This is going to mean the end for many small private sellers. "Buyer Protection Fee"

[vinylscot]

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

75p plus 4% buyers fee, so something which was priced at £5 will be £5.95 in February.

[annemann-2009]

So according to you... Am I a private seller or should I be a business seller?

[m-bevis-1815]

New data, coming in, there has been some changes:

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/New-Simple-Delivery-features-community-events-amp-othe...

"When you’re selling a single item for £25 or less, funds will be available instantly if positive feedback is received from the buyer*. This will apply on both tracked and untracked orders. This change will be live mid-March."

That should significantly speed up access to funds for people like me just clearing out the house of collectable/uncollectable models.

If using the dreaded "Simple Delivery (not simple if you don't use smartphones or printers):

"For orders shipped through Simple Delivery, you will no longer need to wait 14 days to access your funds if delivery confirmation is not received. If an item is dispatched within 3 calendar days, we’ve reduced the payout time so funds will now be available 8 calendar days from the order date or 2 calendar days after we receive delivery confirmation, whichever comes first. This change will be live by the end of the week."

Bribery to get people to use SD, nice one.

In other news, the government plan to increase the threshold for self-assessment reporting from the current £1000/pa to £3000/pa. By 2029 (!)

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Supporting-side-hustlers-HMRC-to-raise-threshold-for-s...

[dch2112011]

---

@annemann-2009 wrote:

So according to you... Am I a private seller or should I be a business seller?

---

I realise you didn't throw this question directly at me but ;

 I would think you are neither - I would assume you are a collector  - just to throw that one into the mix !

[annemann-2009]

Exactly 👍 I bought a lot during COVID and onwards. Ran out of space as I became interested in other stuff. So I collect mint in box and open others for photography etc. when I want new things I shift old stuff on, or simply run out of magic cupboards to store it all in... I sell it on. 🤷‍♂️👍🙂 

The idea that someone keeps a spreadsheet on ppl they think should be labelled one thing over another based on their own opinion is wild 🫠😉

[gccomics22]

Private sellers have no consumer law for the buyers ,but if any buyer complains or makes something up about the item being damaged or not as described E bay give them a full refund always has been that way ,it leaves private sellers vulnerable to buyers who want something for nothing

[dch2112011]

Business sellers using private accounts is counter productive, it creates an uneven playing field and more importantly customer dissatisfaction when trying to exert their rights to return only to be fobbed off with 'we do not accept returns' amongst other things.

I don't believe moldosgifts was aiming comments at everyody - it's just the frustration of the blatant account abusers who take advantage of the free selling of  products to gain a price advantage over other businesses and tarnish genuine collectors and personal sellers reputations by denying consumers their rights

As for collating  accounts on a spreadsheet who could be businesses is a bit OCD but if it vents the frustration it isn't harming anybody - (private accounts are anonymous accounts)

A collector like yourself is sitting between a rock and a hard place - on one hand you are selling personal items on another you may be trading but not in the sense of a business.

I feel that a 'collector' account or label or something should be created where  again policies could be tweaked to suit the collector environment.  ie more listings for collectors - more collector specific categories - you probably have a better insight than I do being a non collector !

The big problem with my thoughts are vetting - you see so many 'collectors' who are buying bulk items from the cash and carry who claim to be selling their collection to avoid fees that unfortunately genuine collectors get tarred with the same brush occasionally.

[annemann-2009]

I getcha...

I've always collected things, just that for the past few years it's been comics, action figures and for a short while, matchbox cars and coins 🤷‍♂️🫠👍 limited space equals can't keep everything long term...  I've very rarely bought more than two of figures, one to keep nice in the box, the other to open and mess with. I've sold both after it's gone by the "running out room" rule or I fancy collecting something else 🙂👍👊

[papso22]

"I will be glad to never read any of your misinformation again"

What misinformation have I given exactly?

Buyers have buyer protection that exceeds their statutory rights because ebay provides that, and I agree that this is abused by some buyers.

I suggest you have a read of the forum posting rules before posting again.

[dch2112011]

Yes if you don't follow the 'running out of room' rule - you fall into another category 'hoarder' !

[annemann-2009]

It's a constant fine line... Well, a line of boxes.

[jokers_toybox]

clearly a private seller, BUT, don't be surprised if ebay don't make you change to a business account at some point, it happened to my friends wife when she listed a load of his marvel legends, even when they do DO something, they don't always get it right 

[annemann-2009]

Yeah. I'm trying to do one big clear out at the moment and then I can stop for a good long while. As I want to slow down collecting now I'm 52. And maybe tike to save up for a guitar 🤞👍

[dch2112011]

You could add a jingle to your listings  !

[gccomics22]

Yes well done congratulations hero .

[maha-maya]

As personal seller it's just not practical to sell on this platform anymore. All my listings are intentionally search suppressed by eBay in an attempt to get me to falsify reality and convert this personal account into a business account. I already have a separate business eBay account. ?!?

So, after over 25 years of selling on eBay, I have now opened a Vinted account instead.

Everything worked well when I simply had to pay seller fees for items sold. NOBODY had a problem with this.

So HMRC have asked eBay to provide them with info related to personal seller accounts who have more than £X amount given to them for sales in one month. That's all eBay need to do right? If HMRC suspect someone is breaking the law based on the info provided by eBay then that will be the job of HMRC to investigate. 

[maha-maya]

"A collector like yourself is sitting between a rock and a hard place - on one hand you are selling personal items on another you may be trading but not in the sense of a business."

This is referred to as an extension of a hobby and is perfectly legal. 

"Hobbies: People sometimes have hobbies that involve the making of supplies for consideration, for example selling duplicates from a collection such as stamps. These supplies are not automatically made in the course or furtherance of business, particularly where the sales are occasional. You should consider the factors in VBNB30300 to decide whether the activities constitute business or not.

It is unlikely that hobbies which involve a registered person making minimal supplies are business. However, in some cases the person’s hobby can lead them to make substantial supplies and may grow to become a business activity. Many successful businesses grow out of a hobby or private interest.

Disposal of private assets: The disposal of private assets is a non-business activity. If, however, the goods are sold through a business you will need to look at the circumstances carefully before deciding whether the sale can properly be regarded as being separate from the business."

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-business-non-business/vbnb22120

Any suspicions on personal accounts are the job of HMRC to investigate.