Claiming back VAT on Amazon UK business purchases

daveyjoe

I purchased some equipment for my business through Amazon UK. I entered my Irish VAT number when making the purchase. I’m wondering if there’s any way that I would be able to claim back the “import fees deposit” when doing my VAT returns?

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058249717/claiming-back-vat-on-amazon-uk-business-purchases

Can you still buy with a business account and get shipped to Ireland?

It seems Amazon UK have blocked all businness international shipping.

If a vendor or Amazon supply a VAT receipt then you can claim it, I don't think you can get a VAT receipt for import fees but not 100%. If it a large item 20-100kg then it is much cheaper to get it shipped direct by international supplier than going through Amazon.

Furze99

I've had goods shipped from England (not Amazon), paid VAT to Revenue via the transport company. Entered this in the books as a VAT input.

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119367082#Comment_119367082

I have ordered stuff off Amazon UK, paid no VAT, it gets delivered by FedEx and they send me VAT bill that they have paid on my behalf on entry to Ireland. I ask them for VAT invoice they send it and I pay them and claim the vat myself.

Other times I have ordered less quantity of the same stuff and it's delivered by an post with no VAT anywhere. Maybe it's because of this they have stopped all international business deliveries.

mp3ireland2

Did anybody ever manage to get a VAT reciept for Import fees depsosit? I really struggle to get customer service to understand what I'm after. They are all very vauge saying the money is paid to the carrier. Surely if I often get a refund of a few pence later on it must be possible to get a recipt.

I contacted on post and they said they have no record of any VAT or customs paid so it must be done by amazon independently. I'll be onto customer service and told it'll be passed on to correct team then just get an invoice for UK VAT (at 0%) from an unmonitered email address.

One time they just refunded the import fees as a gesture of goood will :-D Would it not be a legal requirement to provide this receipt?

Marcusm

Just looked in my Amazon account and I can download a fully compliant invoice showing Irish VAT charged etc. only odd thing is VAT number showing as Import - OSS rather than VAT number but that’s because I am a consumer on a platform and the IOSS was brought in to mean that multiple VAT registrations didn’t have to be made. Are you a. b2B or b2c customer for Amazon?

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120279137#Comment_120279137

Did you ever get this sorted? I am back at it again and their customer service will not give me a breakdown of import fees which does include VAT as I was on to Irish revenue.

Amazon are refusing to give a receipt for import fees deposit which they charge on checkout and pay Irish revenue on my behalf with my money, this is wrong.

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774257#Comment_121774257

Email eCommChargeQuery@anpost.ie and request an IM428 for your order (supply tracking number). It's not too quick but they get back to you in a few weeks with what you need.

This has worked on all my orders aside from one. They said they don't have an im428, I've checked with Amazon and they have confirmed that they will refund the customs deposit after 6 months if an post don't charge them..... Not sure how smoothly that will go. About 2 months left.

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774518#Comment_121774518

Thanks, I'll give it a go. it's a very underhand way of doing things. Let me know how you get on..

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121775605#Comment_121775605

Yeah for lower value purchases it's grand you get a VAT receipt but once item over a certain amount it's messy, not sure why. Not sure what that value is either, €100?

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121776819#Comment_121776819

€150 and over will get hit by customs duty, handling fees, and VAT. If I use An Posts address pal UK address I get the customs bill and pay and claim the VAT back on that form. Amazon get this form too but won't give it up for some reason.

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121779058#Comment_121779058

Another thing to be careful of is if it comes from Amazon EU or Amazon UK. It's not always obvious when ordering, at even though from UK site if they ship from EU I can't claim the vat back with only an Irish vat number not registered in other countries (as far as I know anyway)

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121780171#Comment_121780171

I was on to An Post and revenue and they both said Amazon should provide the customs clearance details. Revenue asked me to get MRN number from Amazon so I went back to the online chat for the 4th time and as soon as a manager came on she offered me full refund of €245 including import fees which I thought was a bit mad. I said yes please and asked what about future orders and she could not guarantee I would get a VAT receipt so avoid Amazon UK customs duty/ import fees like the plague if you plan on claiming back your VAT. Order from Amazon France or Germany and pay the delivery..

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121788165#Comment_121788165

That's very odd, did you send the mail to the address above? An post should come back with the form but could take a couple of weeks.

Can you claim the VAT back from EU contries though? I thought you coudln't unless you were registered for VAT in that country? I could be wrong.

I think it is a strange way but as an post were importing it into the country they were always able to send an IM428 (except for my last order they claim they have none).

If amazon refund minute amounts of customs a couple of months later for orders though, like a few pence which has happened to me surely the got a receipt from an post at that point with the charges.

samdeluxjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121788347#Comment_121788347

I did request the form from An post but heard nothing, I didn't wait for 2 weeks If they give me a form with VAT on it I'm claiming it back as I've paid it.

If you get an invoice from Amazon Germany with VAT on it you can claim it back no worries, it also means you wont get charged VAT on entry to Ireland.

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121788633#Comment_121788633

Ah ok didn't realise about other EU countries thanks! Have a recent one I can claim so.

My VAT returns are done every 2 months I think so the 2 week wait normally not an issue.