do not have to. 

See eBay's guidance page here, where they state

An eBay seller must register as a business if, for example, they sell items they have bought to resell, they make items in order to sell them, or if they buy items for their business.

What is the policy?

Business sellers can't represent themselves as private individuals

Taken from:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/selling-practices-policy/business-seller-polic...

[jamz_21]

I have sold on instagram, facebook and tiktok for years. I registered as self employed and i reported my sales, profits and allowable expenses. Hmrc has never had a problem with this. As long as the cusomter is happy which 99/100 they were. What is the problem really.

I also run pop up stores every now and then where i sell off stock, very occasionally i run a market stall in my local

market to sell of stock that isnt selling online. I am self employed, thats my job title. Thats what i am registered as. A self employed person can operate a business. There is nothing illegal with this at all

[leadhills_scot]

It's morally and ethically wrong to mislead buyers into thinking you are a private seller selling off your own personal items. 

[ett1954]

Selling online is not the same as selling as a market stall - it  falls under the Distance Selling Regulations of the Consumer Rights Act, 2015.

This requires certain additional requirements as has been alluded to by @*vyolla*  above.  These include, but are not limited to, a compliant returns policy (which can be done under a private account) and providing details and contact information for your business (which can only be done through a business account).

I reiterate, this is nothing to do with HMRC or the paying of tax.

Again I would suggest you read the regulations and requirements on the following website link:

Online and distance selling : Distance selling - GOV.UK

[jamz_21]

You could very easily add in your bio that you are a reseller. You could incorporate it into your seller name too. All HMRC care about is that you are paying taxes. And the average buyer on ebay doesn't give two hoots what kind of seller you are. If you have something they want, listed at a reasonable price they are going to buy. And whether you're self employed on a private account or selling as a business on an eBay store they won't care. 

[ett1954]

"And whether you're self employed on a private account or selling as a business on an eBay store they won't care." - with the EU GPSR (General Product Safety Regulations) coming into effect on December 13th for sales to Europe and Northern Ireland I am sure that eBay will be concerned as they could be found culpable should anyone be injured by something sold as an unregistered business seller.

[messier44000]

You sound like the weekly chat team 😁 Kiddn

There is no direct option for this. Dave on chat finally admitted this.

Other = not important opinions to be thrown in the bin.

How difficult would be to change other to business trading on a private account.

[messier44000]

Hope you have market traders public liability insurance

[moldosgifts]

I'm still waiting for the timeline 😁

[jamz_21]

Let me know the day someone injures themselves with a vintage poster, stamp, clothing, postcard and things of that nature because i will personally hand them a darwin award myself. Its not a legal requirement, and i see minimal to no risk with what i sell. 

[messier44000]

For peace of mind it costs around £50-£60 per year on the off chance 

someone catches themselves , or trips on table leg etc.

Most venues inisist on traders being insured.

You know what some people are like with the where`s there`s blame there`s a claim culture