Do I need a VAT number to start selling on Amazon UK - as a UK resident looking to import and use FBA
I am looking to start selling on Amazon UK using FBA , and I would like to know if I need to be VAT registered for this .
I am a UK resident and planning to import goods from China in order to sell via FBA.
I have not yet sold anything and not registered as a company , I am planning to sell as an individual.
Can you please advise on whether I would need to register for VAT , and whether there's a possibility for Amazon to manage the VAT services for me ( I am very new to all this so still trying to understand how I can leverage Amazon services to make my life easier).
Do I need a VAT number to start selling on Amazon UK - as a UK resident looking to import and use FBA
I am looking to start selling on Amazon UK using FBA , and I would like to know if I need to be VAT registered for this .
I am a UK resident and planning to import goods from China in order to sell via FBA.
I have not yet sold anything and not registered as a company , I am planning to sell as an individual.
Can you please advise on whether I would need to register for VAT , and whether there's a possibility for Amazon to manage the VAT services for me ( I am very new to all this so still trying to understand how I can leverage Amazon services to make my life easier).
3 replies
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
First of all I suggest you read and watch all the video tutorials on Amazon's Seller University - link on seller homepage or type into search bar at the top of this page.
If you do live in UK, then you do not need to be VAT registered here until your turnover (not profit) reaches £95,000, so as a new seller it will not be just yet !! (If you are not a UK resident then you do have to be VAT registered to use FBA here.)
What you MUST do is register with HMRC as self-employed sole-trader, wait for your UTR to arrive in the post and then submit to Amazon for an Amazon BUSINESS seller account, NOT Individual account (which is only for selling off personal second-hand items, such as books, DVDs, CDs etc).
Do NOT import any goods until your account is fully verified, which could take a while. You say you haven't registered as a company - when you register with HMRC as sole-trader then that is you registered as a business - you do not need to be a Ltd company (which has certain responsibilities) - many sellers on here are sole-traders.
As you will not need to be VAT registered then you do not need anyone to manage VAT services for you, BUT you will need to keep business accounts of income and expenses for your annual tax return.
There are many policies to be adhered to when selling on Amazon, it really is not particularly simple when starting out, hence advising Seller University. Depending on what type of goods you are looking to import, make sure that they are not in a gated category, or require special labeling, such as toys, baby items and other categories.
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
Just to add some info that I recently posted to someone else:
To explain - there are two account types (the legal entity) - Business, and Individual (which is ONLY for selling off your own personal second-hand items such as books, DVDs, CDs etc).
Then there are two selling PLANS - professional (£30 a month) and individual plan where you pay an extra 90p per sale fee.
Winston_Amazon
Hey there @Seller_7d5f8lt5OydN2,
@Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid has provided some wonderful posts here, you lucked out, how are things with your account now?
