Discrepancies due to inaccurate information provided by eBay regarding VAT ID no. & idea for auction end
Hi!
I recently had the dubious pleasure of dealing with a customer who immediately wanted to sic a lawyer on me because he thought I was making misleading statements about sales tax in my offers and felt deceived and harmed by my offer ("Then I don’t get the tax back"). Since this person is generally known on Google as a serial complainer (ironically, he had just sent me an email shortly beforehand asking whether I would sell him the items cheaper outside of eBay), I refunded him the amount, but pointed out that this was a gesture of goodwill and not an admission of guilt. It also took me a while to understand where he even saw the problem (which more than 5000 private and commercial buyers before him had not seen).
It was about the following: I usually offer used goods and I am a sole proprietor. Accordingly, I am liable for sales tax and of course also have a corresponding VAT ID. For this, there is the item “VAT identification numbers” at the very end under “Public business information”. There you can click to display VAT ID no. on invoices. I had selected this field so far because I have no problem with it and, as a sole proprietor, I am also obliged to do so. What I did not know, however: This automatically adds the sentence “The value-added tax is shown separately on my invoices.” to my “Legal information” under each offer. But in my offer texts, it clearly says in two languages that the items are used and offered under differential taxation. That was never a problem. Until this particular customer made a drama out of it.
Now my question is: why doesn’t this field point out that this sentence will be added to my legal information under each offer, and that especially with used goods this can lead to confusion, if it is actually only about allowing my VAT ID to be shown on invoices?
And while we’re at improvements: wouldn’t it make technical sense for bids placed in the last minute of an auction to extend the auction by 5 or 10 seconds? I occasionally get nasty messages from members who feel disadvantaged by this, which can really be a disadvantage, especially for older people or those with a poor internet connection. Wouldn’t that significantly increase the excitement and, in the end, sales as well. Then people would have even more time to decide whether they want to make another attempt? Real auctions are no different.
Thanks in advance. 😃
ttd4it
·1 year ago@mb-motorwagen
Good morning,
In principle, you only have to remove the checkmark for "Display VAT ID on invoices", which you have now done as well.
That will then add your "bronze rate" in every item description for displaying VAT or margin taxation, and you’ll be on the safe side, just like everyone else who uses both tax methods when selling.
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Now the buyers just have to read the notice (if they can).
But then that’s another new directive waiting for us ... Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) valid from 28.06.2025.
We’ll see how eBay then “brings out” the product descriptions of the seller(s) hidden between the ads.
ttd4it
·1 year ago@mb-motorwagen
In principle, you always have to point out the VAT display (with / without).
The reason is the Price Indication Ordinance (PangV)
Just one example: a commercial buyer must be able to see whether the purchased item is eligible for input tax deduction. This could be an advantage when buying compared to goods without VAT shown or with margin taxation.
For private individuals, that can be irrelevant, as long as they always see the valid final price.
On the other hand, fines can also be imposed for non-compliance.
Alternatively, you forgo margin taxation and the associated effort.
bohmotors
OP1 year agoI’m not giving up the margin scheme, since I don’t have money to give away. The manageable amount of effort is definitely worth it to me.
miriam@ebay
Hello @mb-motorwagen and many thanks for your post!
Regarding the current wording, we can understand your point, and so I have passed along internally once again that in the Public Business Information about the company, in the section "VAT identification numbers," next to the checkmark it should once again say "Show VAT on invoices", just as it also says in our legal portal. Then it wouldn't have come to this.
Your second suggestion was reviewed, but unfortunately it is not an option. With "real" auctions, the contract formation is different too, so it cannot be compared with eBay auctions. Nevertheless, thank you for your time, your thoughts, and for sharing the experiences you have made with us through the Community 🙂.
Best regards
Miriam
bohmotors
OP1 year agoThanks for the reply. Now the question would be whether it even makes sense for that sentence "The VAT is shown separately on my invoices." to have to be included down under the legal information? It could also be that I offer both used goods and new goods, and that they are sometimes subject to margin taxation and sometimes taxed normally. In case of doubt, that would again bring bean counters/lawsuit-happy complainers into play, as in this case.
miriam@ebay
Hello @mb-motorwagen - you could consider offering your listings in this case with 2 different eBay accounts to separate the range?
Whether the sentence "Show VAT on invoices" should appear on every item page for you or not, you would need to clarify that with legal advice of your choice; we at eBay can’t answer that for you.
But I hope the exchange here will already help you move forward a bit! 🙂
Kind regards
Miriam
bohmotors
OP1 year agoI meant why the sentence about VAT appears at all in the legal information (as soon as you want to display the VAT ID number on invoices), when VAT is already shown with the price and you can also add a corresponding note again in the listing. This was not about a legal question, but rather why this (in this case) problematic sentence then appears automatically in the legal information without any indication when it is clicked, and whether this is even necessary on eBay's part.