Any point keeping ebay records?

reehsetin

e-mails etc?
any need to actually keep anything past say a month after the sale should be all done and dusted by then right?

rdwarr

If you're makng any profit you'll need to keep everything for the Revenue to ensure you pay the correct amount of tax. Otherwise they can just assess you which is unlikely to be in your favour.

soolin

I keep all my emails and paperwork for a minimum of 6 months, but more usually for a year.

Only a few days ago someone started a thread and remarked that a buyer took over a month to email them to say item had not been received, and I would always like to be in a position to check back over correspondence just to see exactly what day I stated it was sent, and such like.

Soo

Contains_Mild_Peril

I've decided to start keeping mine for longer now - I used to keep them for about 3 months, but quite recently I had an e-mail from a customer about something I'd sold in February!
P.S. an Item Not Received/ Not As Described dispute can be opened up to 45 days after an auction ends, so it would be inadvisable to dispose of records before that deadline.

Hintza

I would keep them for a minimum of a year. If the taxman does an investigation you will need any invoices etc for 5-6 years.

Mark7799

Apart from tax issues etc, I would recommend keeping everything for a minimum of 90 days in case of any feedback disputes, issues etc

angelcake

I don't keep them on my email but the messages in my ebay email I do, I think they disappear after time! My email box just gets to full!! but if I was more organised I would keep them or if I have weird communication from someone! just in case!

Hintza

Noting the comments about full email boxes. I have all my e-mail accounts running through Outlook and most things are set to file themselves in the correct folder so its no real hassle to keep them.

heaven

Hello!! sorry for being dim but ... paying tax??!! You have to declare your sales to the taxman?? I thought it was like having a car boot sale, that anything you profited on was yours. Please, tell me I am right??!!

Hintza

heaven wrote:

Hello!! sorry for being dim but ... paying tax??!! You have to declare your sales to the taxman?? I thought it was like having a car boot sale, that anything you profited on was yours. Please, tell me I am right??!!

Your fine as long as you are not buying stuff for re-sale (ie selling your second hand bits and bobs)

heaven

Phew!!! I can sleep tonight then - !! Thank you so much Hintza for putting my mind at rest!! All my 99p completed sales are safe after all!! ........... :j