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Amazon Marketplace VAT Question
fallen121
Posts: 914 Forumite
in Cutting tax
Mr Fallen is registered for VAT, so it is important if he buys stuff that the seller sends a VAT invoice.
Sometimes sellers forget, but it's a simple matter to call or email them and one is usually sent by email next day.
Having a LOT of problems with Amazon Marketplace though. Limited Companies selling on there, who are registered for VAT, are frequently omitting to put a VAT invoice in the package, but because Amazon's messaging systems won't allow buyer and seller to exchange emails addresses or even phone numbers, getting in contact with the seller is a real headache.
Amazon themselves are even worse. Sometimes you get a VAT invoice in the package, sometimes you don't. It's a complete lottery.
Would love to bring this to the attention of HMRC, as am sure that anywhere else this would be frowned on, but as Amazon don't even pay their taxes, no doubt this will get swept under the carpet as usual.
Unfair, though, to be charged VAT on business items and not have the opportunity to claim it back.
:mad:
Sometimes sellers forget, but it's a simple matter to call or email them and one is usually sent by email next day.
Having a LOT of problems with Amazon Marketplace though. Limited Companies selling on there, who are registered for VAT, are frequently omitting to put a VAT invoice in the package, but because Amazon's messaging systems won't allow buyer and seller to exchange emails addresses or even phone numbers, getting in contact with the seller is a real headache.
Amazon themselves are even worse. Sometimes you get a VAT invoice in the package, sometimes you don't. It's a complete lottery.
Would love to bring this to the attention of HMRC, as am sure that anywhere else this would be frowned on, but as Amazon don't even pay their taxes, no doubt this will get swept under the carpet as usual.
Unfair, though, to be charged VAT on business items and not have the opportunity to claim it back.
:mad:
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Comments
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Good luck trying to report Amazon to the Luxembourg tax authorities! You'll probably have more success with Marketplace sellers based in the UK. But the real answer is to take your business elsewhere if you're not happy with the service you get.0
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As everyone gunning for Amazon over its tax avoidance, I am sure HMRC would just love to bust Amazon for failing to comply with the UK VAT regulations / smuggling parcels into the EU from outside.
Seriously, surely VAT is one tax where Amazon has to comply?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxaLrW49awc
Margaret Hodge seems to have the same problem. The committee get onto VAT at the end of this large clip. The answer seems to be "you will be buying product from the cheapest VAT registered company we own, so it can depend on the rate for the product you choose to buy."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cETKO42wMOs
Almost as much fun as watching Diamond (not) give evidence, but somewhat galling when as individuals we probably have a marginal rate of tax of 50%.
[Anyone know if Mr Slippery ever came back to correct his evidence, I expect the UK company does not even have a finance directer, he will safely ensconced in Luxembourg.
I don't think the "pan European company exists (yet) does it ?]
Luxembourg VAT Rate
Standard VAT rate: 15% (Jan 1992)
Reduced VAT rates: 6% bikes, domestic services
Reduced VAT rates: 3% foodstuffs, books, pharmaceuticals, medical, passenger transport, newspapers, admission to cultural, sporting and entertainment events, hotels, restaurants
Luxembourg VAT rate to increase 1 January 20150 -
As a retailer they don't have to provide a VAT invoice unless the customer requests one. They're not breaking any rules in this regard.
They won't be able to charge Luxembourg VAT if they're supplying the goods in the UK (I take it you live in the UK?).0 -
As those nice Google people explained they don't sell anything in the UK, every thing is sold in Dublin.
I suppose it depends what you are buying, Amazon tried to claim that downloading books (as against real physical paper books), came from Luxembourg.
Import VAT
VAT is a tax normally charged on the supply of goods (and services) made by a VAT - registered business in the UK. For goods brought in or sent to the UK from the EU there's no extra VAT to pay unless you're ordering or sending purchased goods from one of the EU Special Territories, such as Jersey or Guernsey, in which case you'll have to pay import VAT.
Would someone like to try and explain to me how the UK "patent box" works; it seems to be a set up for the big drug companies, to try to stop them "off shoring" their R&D out of the UK.
The reality of the situation is that our politicians have used their power to grab and spend 45% of our money. Another power centre, the multinational company, would prefer to pay next to nothing.
Both of them have the power to argue the toss, us ordinary punters can simply watch the fun while continuing to pay the 45% in the hope that we might be offered a vote bribe in the run up to the next election.0
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