Have you noticed an increase in sales on Amazon.de since the beginning of October? This was the deadline for sellers to register for German VAT upload their German VAT certificate “Bescheinigung nach §22f UStG” which confirms the tax registration of the seller.
Malte Karstan, a consultant in Germany was first to bring an increase of sales for his clients to our attention, having seen dramatic increases within the first few days of October. They also notice several Chinese competitors disappear from Amazon.de suggesting that Amazon have blocked unregistered sellers from their marketplace.
From the 1st of October, the German Tax authorities would have held Amazon responsible for all unpaid German VAT. With prolific Chinese sales that could not only add up to significant sums but also generate adverse publicity. Amazon’s help page says that all Amazon selling partners fulfilling orders to or from Germany themselves or using Amazon FBA must obtain and upload their tax certificates.
If you have noticed competitors disappearing and/or a significant increase of sales due to less competition let us know in comments below.
4 Responses
I think Germany have done something right with this law as German/European sellers were placed at a competitive disadvantage from Chinese sellers. As European sellers have to pay vat tax and Chinese sellers were gaming the system and undercutting pricing. With this law it makes Amazon liable for the tax so Amazon shuts down all those dodgy Chinese sellers.
A side effect of this is that the majority of counterfeits will disappear from Amazon Germany website. It will also destroy Ebay in Germany
All countries should enact this policy.
Nice to see Germany doing at least some diligence unlike HMRC that seem to do none.
I haven’t seen an increase is sales thou at all. Germans are serial returners so I’m not too bothered. But I would like to see more tax checks in the UK as well.
HMRC has really let us all down.
Some competitors have been banned, lots of them still there (doing FBA, no VAT# whatsoever and a zillion of sales).
“dramatic increases” – I smell BS. Judging by the comments on the Seller Central forum, sales are dramatically low (but have been bad exactly one year ago, too). There might be some rare niche products (like electronic parts) that see an increase for local sellers, but that’s not a trend.