Suggestion box eBay 2025
Since I won’t be able to attend tomorrow’s current Q&A session, I’d like to ask the Community team a few questions.
a.) With the introduction of the Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) on 13/12/2024, the marketplace is obliged to set up a separate interface for follow-up questions for private individuals.
Question: When can those affected expect this?
b.) Since 01/01/2025, eBay has been obliged to provide its commercial sellers with an e-invoice, and in turn they are obliged to be able to receive it as well.
Question: From when will commercial users receive the notice of how eBay will handle this topic in the future?
c.) As an essential feature, the e-invoice also includes an email address.
The email alias is not suitable for this, however.
Question: When will eBay transmit the actual email address?
Background: Not every company uses a separate accounting and invoicing program for private and business customers.
d.) Another component of the e-invoice can be that commercial buyers can/must provide a “routing ID” (e.g. public institutions/authorities).
Question: When can this “routing ID” be stored in the account data?
e.) Even in 2024, it happened that some buyers had their goods delivered to their workplace. This means that buyers sometimes deprive themselves of warranty/guarantee coverage.
For selling my products and for accounting, though, this information would be important.
Private individuals have up to a 5-year manufacturer warranty on some of my products.
On the other hand, a company invoice also has to be booked in the respective company if there is ever an audit by the responsible tax office. Furthermore, there are also private buyers who order goods on behalf of third parties, in which case the invoice recipient is unclear; it could also be a gift.
Question: From when will it be possible to specify separate billing and delivery addresses?
f.) Since spring 2023, we have been discussing whether eBay must withhold VAT when selling “digital products” domestically. The original thread on this was already closed, even though some sellers still have open questions about it and pointed out that the rule applied by eBay is interpreted as incorrect according to tax advisors, ministries, and lawyers.
Question: When can we expect this method to be changed so that it is only applied to cross-border goods trade, as long as the seller is not registered in the OSS interface themselves?
g.) Sellers from third countries still offer goods without providing a legal notice, terms and conditions, cancellation policy, or product safety information?
Question: From when can we expect these sellers to be treated the same as German sellers (private/commercial), who are sometimes suspended when information is missing?
I’m sure one or two other people asking questions on Wednesday 08/01/2024 could add to this little list. 😉
@miriam@ebay
@community-team@ebay
@steffi@ebay
imseg_ug
·9 months agoHello,
I have had this problem again and again for years, that the delivery address I specify when buying is used as the billing address. But since I send the goods directly to my properties, I always have to have the invoices changed to the correct company address. The sellers tell me that they are provided with the addresses by eBay and only see the delivery address. So I've gotten into the habit of always sending a note to the seller. But that doesn't always work either. When will eBay finally manage to tell the seller the billing address and the delivery address? As a business seller with changing delivery addresses, ordering from eBay is really a pain, and I think that significantly less is also sold through the platform because of this.
Best regards Stephan
ttd4it
OP1 year agoAs a supplement for private sales:
The only type of tax that private sellers sometimes are affected by is income tax.
The withholding of value-added tax by ebay on sales within the EU is not mentioned.
You can read more about it here, for example:
https://www.kanzleimauss.de/privatverkauf-steuern/
Source: Law firm Mauss & Mauss
ttd4it
OP1 year ago@miriam@ebay and of course all the other readers,
For the link collectors:
https://www.butz.de/export-drittlaender-dokumente-steuern-zoll/
Source: Butz GmbH customs clearance office
Author: Unknown
Date: Unknown
The Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce has also compiled information on the topic, which has been valid since 2021.
https://www.ihk-muenchen.de/de/Service/Recht-und-Steuern/Steuerrecht/Umsatzsteuer/Warenverkehr-mit-Drittstaaten/
Quote: "
Basic principles of export
Trade in goods by businesses with third countries is subject to certain tax requirements, just like trade in goods within the EU. Companies that export goods from Germany to third countries can generally invoice these as so-called export deliveries tax-free."
For articles, this refers to third countries and names them clearly.
The linked information sheet may also be helpful; it is also linked on the original page:
https://www.ihk-muenchen.de/ihk/documents/Recht-Steuern/Steuerrecht/Neuer-Ordner/IHK_Merkblatt_Umsatzsteuer-bei-Lieferungen-aus-Drittstaaten%E2%80%93Ausfuhr-Januar-2024.pdf
The European Court of Justice also has a help page:
The following page serves as an introduction:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/taxation/vat/index_de.htm
More information can be found via the links integrated on the page.
