Some very basic setting up an ebay business questions

chickaroonee

RFW wrote: »

Much as the advice on here can be good and useful, you will probably be better off calling HMRC, they have new business start-up helplines and even free workshops/courses you can attend. As every tax case can be a bit different they would be best placed to advise you, plus they are nice and friendly these days. Essentially they give you free and helpful advice and will point you in the direction of more help you can get.

Best of luck.

Thanks I have heard they're useful and about courses they run. I was hoping for help here particularly about changing my personal ebay account which I presume HMRC won't be able to answer. I'll convert my personal account to a business one if the previous sales count to the powerseller limit but if not, I might not.

terryw

chickaroonee wrote: »

Thanks I have heard they're useful and about courses they run. I was hoping for help here particularly about changing my personal ebay account which I presume HMRC won't be able to answer. I'll convert my personal account to a business one if the previous sales count to the powerseller limit but if not, I might not.

I would ask Ebay - they will be keen for anyone to convert to business and they may well allow the transfer of sales to oblige you.

RFW

chickaroonee wrote: »

Thanks I have heard they're useful and about courses they run. I was hoping for help here particularly about changing my personal ebay account which I presume HMRC won't be able to answer. I'll convert my personal account to a business one if the previous sales count to the powerseller limit but if not, I might not.

The Powerseller status, if I remember rightly is over 3 months, though Powerseller doesn't mean much any more, Top Rated Seller status is more worthwhile and the sales counts for that are on either 3 or 12 months. I would assume that these don't start having any effect until you register as a business seller, but I couldn't say for certain, I know only business sellers qualify for it, where private sellers can be Powersellers. I'm a long standing business seller so I stand to be corrected from someone who has been there and done that;)

chickaroonee

The only reason I'm interested in the powerseller status is (from briefly reading the fees page on ebay this morning) it looks like they pay less fees. I think it said over 100 sales in a year and £2000 of sales = powerseller (provided acc in good order etc). I don't have that on my personal account just now, but would be able to get there a great deal more quickly if I could use my personal account.

I don't know if I have explained that correctly?

hermum

chickaroonee wrote: »

The only reason I'm interested in the powerseller status is (from briefly reading the fees page on ebay this morning) it looks like they pay less fees. I think it said over 100 sales in a year and £2000 of sales = powerseller (provided acc in good order etc). I don't have that on my personal account just now, but would be able to get there a great deal more quickly if I could use my personal account.

I don't know if I have explained that correctly?

That's something that I was wondering myself. If I were you I would convert my personal account to business regardless of whether it will count as I think that people are more likely to trust someone with good high FB than a new seller.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Regarding your question on the DSRs, you have to refund the original payment in full and if you wish the consumer to bear the return costs you must specifically state this in your terms.

You must also not link the consumer's right to cancel with the condition of the goods being returned, you may however state the goods must be returned (point is if the buyer doesn't return you still have to refund and then claim your loses separately, in reality the consumer would have to take you to court to enforce this refund). Most sellers make the mistake of saying the customer can return within x amount of days, but you should state they can cancel within x amount of days.

You must provide your customers with details of their right to cancel via durable means, either a printed copy with the goods or by email (the eBay order confirmation email has a section for sellers to add a message and this is a good place to put this info) or by fax.

You can use your private account to sell as a business, you just need to change it from private to business via the preferences under the account tab in your My eBay and I believe any previous private sales will count as transactions towards Power Seller, Top Rated Seller and transaction ratings for performance.

You only get a discount on fees if you are Top rated, Power Sellers who fail to perform within eBay's guidelines for Top rated no longer get any discount, your performance can be monitored via the Dashboard in your My eBay.

chemical.galaxy

chickaroonee wrote: »

The only reason I'm interested in the powerseller status is (from briefly reading the fees page on ebay this morning) it looks like they pay less fees. I think it said over 100 sales in a year and £2000 of sales = powerseller (provided acc in good order etc). I don't have that on my personal account just now, but would be able to get there a great deal more quickly if I could use my personal account.

I don't know if I have explained that correctly?

I started an ebay business in January from scratch - I did not convert my personal ebay account although I have 100% positive feedback over 1000+ transactions because I wanted to still be able to sell my personal stuff on it.
It took me a few months to get my powerseller status - guess I am pretty low volume - which does mean that I get a 20% discount on fees, not to be sniffed at. I have noticed an increase in business with the powerseller status, but I doubt that I will be able to maintain it as all you need is 3 low DSR's in one area to lose it... I have also noticed that buyers expect top service!

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

eBay offer a discount based on being a PS and TRS seller, non TRS, PS sellers no longer get any discount. The number of low scores you are allowed before losing TRS (and your discount) depends upon your volume. If you are rated over 12 months then 3 low scores for one of the 4 criteria will cost you TRS, if you are a volume seller you are allowed 0.5% (1 in 200 sales) of low scores for one of the 4 criteria. Maintaining TRS is very hard work and the discount should be looked at as a bonus rather than factored in to your individual prices if you don't expect to maintain TRS constantly.

Your sales volume is based on transactions rather than how many people actually leave feedback.

greeneye

Pre trading expenditure
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim46355.htm

On this bookeeper's forum they're implying this can be up to 7 years from the date of start up
http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Forum/Thread.aspx?type=&cid=0&tid=81598&lp=55336&page=1&sort=

Neither directly mention stock purchased prior to starting trading but someone on here may know.

chickaroonee

greeneye wrote: »

Pre trading expenditure
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim46355.htm

On this bookeeper's forum they're implying this can be up to 7 years from the date of start up
http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Forum/Thread.aspx?type=&cid=0&tid=81598&lp=55336&page=1&sort=

Neither directly mention stock purchased prior to starting trading but someone on here may know.

Thanks, the stock isn't the issue really as I only bought a few bits at the weekend (and spent about £5!!). The main issue will be new laptop, and some other things I'd like to include which will be used solely for this e.g. I bought some new printer inks which I've not used yet and will be used just for this now. I'm confused by those links (doesn't take much) I thought the bookkeeping one suggested 7 years as you say, but I can't really understand the HMRC one.