Why do I have to pay VAT on an item if I don't live in the US?

[nicopres58]

I bought today 6 Ikea  iced tea spoons. The price was high but I was ok with it, shipping fees 20$. After I committed to buy VAT was added, but I don't live in the US  and I'll have also to pay import taxes in my Country.

I do think this will be the last time I buy anything on ebay. 

[annadryl]

These sales taxes (VAT) are not from where the item is from, but from where YOU are. Your government tax service is the tax entity, it's not the US. If you bought from outside your tax area to avoid import taxes, that's not how it works... 

[mudshark61369]

@nicopres58,

The U.S. does not charge a Value Added Tax, that was charged by your country, Austria.  As for import or customs fees, most countries do have an monetary amount under which there are no "import" fees.  Not knowing how your county's customs service works, when your item arrives at your local P.O.  if there are fees due, make sure you take a copy of your order details showing you have paid the VAT, so you are not double charged for it.

Ikea has 8 stores in your country and many more throughout Europe in E.U. countries.  Maybe you could have saved the VAT or customs fees, by buying from one of eBay's European based sites in Germany, France, or Italy.

[fab_finds4u]

https://www.globalvatcompliance.com/vat-rates-in-austria/

[lacemaker3]

@nicopres58,

eBay is required to charge VAT based on the delivery address, for all items that are being sold and imported to the EU. This is required by the law in your country. When you are purchasing on an eBay website based in the EU, the purchase prices will include the VAT because that is how they are supposed to be shown.

However, in the USA, purchase prices never include the sales tax, because that is not how they are supposed to be shown. Taxes are always added on when the item is purchased here. So the purchase prices shown on eBay USA www.ebay.com are always exclusive of VAT, and you need to remember that when you are shopping and comparing prices.

https://pages.ebay.com/vat-eu/

[nicopres58]

These spoons are not sold anymore in Europe by Ikea or on ebay Europe. I'm not so stupid to pay 200$ for 6 spoons plus 27 euros custom fees when they got here (they always double charge even if the invoice was inside), if they could be bought here.