Amazon

The Continental Op

VG31 wrote: »

Don't we already pay Irish VAT on items sold by Amazon?

We do now but will we if there is no agreement? However will probably get hit for something else.

ActingDanClark

In terms of buying from eg Amazon.it I've done it a few times without issue - items usually not crazy expensive. Recently bought a surface pro 7 from amazon.it warehouse and despite the item costing €840 I had to pay p&p €16. VERY poorly packaged for a relatively expensive delicate item, which subsequently proved to be faulty. Contacted Amazon .it - no problems returning it other than needing to refer to Google translate. Return was at MY expense (21.50)other than a contribution of €4 from Amazon.it and anpost only covers up to €150 in the event it went missing. Two weeks from posting until I received notification of receipt from Amazon. Just a heads up!

ED E

The Continental Op wrote: »

We do now but will we if there is no agreement? However will probably get hit for something else.

It'll be identical to the US global shipping system. They'll take the import deposit which is usually accurate but will likely include a handling charge. This will ruin UK orders. I'll likely cancel my Prime come January.

harr

ED E wrote: »

It'll be identical to the US global shipping system. They'll take the import deposit which is usually accurate but will likely include a handling charge. This will ruin UK orders. I'll likely cancel my Prime come January.

I probably will as well unfortunately any savings we are making using prime will wiped out with the new charges.
Currently purchase a lot of stuff in Amazon and other U.K. sites for items not very readily available here. Especially during lockdown.
I was hoping Amazon would have set up a system for Irish customers where fees were kept to a minimum.

sunbeam

I get a lot from them using Subscribe and Save. Can't use that on any of the other EU sites. Luckily I've been stocking up on stuff for the past 6 months. Might still be worth it for a few items, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

touts

actuallylike wrote: »

Update! Just got this from amazon, looks like it might be best to shop within EU then

Got that also. Will Ireland be served by other amazon websites or will we just have to pay the extra VAT and duties?

The Continental Op

There will be a lot of waiting and seeing but over Christmas I'm going to give my massive wish list a good shake down and if an agreement looks unlikely I'll be treating myself.

ixoy

It's unclear as to how this might affect digital sales, specifically Kindle books. Can't get them from the other EU stores, at least not in English. I don't think Customs would apply as the cost would be below any threshold.

Pen Rua

ixoy wrote: »

It's unclear as to how this might affect digital sales, specifically Kindle books. Can't get them from the other EU stores, at least not in English. I don't think Customs would apply as the cost would be below any threshold.

I would imagine they would be digital goods, so different rules (again) would apply.

https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/vat-on-services/vat-and-electronically-supplied-services/index.aspx

Joziburg

Why can’t there be an Amazon.ie website? What are the reasons for there not being any?

Luckycharms_74

Joziburg wrote: »

Why can’t there be an Amazon.ie website? What are the reasons for there not being any?

Yeah I can’t understand this either

sdanseo

In theory if you’re paying Irish VAT you don’t pay UK VAT. We’re then relying on an post to reduce their €10 handling charge which makes the likes of prime delivery pointless. As well the current exemptions are quite low €22 plus duty kicks in at €150 and can be quite high in the absence of any trade agreement limiting or removing it. But if you utilise those exemptions then there is a chance (see below) that you won’t pay UK VAT either and some small items could actually be cheaper if an post plays ball or Amazon themselves don’t charge a handling fee for exempt shipments.

A complication here is that I’m not aware of a facility to purchase from Amazon UK ex VAT or how you would go about reclaiming the UK VAT. Will Amazon go to the expense of handling this for Irish customers? Their email doesn’t make it clear. I’d like to think that side of it will be handled automatically but there’s a chance it won’t.

Bottom line for the long term is that Amazon are investing heavily here with a delivery station open and it appears a fulfilment centre on the way. There are +6.5 million customers on the island of Ireland and NI will be in the customs union in all but name or even in name. Ireland will not get the same level of priority as a market if 50 million people but it won’t be ignored either. I’m convinced this will be a short term inconvenience.

whiterebel

The lower exemption limit is going on July 1st 2021.
Why would An Post lower their fee for Handling customs clearance shipments?

Sheep Shagger

The Continental Op wrote: »

We do now but will we if there is no agreement? However will probably get hit for something else.

Important duty in addition to VAT.

Anyone know if yiubcan transfer your prime membership from co.uk to a European site?

Asus X540L

ED E wrote: »

It'll be identical to the US global shipping system. They'll take the import deposit which is usually accurate but will likely include a handling charge. This will ruin UK orders. I'll likely cancel my Prime come January.

This sounds very very bad.

Import fees for buying from the UK?
Jesus wept.

What about Amazon's warehouses in Ireland?
There should at the very least be an Amazon.ie website.

Ireland are a gadget and consumer mad country.

ztoical

Joziburg wrote: »

Why can’t there be an Amazon.ie website? What are the reasons for there not being any?