For example: (just try out the different questions and answers yourself.)
https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/taxation/vat/cross-border-vat/index_de.htm#outsidetheeusellgoods-1
---------
So please keep a critical eye on ebay's withholding of VAT.
ttd4it
OP1 year agoGood morning@miriam@ebay
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with you there
Point i.) private sellers have nothing to do with the withholding and remittance of VAT.
Anyone can figure that out for themselves.
No one as a private person is required to submit monthly or quarterly VAT returns. You only have to look at your own everyday life.
Why ebay applies a rule to charge VAT on private sales and claims that this is correct remains a mystery, because at the very least the VAT identification number is missing, which the responsible tax office or Federal Central Tax Office could use to collect, offset, or pay out the tax.
Point j.) Every day, new commercial accounts are created here that are allowed to operate without any further preliminary review and approval. Last year, we already brought up a "to-do" list that should have been created and worked through until all points were fulfilled. This still has not been implemented to this day. The result is visible to everyone, because accounts that have been criticized and reported are still active instead of being blocked.
Kind regards
Thomas
ttd4it
OP1 year ago@miriam@ebay
Continuation ...
i.) Private sellers are still being charged VAT. However, they are not allowed to show or calculate tax on sales. Conversely, a private seller also does not have to remit VAT. This concerns cross-border transactions and "digital goods".
This has to be like a "red light". Private seller = no VAT
When can we expect eBay to apply tax law correctly?
j.) In the current case of ebay user ce-kra, the issue of identity theft is once again current.
https://community.ebay.de/t5/Mitglieder-helfen-Mitgliedern/WARNUNG-Identit%C3%A4tsdiebstahl-amp-Fake-Shops-auf-eBay-Betr%C3%BCger/m-p/4918314#M171152
When will eBay finally implement the KYU or KYC principle to protect platform users?
miriam@ebay
Hello @ttd4it!
i.) We apply the tax laws properly and therefore have no problems with the tax offices.
j.) The item descriptions and the legal notice data contained in them are publicly visible and can therefore also be reused by other people for different purposes. The seller's data was not used to go through verification in third-party accounts; that would not even be possible.
For commercial sellers and sole proprietorships that sell within the EU or into the EU, the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires us, among other things, to collect and verify the company address, the commercial register number, an identity document (possibly not required if we have verified the seller electronically), and information about the payment account before the first listing is posted. This procedure is used at eBay.
Kind regards
Miriam
ttd4it
OP1 year agoHello@rest-fest ,
Part 1:
This isn't just about me, but also the big electronics retailers or franchise companies that are required from 01/01/2025 to issue e-invoices for their business customers.
Let's think, for example, of the representatives of MediaMarkt/Saturn, Euronics and other retailers from buying cooperatives.
I can gladly describe to you the effort I have to put into this now ... I have to search for a company's email address on Google on the internet and then maybe find an entry in social media or a homepage directly. There I can then, if necessary, copy down an email address; others instead have only set up a contact form, and on some sites there is no VAT ID listed in the legal notice either.
I would therefore describe the effort as "high" in order to be able to create an e-invoice.
Part 2:
Sale of "digital media" domestically. The effort is just as high in order to get back the tax withheld too much afterwards. Other sellers have already complained about their hardship in various threads and replies. In some cases they wait months for their money. eBay basically lays out the process:
Billing month --> following month billing and in the month after that the payout SHOULD take place. But that doesn't work for everyone, so some have to ask repeatedly.
I think very few people want to wait up to 2 months (or longer) for their money; after all, we all live in a 30-day cycle in which private and business payments have to be made.
I have therefore already deactivated my software account, as well as another one. eBay is not proving to be a reliable partner in some areas.
Part 3:
I have currently also reduced the stock on the account, because I expect clear answers and action from eBay here. It cannot be that sellers are being forced to provide certain information, while eBay has so far refused to fulfill its own obligations.
Maybe we are addressing this in the wrong place?
Maybe the issue has to be taken up a level, past eBay management?
So I claim that nothing is being solved here, but is only being swept under the rug consistently.
rest-fest
·1 year agoGood morning @ttd4it , you're right about that. I always only see it from my own perspective. What ebay offers is enough for me.
rest-fest
·1 year agoHi @ttd4it , your questions are justified. We've already discussed quite a bit of this elsewhere.
I don't know how big your company is or how much effort you have.
Honestly, what in your questions is a real problem? What can't simply be solved manually?
As for e-invoices, right now I say - the later, the better. I can't read them at the moment anyway.
Invoice and delivery addresses have never been a problem. Invoices can be canceled and changed.
I'm not into the OSS interface and VAT on digital products - that can be problematic for one person or another. But I don't know much about that.
