Clearing a hoard and high volume selling

rebeccauk

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Flyonthewall

Your husband is right that it might be seen that way. However, you can prove where the items are from and explain it just as you have here. It is not taxable, it's not a business.

It is possible that ebay will tell you to change to a business account due to the amount your selling.

Perhaps you could look into selling on various platforms and listing a bit less sometimes so you're not constantly selling everything in high volumes on ebay.

soolin

If much of the stuff is clothing then I think there is a very good chance you will be asked by ebay to upgrade to a business account. For some reason clothing seems to be a trigger for ebay- especially if it is in different sizes.

However, if this is your stuff and HMRC then ask you about it you only need explain to them why you have all this and hopefully you should be fine.

It might be better though to clear the cheaper end items at a car boot just to keep the volume down.

kronenbourg

i had a similar thing last year although i was selling of my CD collection my account got limited to 200 items a month that i could list

aeb_2

I'm selling my late husbands collections using the free 100 listings every time.
Last year I did receive an email from ebay ask if I was a business. I clicked the box to say I was private and stated I was selling a collection and didn't hear anything else

Re tax, this might help:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/selling/examples.htm

rebeccauk

Thank you so much for these helpful comments.
Another query then....where does one stand when selling on behalf of a friend? As I use ebay lots my friend occasionally asks me to sell items for her too (When I'm not too heavy on my own auctions as I have been for the last few months). She has no internet connection at home so I've listed her stuff on my account - again it's mostly clothing - (high end highstreet making no profit on her original purchase price but recouping a little) but it's meant I've had a huge variety of clothing in different sizes, genders etc all linked to my account! Do you think that would be a trigger?

I read the HMRC info with interest thank you.

RFW

rebeccauk wrote: »

Thank you so much for these helpful comments.
Another query then....where does one stand when selling on behalf of a friend? As I use ebay lots my friend occasionally asks me to sell items for her too (When I'm not too heavy on my own auctions as I have been for the last few months). She has no internet connection at home so I've listed her stuff on my account - again it's mostly clothing - (high end highstreet making no profit on her original purchase price but recouping a little) but it's meant I've had a huge variety of clothing in different sizes, genders etc all linked to my account! Do you think that would be a trigger?

I read the HMRC info with interest thank you.

Ebay and HMRC have different interpretations of what is a business. HMRC's is clear cut, simply if you buy or make to resell (whether you make a profit or not) then you are a business. Ebay can essentially call you a business seller whenever they feel like. With Ebay it isn't just about how/why you are selling they can change to add another layer of protection to buyers.

The simplest way to deal with your friend's goods would be to open a new account and sell from that. You can register it in your name if you need to but you can keep all the details separate.

soolin

If I might play devils advocate here you are beginning to look awfully like a business. Virtually all the ones that come to me for help (usually benefits rather than HMRC) are selling clothing in different sizes. Most use the exact same explanation as you are using, 'selling for friends/ relatives) . It is probably the most used excuse going, while actually buying from charity shops or car boots.

As this is such a common excuse I worry that someone genuinely selling privately will just caught up, and so I echo my earlier suggestion that it might be better to shift the majority of low cost items via a car boot and stay below the radar.

I rarely disagree with RFW but would suggest caution with opening a second account especially if both are used to get maximum free listings. The accounts will be linked as you will need to use the same PayPal account and might just look like you are avoiding being noticed.

Having to upgrade to a business on eBay isn't the end of the world , but I certainly would be trying to avoid having to answer questions and provide proof to HMRC or DWP if they get interested.

melliott1963

I would never sell on behalf of anyone else. If your friend really wants to sell things on ebay, let her get her own computer and internet connection and do it herself.

Does she pay you for doing it? If so then technically you're a business. If she's not, then personally I think she's taking the p!

Flyonthewall

melliott1963 wrote: »

I would never sell on behalf of anyone else. If your friend really wants to sell things on ebay, let her get her own computer and internet connection and do it herself.

Does she pay you for doing it? If so then technically you're a business. If she's not, then personally I think she's taking the p!

Maybe OP likes to help out her friends. The OP said they enjoy selling on ebay and only occasionally list items for a friend. It's not like her friend is constantly asking her to list things and OP doesn't really want to but does so anyway.

As has already been said about selling so much or opening another account, you do need to be careful, may be seen as a business and would do best selling on other platforms too. Maybe do a carboot with your friend when they have things to sell. Nothing wrong with selling for a friend as long as you know you have the items and can guarantee there will be no problems in your friend saying no after a sale or not being able to get the items to send them.