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Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

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BrianD3
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Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#1

Post by BrianD3 »

I'm thick - I admit that I still don't fully understand all the implications of Brexit.

If I buy an item from an ebay seller located in NI my understanding is that there should be no additional import duties or taxes. Yet it looks like ebay applies an additional charge at checkout if someone in Ireland buys something from either GB or NI. It doesn't matter if I view the item on ebay.ie or ebay.co.uk

Am I wrong about the rules or is ebay wrong and how does one get around this.

Has anyone else found any tricks or workarounds for getting stuff in from GB and/or NI post Brexit.

Thanks
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Del.Monte
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#2

Post by Del.Monte »

The whole Brexit thing has just added to what is already a shambles on eBay. They add on VAT to second-hand items being sold by private sellers which is just nonsense but there's no getting round it. Add in the number of sellers on the ridiculous Global Shipping Programme and you have a fine mess. The Global Shipping Programme adds huge postage costs onto goods sold by UK eBay sellers and many of them are oblivious to this.

My 'work-around' is to have a second eBay a/c with an NI address - it means that it takes me a lot longer to receive items but it's massively cheaper. I have quit selling on eBay as the system insists on adding VAT onto my items.....
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nlgbbbblth
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#3

Post by nlgbbbblth »

I have bought items from English Ebay sellers in 2021 and the Irish VAT of 23% is automatically added on at checkout. You cannot avoid it.
You shouldn't be hit again when the package arrives but if you are, Ebay will refund the VAT they charged.

Sounds like Ebay are unaware of the NI protocol in your case.

Amazon UK (direct - not third party sellers) is much better for two reasons

1/ They deduct UK VAT (20%) before adding on Irish VAT (23%). There are no more charges.
2/ Every package gets through customs without issue.

Separately An Post are returning numerous packages from outside the EU (including some ordered from Ebay UK) for spurious reasons. Electronic data incomplete is the usual one, but they don't specify what exactly is missing. For over 25 years, I have bought numerous CDs and LPs from Japan. After a couple of returned packages earlier this year, I now only order from Japanese sellers that use Fedex or DHL to ship (thereby cutting out An Post interference - more expensive but at least the goods arrive).
CelticRambler
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#4

Post by CelticRambler »

Del.Monte wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:57 pm The whole Brexit thing has just added to what is already a shambles on eBay. They add on VAT to second-hand items being sold by private sellers which is just nonsense but there's no getting round it.
AFAIK, VAT (and customs duties) are due on sales between EU and non-EU parties regardless of whether the item is second-hand or brand new.
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Del.Monte
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#5

Post by Del.Monte »

CelticRambler wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 1:03 pm AFAIK, VAT (and customs duties) are due on sales between EU and non-EU parties regardless of whether the item is second-hand or brand new.
Oh, you're probably correct but it's daft if you think about it as I never heard of a private non-VAT registered citizen charging VAT on anything.

Another maddening thing on eBay which is going on years is sellers who advertise FREE p+p to UK buyers but full whack to Ireland etc. I have had it out with sellers in the past and some of them are really dim! Do the Royal Mail say to these sellers 'oh, right you are it's for the UK so there's no need to put a stamp on it'? It means Irish buyers are subsiding FREE p+p for UK buyers and this was going on for years before BREXIT.
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490808
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#6

Post by 490808 »

Del.Monte wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 1:11 pm Oh, you're probably correct but it's daft if you think about it as I never heard of a private non-VAT registered citizen charging VAT on anything.

Another maddening thing on eBay which is going on years is sellers who advertise FREE p+p to UK buyers but full whack to Ireland etc. I have had it out with sellers in the past and some of them are really dim! Do the Royal Mail say to these sellers 'oh, right you are it's for the UK so there's no need to put a stamp on it'? It means Irish buyers are subsiding FREE p+p for UK buyers and this was going on for years before BREXIT.
I've had a few items from NI with no VAT but the sellers obviously knew what they were doing - iirc items were advertised on ebay.ie?

Now if you have to get tied up with the Global Shipping crap you are bound to get charged extra VAT.
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Del.Monte
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#7

Post by Del.Monte »

Here's an eBay purchase from the UK that I made five minutes ago - FREE p+p within the UK or over £14 to Ireland and at that there's a possibility that Customs/An Post would want something too. So daft that you couldn't make it up. Hard to believe that the Industrial Revolution began in GB.

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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#8

Post by CelticRambler »

If it's any consolation to you, Del, "you find them everywhere" - SonNo.1 went down to the village bureau de poste last week to send a package to Ireland. "No can do," says the lady behind the desk. "I still haven't been trained in the Brexit formalities."

:?: "Huh? What Brexit, what formalities?" asks SonNo.1

"Your parcel is going to Ireland, so there are all these new rules because of Brexit," says she.

"Like feck there are," says SonNo.1. "We're as much a part of the EU as France is. Now take my parcel and send it the same way as you'd send one to Germany or Spain ..."

