When do ebay make people register as a business seller?

macfly

I have a neighbour who goes out at 10pm and comes back in the morning. Should I report him as being a burglar? He has a bag over his shoulder, so is definitely maybe possibly could be "going equipped".
This seller has already been convicted on here - should be a doddle to bang him up.

chickaroonee

Well I have no idea if they're registered with HMRC, how could I know? They're not the biggest private seller on ebay by any stretch, and although I don't agree with avoiding taxes, honestly I have better things to do with my time then try to get evidence to give to HMRC. Sorry if you think that's rubbish, bu it is what it is!

As for being registered as a business on ebay - it's between them and ebay. As I said above, I can't see why they're not - they would have reduced fees!

Hammyman

martindow wrote: »

I think people operating as a business and not declaring it should be taken seriously. If they are not declaring earnings it makes unfair competition for people who do pay taxes as they should.

But we're talking about them not registering as a business on Ebay which doesn't mean they aren't registered with HMRC.

hermum

macfly wrote: »

I have a neighbour who goes out at 10pm and comes back in the morning. Should I report him as being a burglar? He has a bag over his shoulder, so is definitely maybe possibly could be "going equipped".
This seller has already been convicted on here - should be a doddle to bang him up.

Only if the bag has SWAG written on it, he wears a stripey jumper & buys lots of stockings.

macfly

That would be a Frenchman wouldn't it?

pitkin2020

chickaroonee wrote: »

Pitkin, that's a bit rude - who said I was so concerned? I'm a small scale seller, not trying to earn millions as I have many other things in my life just now that are more important. Part of learning and getting better is looking at my competitors and seeing what they do well and not so well, that's normal surely.

If you read my second post, I'm quite clear about not being that bothered about them not being registered - if anything I think people prefer to buy from registered sellers who offer returns. But I was interested when ebay make you do it - as clearly if someone looked at their ebay accounts it's obvious they're buying large quantities to sell on. although I'm sure it doesn't work like that in practice - hence my question...No need to be quite so prickly!

My post wasn't rude in the slightest, and clearly you were concerned enough to post a thread on here asking for opinions, sorry if you don't like mine. like I said IF your that concerned about it report them and let ebay deal with it. As already said they will have far more insight into this persons buying and selling patterns then you will have.

martindow wrote: »

I think people operating as a business and not declaring it should be taken seriously. If they are not declaring earnings it makes unfair competition for people who do pay taxes as they should.

I agree if they are running a business they should be declaring but your making an assumption that they aren't paying taxes you have absolutetly no way of knowing either way. Thats like saying market traders who deal in cash payments are skimming off the top and not paying tax on all their earnings.

You have no possible way of knowing if someone is registered with HMRC or not.

Crowqueen wrote: »

I agree with Martin. They are breaking the law. If you saw someone you knew breaking the law on the street - e.g. you knew a rioter who had just put a brick through a shop window and had cleaned them out - would you not report them? I know it's not a violent crime, but it is still detrimental to you who do things properly and have more overheads due to proper returns policies and proper filing of taxes than they do.

Unregistered business sellers may be registered with HMRC, but they may not be, and they also are definitely not abiding by the rules of eBay as well as actually breaking the law and in danger of hefty fines from TS who police these matters. They are not giving their buyers what they should do legally and that puts people off eBay altogether. In the long run it's bad for the site's health and bad for your business.

Sorry, I'm with the people who say report. There's no point trying to run a business legitimately if you allow people to come in and undercut you without adhering to the laws you have to adhere to.

Here we go again, EBAY IS NOT THE LAW THEY ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY. If someone who is a registered business (with HMRC) but are not registered as a business seller on ebay is doing nothing other than breaking ebay rules not the LAW.

Just for the record comparing someone i.e a looter who commits criminal damage and theft to someone who is a business but is registered as a personal seller on ebay are worlds apart. Firstly the looter could get a criminal record if convicted, the business seller on ebay using a personal account could get kicked off ebay at worst, most certainly would not get a criminal record though.

Like I said earlier if you are in doubt and you THINK someone using a personal account is in fact a business seller than report them. Instead of jumping to a conclusion that they aren't paying tax let ebay deal with it. Ebay are known to be informing HMRC of suspected businesses, HMRC can then check this persons status in regards to if they are infact a business that is not registered.

swimsink

I was buying and reselling last year and eBay made me upgrade to a business seller because i had a certain amount of eBay listings that were all very similar

forgotmyname

How do these people selling sofa's get on then? So many of them are using personal accounts.

Good feedback but virtually no comeback if anything goes wrong with the purchase without having to goto court and prove they were a business and try to claim your money back.

Ebay are not that interested, I tried reporting one and they are still selling brand new sofa's under a private account.

Mobile number and no collections.

Still trying to find a proper shop that doesnt look like the contents of an argos reject skip.

hermum

macfly wrote: »

That would be a Frenchman wouldn't it?

You're a guy who knows his onions.