The United Kingdom requires marketplaces such as Delcampe to collect import VAT on goods sold to British individuals by professionals located outside the United Kingdom for any shipment up to GBP 135 (+/-150 €).
Concretely, if you are a professional seller located outside the UK, your British buyers can decide to pay import VAT on Delcampe. In this case, Delcampe will collect it. The collection of import VAT is only possible if the buyer has chosen to pay the items via Mangopay.
If the import VAT charges have been paid by your buyer, you are required to declare that the import VAT has been paid by providing the import VAT number to the customs clearance service (in most countries, this number is to be mentioned on a specific form attached to the package or envelope. This form is usually available from the postal or transport service).
Warning: if you fail to indicate the import VAT number on the customs declaration, your buyer may refuse the item and return it to you in order not to pay import taxes a second time. In this case, you are obliged to refund the full amount paid, including the shipping costs.
In addition, any infringement of the legislation concerning VAT on imported goods may lead to the suspension of your account, or even to permanent closure in the event of a repeat offence.
This article describes where you can see that your buyer has paid the import fees via Delcampe.
Where can I check whether my buyer has paid the import VAT charges?
If your buyer has paid import VAT, you will find the import VAT number, as well as the import VAT and administration fee, on the invoice.
Here is an example of an invoice where the import charges are included:
On the transaction details
If your buyer has paid the import VAT fees, you will find this information in the transaction details in your Delcampe Pay account.
To do so:
- Go to "Payments: History"
- Clickon "See the detail" next to the transaction
Tip: for more information on the implementation of import VAT, please refer to the article "Import VAT on shipments to the United Kingdom"