set up as ebay seller

[lyonsa3]

Hi,
I’d like to bulk buy products in the US and China with the intention of selling individually on ebay. I know a lot of people do this but I like to give it a go.
I don’t want to set up a company yet but I’d like to try it out first to see how it goes.
My query is, can I purchase bulk in the US or china as an individual (not a company) and if so what are the tax implications on the purchase? Do I have to pay excise and VAT on the purchase, and if so what are the rates?
I’ve looked at the revenue site but the more I read it the more confused I get

 

[mathepac]

... My query is, can I purchase bulk in the US or china as an individual (not a company) and if so what are the tax implications on the purchase? ...

In general suppliers will only care that you can pay (up front plus shipping costs) as they probably won't offer credit terms.

There may be exceptions to what you can buy if they already have distribution agreements in place with existing customers or if there are import restrictions.

... Do I have to pay excise and VAT on the purchase, and if so what are the rates? ...

Yes and the specific rates of excise depend on the commodities you import.

All of these questions have been asked and answered many times previously on the site. If you have specifics try searching for them.

 

[allthedoyles]

Well , we have been doing the above , and the profit margin is quite small.

Yes you will have to pay revenue .
You may have to produce an invoice to Customs , before the goods are released and then goods are valued by Customs .

In my case I receive an invoice from the courier and they normally charge the following :
1. VAT on items
2. Administration Fee
3. VAT on Administration Fee

An item may seem cheap in China / USA , however after you add on the shipping charges + the above charges , you will find that the item from these foreign lands are not as cheap as you expected them to be .


You will also find that most of the items on sale are either generic or original brand name fakes .

I have seen an item on sale on eBay for €65 , that costs me € 90 . You will find that some eBay sellers drop-ship directly to the customer and it is only afterwards that the buyer receives the invoice from courier for vat etc .( hidden costs )

 

[lyonsa3]

I have searched other posts!
Just a bit worried about the tax issue.
For example, if I purchase 100 items costing €50 each, so total is €5000 but their retail value is €100 each, total is €10000, do I have to pay VAT and excise on the price I pay or on the retail price?