Not a big enough market has always been the reply - there's only 7 European amazon sites not one for each country so a lot of EU countries have to order from neighbors. Maybe Brexit will push them to create a separate amazon.ie but I wouldn't put money on it

thecivvie

Asus X540L wrote: »

This sounds very very bad.

Import fees for buying from the UK?
Jesus wept.

What about Amazon's warehouses in Ireland?
There should at the very least be an Amazon.ie website.

Ireland are a gadget and consumer mad country.

Amazon.ie is forwarded to the UK site at the moment.

SD_DRACULA

thecivvie wrote: »

Amazon.ie is forwarded to the UK site at the moment.

hopefully that means a .ie site is in the works

Sheep Shagger

Asus X540L wrote: »

This sounds very very bad. Import fees for buying from the UK?
Jesus wept..

Where have you been? Welcome to Brexit.

Asus X540L

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Where have you been? Welcome to Brexit.

Well I thought as Amazon has EU outlets including warehouses in Ireland we'd just pay the Irish VAT and continue as normal.

carltonleon

It’s not just Brexit, stuff coming from outside the EU like China will no longer have the €20 exemption, there will be customs charges on everything. A lot will be paid for when you are purchasing but some will need to be paid for on arrival

Joziburg

Anyone with experience know which of the European websites is the best. Hate having to hop from one to the other, if I can stick on one?

sdanseo

whiterebel wrote: »

The lower exemption limit is going on July 1st 2021.
Why would An Post lower their fee for Handling customs clearance shipments?

At the moment it's €10 for a very small number of shipments (comparative to the total at least).

Customs processes will be simplified and the volume of them will dictate much better working practices reducing the labour cost. In most logistics operations including mine where EU makes up the overwhelming majority customs is a rare exception to the rule. We've been mass training all staff for months so instead of one person getting a rake of awkward calls when something lands from Turkey or Switzerland, every staff member will clear their own shipments. Scale makes this no longer a specialty service, and so the price overall per clearance can go down.

An Post are no different. They have already lost a huge Amazon contract because Amazon can do it better themselves. They'll want to be competitive.

Amazon no doubt in time will have all this done in house and in a slightly longer period will simply fulfill all Irish orders (or at least, the vast majority of popular items) from and Irish or other EU FC. Enter Prime Air stage right. 2 jets already leased for Europe and many more to follow no doubt.

Nobotty wrote: »

I've been purchasing from amazon.co.uk excluding vat for a few years now
I just gave them an Irish vat number,they verified it and added it to my profile
The vat isn't added at payment so you end up paying about 20% less than the list price

Not sure what happens to this process after dec 31st
Will probably have to use the German or French site

Right, but you become liable for Irish VAT unless exempt when the goods arrive here. And more importantly you have a VAT number; or are you using your PPS number as a VAT number? (sole trader)
it's not something Amazon currently offer consumers, is my point.

MBSnr

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

hopefully that means a .ie site is in the works

Unfortunately I wouldn't bet on it..
Amazon.ie has been registered since Feb 2000 and has been redirecting to amazon.co.uk for many years.

Perhaps they might create an Irish site for the position we are in - tied to UK electrical plugs, English language etc and offer a dedicated site. I hope so.

Firefox11

I get stuff from Amazon.de from time to time but don't have half the range of stuff (that i want ) thats on the UK site.

charlietheminxx

It looks like Amazon are pretty much accepting it’ll be a no deal Brexit so...

I’ll definitely miss the convenience of shopping with them if the proposed changes come to pass.

BArra

Joziburg wrote: »

Anyone with experience know which of the European websites is the best. Hate having to hop from one to the other, if I can stick on one?

you should be comparing eu amazon sites as you can often get a better deal from one over the other..

always check .fr, .es, .de or use amazon comparison sites so they check for you

ixoy

Why would Amazon have bothered setting up their own Irish delivery service knowing that a no-deal Brexit had a high chance of passing? What was in it for them to keep Irish customers happy if they planned on shafting them entirely?

VG31

ixoy wrote: »

Why would Amazon have bothered setting up their own Irish delivery service knowing that a no-deal Brexit had a high chance of passing? What was in it for them to keep Irish customers happy if they planned on shafting them entirely?

I've been thinking the same thing for a while. I've said on here before if Amazon were set to effectively abandon Ireland, why would they start their own deliveries in Dublin?

If a no-deal Brexit happens then Amazon.co.uk orders will fall massively and a lot of people will cancel their Prime membership. I can't see all these people switching to other European Amazon sites. The €7.50 minimum delivery charge and no free Prime delivery is hardly appealing.

I just can't see Amazon being fine with a likely 80%+ sales drop here. Their new delivery drivers would just be sitting around doing nothing in Rathcoole.

jonnybangbang

Does anyone know can you join amazon prime on Amazon.de? I realise you don't get the free delivery but can you still get Prime Video, Prime music and Prime Photos??? if its going to be more expensive to shop in amazon.co.uk and prime in Amazon.de is cheaper.