Yer wan checked her computer, and discovered that Ireland is indeed still part of the EU. Brexit rules do not apply ... :roll:
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Scotty
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#9

Post by Scotty »

CelticRambler wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 5:51 pm Yer wan checked her computer, and discovered that Ireland is indeed still part of the EU. Brexit rules do not apply ... :roll:
...unless passing through the UK while on it's way to Ireland. ;)
490808
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#10

Post by 490808 »

CelticRambler wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 5:51 pm If it's any consolation to you, Del, "you find them everywhere" - SonNo.1 went down to the village bureau de poste last week to send a package to Ireland. "No can do," says the lady behind the desk. "I still haven't been trained in the Brexit formalities."

:?: "Huh? What Brexit, what formalities?" asks SonNo.1

"Your parcel is going to Ireland, so there are all these new rules because of Brexit," says she.

"Like feck there are," says SonNo.1. "We're as much a part of the EU as France is. Now take my parcel and send it the same way as you'd send one to Germany or Spain ..."

Yer wan checked her computer, and discovered that Ireland is indeed still part of the EU. Brexit rules do not apply ... :roll:
At last a story where the computer says YES :D :lol: :P
CelticRambler
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#11

Post by CelticRambler »

Scotty wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 5:57 pm ...unless passing through the UK while on it's way to Ireland. ;)
Nope - sealed package addressed to Ireland. Brexit rules do not apply, even if La Poste decide to send it in a lorry via the landbridge.
BrianD3
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#12

Post by BrianD3 »

In case anyone wants to know how to search for items in NI on eBay, here is how I searched for Mizuno Irons located within 80 miles of Cookstown courthouse. I picked that location as it is quite central and I googled the postcode. If you use a Belfast postcode you might return some items from western Scotland!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/local/#keyword=M ... pingLowest

I tried this a few months ago and couldn't get it working, my search was returning items all over the world. Might have been an ebay problem that is now fixed.

AFAIK there is no local or eircode filter on ebay.ie - just Ireland (Rep.), EU, UK, World filters
490808
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#13

Post by 490808 »

My first search would have been this https://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... _PrefLoc=1 (hope that link works).

I always start on ebay.ie and use the filter for Item Location Ireland only.

I'd also repeat any searches for things I want on a regular bases because if I look for long enough stuff turns up for sale in Ireland at decent prices. In fact I find the prices can be a be cheaper because the co.uk crowd aren't so keen to buy from Ireland when they have so much choice of stuff in the UK. North or South wouldn't bother me as I said I've not had any issue with VAT from either.
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Del.Monte
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#14

Post by Del.Monte »

I rarely buy new items on eBay as I'm mainly after old stuff - books, paintings, railwayana etc. However, many Irish sellers are a bad joke with most stuff vastly overpriced compared with UK sellers and it can't be because they are paying high wages, rates, insurance etc. as they are usually sole traders operating online.
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490808
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#15

Post by 490808 »

A lot of what I buy is second hand computer stuff and there are a couple of good irish sellers that have sensible prices. Having said that I've got some great deals from Lithuania recently along with first class service. First time I bought from Lithuania I did wonder if anything would arrive and whether it would work but didn't have any issues. When it comes to computer parts my very very last resort would be Germany because its often cheaper to buy a complete working second hand computer than it is to buy a couple of parts from Germany because they have really mad prices.

On the whole I'd agree in general that stuff sold by irish sellers whether its ebay, adverts or donedeal is often vastly overpriced.
CelticRambler
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#16

Post by CelticRambler »

The Continental Op wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:55 pmWhen it comes to computer parts my very very last resort would be Germany because its often cheaper to buy a complete working second hand computer than it is to buy a couple of parts from Germany because they have really mad prices.
Really? :? SonNo.1 sourced most of his self-build mega machine parts from Germany because they were the best value for money, and that was while he was still living in Dublin.
490808
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#17

Post by 490808 »

CelticRambler wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 9:42 pm Really? :? SonNo.1 sourced most of his self-build mega machine parts from Germany because they were the best value for money, and that was while he was still living in Dublin.
Thats new parts. Old parts from Germany are just off the wall they have those odd parts you need but you have to pay through the nose for them. A specific server heatsink could be €120. I needed one for a system I'd just paid €150, I'd upgraded the CPU and went looking for the correct uprated heatsink - still running the the system on the original heatsink. A replacement motherboard for the same system from Germany is currently €400 or I can buy the system complete with 32GB of ram and a Xeon CPU for €200.
CelticRambler
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Re: Brexit - buying from ebay sellers in Northern Ireland

#18

Post by CelticRambler »

Ah, right. That'd be the same as here in France then - pretty normal for the asking price for aging second-hand items to be higher than you'd pay for the same thing, brand new but end-of-line from any of the mainstream sellers. :roll:
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