Selling to Ireland? VAT? Confused?

[Gypsy]

My dress is on sale on ebay and I got a question today asking if I would ship the dress to Ireland. I said I would and qouted the USPS price for shipping to Ireland. But then... I was kinda sleepy when all this happened, I''d just woken up.

Of course NOW, I''m stressed and awake wondering if I''m going to get in trouble with import export laws for selling my dress to Ireland ... and not declaring VAT as so forth. So, um... can anyone advise me?

What do I need to do?

 

[surfgirl]

It''s not your problem to deal with VAT issues, it''s the responsibility of the buyer, IIRC. You''re a private seller, not a company, so I think you can tell the buyer that the sale price and shipping does not include any VAT or import taxes/charges that Irish authorities may add onto the shipment.

 

[Pandora II]

Don't stress - just stick the price you sold it for on the sticker thing and send it off.

I order things quite often from the states. The post-office pay the bill to customs - I get a card to say I have a package with customs charges to pay ... I pop to the post-office, pay the bill and the parcel is mine.

Easy!

Sometimes they don't stop every parcel - in which case, by law it's their loss... there is no onus on the reciever to go and chase the tax-man to pay. I'd say my parcels get stopped about 30% of the time. Bigger ones nearly always are.

You should point out to the purchaser that customs & VAT are her responsibility - it's worth sticking a clause on your ebay ad saying this.

 

[bee*]

I agree with the others-whenever I''ve purchased anything from the US, it''s my responsibility to deal with the vat on my end. You just have to put the price that you sold it for on the box.

 

[LegacyGirl]

As long as its not Nigeria you''re fine!

 

[Gypsy]

Okay. WHEW! That''s great news all.

So do I just put in bright red: WEDDING DRESS BOUGHT FOR XXX DOLLARS? Or is there a form that information goes on?

Lol. THanks for all your help guys!

 

[Pandora II]

There is a form to fill in.

Normally you just put - item of clothing and the the price in the box.

I would probably not put ''wedding dress'' - I have heard of instances where customs decides that something is worth more than the person paid and you have to go down all sorts of routes proving what you paid etc and seller being contacted etc.