It's going to be hard to get at our friendly overseas sellers. eBay won't bother them unless eBay is bothered itself.
The eBay invoice has always been accepted by my tax office exactly as received.
So everything's sorted.
miriam@ebay
Hello @ttd4it - nice to hear from you, we hope you got off to a good start in the new year. I think it’s great that you opened a separate topic for your questions, since answering them takes a little more time and might otherwise go beyond the scope of a Q&A session.
a) With the introduction of the Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) on 13/12/2024, the marketplace is required to set up a separate contact channel for private individuals. Question: When can those affected expect this?
We have asked the people responsible - update to follow.
b) Since 01/01/2025, eBay has been required to provide eInvoicing for its commercial sellers, who in turn are obliged to be able to receive it as well. Question: From when will commercial users receive the notice of how eBay will handle the issue in future?
eBay is closely following all developments around the legal changes to electronic invoicing in Germany. Throughout 2025, all eBay sellers will continue to receive their invoices in the usual way. Should there be any changes at a later date, eBay will inform everyone promptly about all new developments on this topic. In the meantime, we recommend that all commercial sellers seek advice from their tax advisor or their responsible tax office as to whether and how they may be affected by the German regulations on electronic invoicing. You are also welcome to get information on the topic from your local IHK. For example, you can find information from the IHK Darmstadt here.
c) One essential feature of the eInvoice is that an email address must also be provided.
However, the email alias is not suitable for this. Question: When will eBay transmit the actual email address? Background: Not every business uses a separate accounting and invoicing program for private and business customers.
We will also inform you via our Community if changes to alias addresses are planned in the future. At present, nothing is known about this.
d) Another component of the eInvoice may be that commercial buyers can/must enter a "Leitweg-ID" (e.g. public institutions/authorities). Question: When can this "Leitweg-ID" be stored in the account data?
We will also let you know if this feature becomes available in the future.
e) Even in 2024, some buyers had their goods delivered to their workplace. This means that buyers sometimes lose their warranty/guarantee rights. For selling my products [he sells Fritzboxes] and for accounting, however, this information would be important. Private individuals have up to 5 years’ manufacturer warranty on some of my products. On the other hand, a company invoice must also be booked in the relevant company if there is ever an audit by the responsible tax office. Furthermore, there are also private buyers who order goods on behalf of third parties; in that case the invoice recipient is unclear, and it could also be a gift. Question: From when will it be possible to specify separate billing and delivery addresses?
We are aware of our community’s request and have already passed it on internally several times. Whether and when improvements will be made in this regard in the future, we cannot confirm at this point in time.
f) Since spring 2023, we have been discussing whether eBay has to withhold VAT when selling "digital products" domestically. The original thread on this has already been closed, even though some sellers still have open questions about it and have pointed out that the rule applied by eBay is being interpreted as incorrect according to tax advisors, ministries and lawyers. Question: When can we expect this method to be changed and to be applied only to cross-border goods trade, as long as the seller is not registered with the OSS interface themselves?
At present, no change is planned. We probably have different legal interpretations here. The topic you are referring to (Who remits the VAT? Article 9A Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 282/2011) we closed with almost 200 comments because it became too confusing. However, anyone who still has questions about EU law requiring platforms to collect EU VAT on sales of electronic services to consumers in the EU is welcome to write a new post. This is already being done and we support it from eBay’s perspective wherever we can.
g) Sellers from third countries are still offering goods without providing a legal notice, terms and conditions, cancellation policy or product safety information? Question: From when can we expect these sellers to be treated the same as German sellers (private/commercial), who are sometimes suspended when information is missing?
We give all sellers the opportunity to comply with the applicable legal requirements. Every competitor is free to take action under competition law. What measures eBay takes to provide support cannot be tracked by you, as this does not happen publicly.
h) The monthly commission statements are regularly incorrect. There are errors in the VAT calculation that currently fluctuate in accounting between €0.30 and €1.70 per month. Question: From when will eBay follow basic mathematical rules and show VAT correctly?
VAT is calculated on the net amounts of the individual line items. The rounded individual amounts are added together and result in the total VAT amount on your invoice.
This permissible calculation method can, due to rounding differences, lead to discrepancies compared with calculating VAT on the total net amount - especially with a large number of invoice line items. A change to this calculation method is not planned.
I hope that answers your first questions of this year.
Best regards
Miriam
ttd4it
OP1 year agoAddendum:
h.) The monthly commission statements are regularly incorrect. There are errors in the calculation of VAT, which in accounting currently fluctuate between €0.30 and €1.70 per month.
Question: From when will eBay follow simple mathematical rules and show the VAT correctly?