eBay

mozartbach1971 · ‎03-02-2023

I recently received a message from Ebay about IOSS numbers. I included the message below. It looks like it says they are mandatory, this is the first time I've heard anything from Ebay about this, I've always shipped items without putting this number when shipping. I just sent a package to Europe around a couple days before I received this message. Could I be liable for the customs charges if the buyer opens a complaint?

Message: This is a reminder about the importance of providing eBay’s IOSS numbers for shipments into the EU in cases where eBay has collected VAT. We have identified that in at least one of your transactions eBay’s IOSS number was not provided correctly to your carrier, and your buyers may have had to pay VAT again on delivery.
eBay collects VAT from buyers on shipments into the EU with a consignment value up to EUR 150, when the goods are shipped from outside of the EU, and the transaction concludes on eBay. For these shipments you must electronically provide eBay’s IOSS number to your carrier. Please find below some tips as well as answers to the most common questions.

Where to find eBay’s IOSS number?
eBay’s IOSS number is always shared in your order details, in APIs as well as in the Orders Download Report. The number is the same for all transactions and should be used only for shipments through eBay.

How do I pass eBay’s IOSS number to my carrier?
When you provide the electronic customs declaration with your carrier there will be a field to enter the eBay IOSS number and declare as VAT collected. Please contact your carrier for more information.

What happens if it’s not provided at all/ not provided correctly?
Your buyers may have to pay VAT on delivery which may lead to buyer friction. Most buyers are opening claims in these cases.

Is it sufficient to print eBay’s IOSS number on the shipping labels?
NO - carriers will only pass the IOSS if it is submitted in the electronic customs declaration. If it is printed on the shipping label the carriers will not pass the data. If you’re using the eBay label platform, eBay’s IOSS number will be automatically shared with carriers. Please contact your carrier to understand what information they require.

What can I do if my carrier is still not ready?
We recommend you to use eBay’s GSP to ensure a seamless buyer experience whilst you and your carrier update the systems.

Important Links:
Learn where to find eBay’s IOSS number in APIs: https://developer.ebay.com/
Learn about EU VAT changes: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/vat-obligations-uk-eu?id=4650
Watch our Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LkOcA93pw

Sincerely yours,
Your eBay Team

romain_rg · ‎05-03-2023

For the record, I just got this issue from a buyer's perspective. I bought an item, was charged the VAT by eBay, and the seller didn't provide the IOSS number. And then I received a message from my local post office explaining that I have to pay the VAT for my item and extra clearance fees.

I can indeed contact eBay with the receipt of the extra VAT payment that I've done and they should refund the VAT they pre-charged me. BUT they won't reimburse the extra clearance fees, which as said above are quite high. In my case, I had to pay 17.50 EUR of extra fees (in addition to the VAT) for an item that is worth like 5 EUR. And nobody is going to refund me that money.

So please, as sellers, provide this IOSS number... Next time this happens, I will refuse the parcel because I'm not going to pay 17.50 EUR each time the seller forgets to provide the requested info.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-03-2023

Sorry I didn't see your inquiry @mozartbach1971. Use the @ symbol to tag someone. 🙂

As the above poster said, the buyer would need to provide a copy of their receipt to eBay for reimbursement if they had to pay those fees twice. CS will provide the buyer a link where they can upload the document/photo.

GLORIOUS!

wastingtime101 · ‎05-03-2023

@romain_rg wrote:
So please, as sellers, provide this IOSS number... Next time this happens, I will refuse the parcel because I'm not going to pay 17.50 EUR each time the seller forgets to provide the requested info.

Be careful about that @romain_rg because refusing delivery can void your MBG protections and result in a total loss.

Hopefully this was a one-off incident, but if it happens again then I'd consider contacting international sellers before making a purchase and letting them know in the past sellers have forgotten the IOSS number on the customs form which resulted in additional high clearance fees, and that you just want to make sure they'll have all the documents filled out so you don't run into that situation again.

GLORIOUS!

romain_rg · ‎05-03-2023

Thanks for the tip!

It's a pity, really. In particular when sellers don't owe their mistakes and let the buyers pay for it.

Also, eBay should definitely refund ALL the fees and see with the seller how to avoid this next time.

As a buyer, I should really be the last one in the loop that has to pay for that, as I'm the one with the least influence on that mistake (like I just didn't do anything wrong). The sellers should read about those rules and eBay could make it WAY MORE obvious for them that it's an EU shipping address and that they mustn't forget to include the IOSS.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-03-2023

@romain_rg wrote:
eBay could make it WAY MORE obvious for them that it's an EU shipping address and that they mustn't forget to include the IOSS.

If a seller is shipping to an international customer directly, they know. It couldn't be any clearer.

If the seller is purchasing their ship label through the eBay platform, then eBay automatically includes the IOSS number within the electronic data so the seller does not have to fill that out. If the seller is purchasing their ship label independently then they really need to know what they're doing and what needs to be filled out.

