No VAT number in UK - how to resign from the FBA and keep account active for selling FBM?
I’m a business seller from Poland and I just sent a sample of my products to test FBA system to UK fulfilment centre.
I received the email from Amazon that says I have to upload UK VAT number cause of storing product in UK but I have no chance to get it (to small business, I can not hadle costs of it) what should I do?
I didn’t know that this is required for that small business like my. Email says that if I not send them this number they will block my account. Please help!
No VAT number in UK - how to resign from the FBA and keep account active for selling FBM?
I’m a business seller from Poland and I just sent a sample of my products to test FBA system to UK fulfilment centre.
I received the email from Amazon that says I have to upload UK VAT number cause of storing product in UK but I have no chance to get it (to small business, I can not hadle costs of it) what should I do?
I didn’t know that this is required for that small business like my. Email says that if I not send them this number they will block my account. Please help!
23 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
I’m afraid that regardless of what quantity you send, it’s an automatic register for VAT if you store goods in the UK.
You have absolutely no choice about this, it is the law. For foreign sellers…
If they will allow you, then you need to either get the goods destroyed or returned to you.
Both of which are going to cost you.
Unfortunately you have learnt the hard way. You need to understand what your doing, before you do it or you will run into more problems like this I’m afraid.
Otherwise, your only alternative here is to register for VAT.
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
If you store stock in Amazon FBA UK from outside of the UK you are required to be registered for VAT on Amazon. You will need to remove your inventory from FBA to potentially avoid this issue, although other members will be able to advise if you can overcome not being VAT Registered and subsequent suspension once the process has started and you have previously held and sold stock from UK FBA
Seller_unckEFioSCJ0N
Thank you for reply. They should send me that email before system accept shipping them my products -it would avoid this situation… I stopped this listing as FBA (0 product sold in FBA system) and change to FBM. I tried to make a return but 6 of 15pcs are “reserved” and Im able to make removal order fo only 9 of 15 items… I didn’t find the way to contact Amazon member about this -how to do that?
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
Amazon expect you to read their terms of service and policies before listing on Amazon, they provide numerous guides.
My business address is in another EU country but I sell goods to UK based customers. Do I need to register for VAT?
If you store goods in another EU country, sell and move these goods to private individuals based in the UK you will be required to VAT register in the UK if you exceed the UK distance selling threshold. Also in case you store goods in another EU country and move your own goods to a storage location in the UK (either by your own means or by way of Amazon) there may be a requirement to register for VAT in the UK.
Seller_unckEFioSCJ0N
Yes, I know that I missed some key information, Im just saying how easy to get in similar situation… But this is not a topic of this discussion. Im asking you to help me what to do in this situation. My business can’t handle cost of keeping UK VAT number so Im just trying to return to the state from before sending the goods to Amazon UK.
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
We can’t help you evade UK VAT law, as previously stated you will need to remove all of your FBA Inventory, if your account is currently active I would do this before the account is suspended due to the VAT requirement. You may also be liable for any VAT that should have been paid on sales made previously.
Seller_unckEFioSCJ0N
I never sold even 1 product by Amazon UK fulfillment centre. They have on their UK fulfillment center all product that I have send to them. In inventory I suspended the possibility of selling via FBA. Now I would just like to return to the state before sending products to them … and keep selling as FBM -sending products from Poland by myself…
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
The previous first part of the response is correct, the second part where you “may” be liable for VAT if you have not sold anything on Amazon FBA UK you “may” not
As a matter of urgency I would remove all the FBA Inventory you have , this will incur removal Amazon fees, if you do not and your account is suspended any funds and stock will be held in suspension for a long period of time whilst this is resolved
Seller_lplZIMdO5UBa7
The way Amazon are operation at the moment I fear, rightly or wrongly, as I do not know the correct legal position if you withdrew your stock and made no sales, they will expect you to register for VAT or suspend your account.
I suspect its easier and certainly keeps HMRC sweet for them to take this blanket approach than it is to look at individual cases.
Seller_unckEFioSCJ0N
OK, so if they won’t be able to just send it back or even destroy it (total value of products that I sent is less than 30GBP…) and keep my account active the simplest way is to make this VAT no in UK > return goods from UK centre back to Poland > unregister UK VAT > keep my accunt active.
Im on HMRC website, and Im not able to find the way to do that… I wrote earlier that my business is not able to get and keep UK VAT number costs because I contacted tax company and they told me that it cost at least 100gbp for start and about 200gbp per quarter…