If the label was purchased through eBay but your local post said it was missing the IOSS number, then it could be an issue with your local post office's system. A few countries had a lot of issues (An Post in Ireland, for one) until they updated their system.

If a seller is shipping to an international customer indirectly through EIS (eBay International Shipping) then eBay handles all the customs forms, etc and the seller has no part.

From which country did that shipment missing the IOSS come @romain_rg? Do you know which shipping service the seller used? If you want to post an item number (or send it in a private message) I can take a look and see if I can help any further.

GLORIOUS!

romain_rg · ‎05-03-2023

wastingtime101

I'm in Belgium. I received pictures of the parcel through the tracking application so I know the IOSS is just not there. I even have a picture of the customs declaration they made.

They used Royal Mail, International Tracked and locally, it's our local post service (bpost) that handles it (and that contacted me with the pictures and the payment request)

The object number is 275372221799.

Actually, I now remember I had the very same issue last year. The item (224861251166) was coming from the US and when I contacted the vendor to let them know about the issue they were just like "Sorry, I didn't know about this IOSS thingy". So it's the second time it happens to me.

romain_rg · ‎05-03-2023

Oh, and finally, I also made another order from the UK very recently and was also charged by eBay for the VAT.

I just contacted the vendor to make sure they provided the IOSS and they replied that they sent it via a simple enveloppe and that it's not needed as customs don't look at them...

This IOSS thing is really a mess.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-03-2023

This is the .com forum. You'd probably get more info about Royal Mail and UK shipping on community.ebay.co.uk

The shipment from the US is too old to view the listing and see what shipping method the seller used.

GLORIOUS!

romain_rg · ‎05-03-2023

I'm not trying to get help as there is just nothing to be done at this point. The sellers don't provide the IOSS and it's up to the buyer to pay all the fees. And eBay couldn't care less. For the record, the US order used USPS.

What I'm trying to do is stress the fact that IT IS mandatory and sellers should start to care more about it.

mozartbach1971 · ‎05-04-2023

I posted about an incident where a buyer from Belgium refused delivery and opened up a case with their financial institution and they received their money back.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-04-2023

@mozartbach1971 wrote:
I posted about an incident where a buyer from Belgium refused delivery and opened up a case with their financial institution and they received their money back.

Yep. A chargeback is not handled the same as an eBay MBG claim.

GLORIOUS!

gumi99 · ‎05-17-2023

Hear hear, @romain_rg . I'm a buyer from Belgium too, and have currently a similar situation. I bought two vintage magazines from a seller in the US, price $19.20, shipping $31.20, VAT collected by eBay $3.04 (which is correct). The package was sent with USPS, but unfortunately held at customs. It can only be delivered when I pay the standard fee of €17.5 for customs clearing, + VAT on the purchase price, the shipping cost AND the fee for declaration. Total cost: €25.16, around $27. So I agree with Romain, the IOSS number is vital for buyers in the EU.

And no, it is not possible to send proof (VAT invoice) anymore, and try to reason with customs. That's too late. They need to see it immediately when they scan the barcode. They have probably hundreds of cases like that each day. So if I want my magazines, I will have to pay the abominable $27, and try to get the initially collected, correct sum of $3.04 back from eBay. Not a fair balance, if you ask me, but that's a typical Belgian issue.

Just telling all this because it will never hurt to see an extra real example of what the damage can be if the IOSS number is not properly and electronically filled in.

I paid the fees, by the way. Not opening a case. Honest mistakes can be made.

FYI this is the answer one gets from the FAQ webpage of bpost.be, the Belgian post company:

"I have already paid VAT through the webshop. Now I have to pay again. How is that possible?

In exceptional cases, you may have to pay VAT and import costs a second time on your shipment. This is because the IOSS webshop on which you ordered or the local postal company of the sender did not (correctly) register this information.

An IOSS shop is required to forward its IOSS number digitally. Customs uses this number to read out the necessary information about your shipment automatically. If this number is not transmitted or valid, the bpost customs clearance service is obliged to charge the recipient for VAT and customs formalities. (It is not enough to note the IOSS number on the package or to communicate it afterwards.)

If you are charged import costs and VAT a second time, then:

You can refuse the shipment in the My bpost app or Track & Trace and request a full refund from the sender.
You can pay the import costs and reclaim the VAT from the sender who wrongfully charged it. To do this, contact the sender and present your proof of payment from the My bpost app or Track & Trace."

lepke1979 · ‎05-17-2023

@mozartbach1971 wrote:
I buy labels from Pirate and Stamps.com. I remember Stamps.com asking me for for this information, I never knew what this was, so since it allowed me to skip it, I skipped it. I don't think Pirate ever asked me for this information when I printed their labels.

It's under International Tax ID:

gumi99 · ‎05-18-2023

By the way, this is eBays IOSS number - it was printed on the VAT invoice eBay has sent me after my purchase:

IOSS number: IM2760000742

So this is what a seller needs to cut and paste when he completes the shipping label, to customers in the EU, when eBay has already collected the VAT.