Post delivery invoice?
Hello, I’m asking anyone who ships from eBay, because I really don’t know how to solve this.
This isn’t the first time in 10 years that I’ve shipped parcels all over the world (not related to eBay, but generally, when I happened to sell some second-hand item I no longer used). Until now I’ve never had any problems..
The last time I went to the post office to ship with Poste Delivery International Standard (it’s not a sale on eBay, but an occasional random sale on Facebook), but I’m asking here because now the same thing is happening to me when I sell on eBay.
I had to ship a parcel containing a poster and a used CD. I filled out the form, went to the Poste Italiane office, and they told me they can’t ship it unless I attach the invoice. The website says this, but I’m sure that years ago they didn’t ask for an invoice for private sales; maybe only professionals were asked for documents, which I can also understand, but how come I, as a private individual, selling second-hand items, and every now and then I happen to sell some second-hand item on Facebook or eBay, why do I have to attach an invoice? It makes no sense because I can’t issue an invoice, I’m a private individual, I don’t have a shop. I mean, I’m not a professional or a merchant, I only sell something occasionally, but it’s not like I have a store or anything, how can they want an invoice for second-hand items, for example old ones? But even if they’re not old, just used or unused, I’m not a shopkeeper, why do I have to attach an invoice even if I sell them, that doesn’t mean I’m a merchant. Can’t I sell an item I no longer use?
Because if someone sells something it doesn’t ipso facto mean they’re a merchant, but you can also sell second-hand things you don’t need. It’s my right to be able to resell an item I don’t use. Since when do I, as a private individual, have to issue an invoice? I’m not a shop!
I find this absurd, I don’t know if this is happening to you too.
have you used Poste Delivery International Standard or Poste Delivery Europe for shipments?
How do you solve this problem? Do we private individuals just stop selling on eBay, or do we have to mark Gift on the parcel? But why don’t they put the right option, meaning private sale and therefore logically not require attaching an invoice that doesn’t exist, since I’m a private individual and I sold myself a second-hand item?
is there another solution?
I don’t want to declare false things (gift), because the item is not a gift, I sold it to myself second-hand, which is my decision to do. The item belongs to me and I can resell it if I want.
Thanks
prettyd_63
OP3 years agoThank you so much.
I need to ship to Europe and Italy.
I used spediamo.it for packages of any shape and size.
Never asked for an invoice.
Among other things, spediamo. it relies for some packages on Poste Italiane /sda.
So if I ship with spediamo, magically the invoice is no longer needed.
If I ship with Poste Italiane, magically a package now requires an invoice.
Odd.
I really feel confused because it’s seeming very complicated to me.
I had asked eBay whether for a private seller an invoice or anything else wasn’t necessary, and they replied that for eBay, there’s no need for a VAT number or anything else, because that’s only for professional sellers. I think tomorrow I’ll attach the two eBay chats, because I’m confused. If I had known there were so many complications now (before I had never asked anything), I wouldn’t have opened a shop. For an item I sell once in a blue moon, I even have to issue an invoice... what’s the point of this invoice, what is it for, if I’m a private seller and I’ve earned 10 euros in total? I don’t understand. In other countries it’s not so complicated to ship an item as a private individual. I don’t know, I think I’ll close everything. Thanks for the information.
morgana10
·3 years agoWell... for the shipper it's a sale, and a sale implies commerce, they can't know whether the goods are second-hand and sold by a private individual, it's up to you to specify that with the appropriate paperwork (in this case, as I told you, it's the "invoice" that is usually sent to the buyer before payment). eBay has nothing to do with the shipment and is limited to its platform. Unfortunately, things often change also based on European regulations, and what was fine before is not necessarily fine now.
prettyd_63
OP3 years agoThank you, you were very kind to explain it to me, so I'll try to do as you indicated, I print out the eBay "invoice," and attach it to the package when I go to the post office.
It seemed much more complicated to me, so it doesn't seem complicated if I just have to print this sheet,
Thanks also to everyone and for the other replies,
Have a nice evening,
Thanks a lot
morgana10
·3 years agoAnd let's hope for the best! 😉 Let us know.
morgana10
·3 years agoYou got confused because if you notice, the screenshot you attached at the beginning concerns countries outside the European Union (which I suggest you exclude from your selling settings), but in Italy nothing is needed and for countries within the E.U. I don't know for sure, but the eBay invoice is the only one in your possession and if needed you attach that.
Kind regards and have a lovely evening.
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoThis is old (2021) and even then you had to include the wording small packet and a description of the contents.
https://business.poste.it/business/files/1473806198871/postamail-internazionale-scheda-tecnica.pdf
7 shipment layout
If the operator also asked you for an invoice or proof of payment, there are 2 possibilities:
A) The operator got confused with international shipping, so there is no need to attach any documentation if you are shipping in Europe.
B) There are new 2023 directives that require operators to ask for proof of payment.
Kind regards.
prettyd_63
OP3 years agoAnother strange thing is this. If it is true that a private seller must issue proof of payment even for second-hand/used items, then logically it should always be required.
When Italian Post asked me for the new invoice to be attached to the parcel sent to Europe, I then turned to another service (spediamo.it), which, among other things, relies for shipments to nearby cities on the one from which the parcel is sent, still Poste Italiane sda.) If it were true that an invoice/proof of payment is needed, how come on spediamo.it they did not ask me for any invoice, if they also used Poste /sda, and still a parcel with used second-hand items, how come no request there?
Things are a bit confusing... at the Italian Post counter they had not told me what needed to be done.. they only said that they could not ship the parcel without an invoice..
prettyd_63
OP3 years agoI forgot to mention, it was a package headed for Europe, not overseas. That’s why it still seems strange to me to fill out customs forms, declarations, etc...
morgana10
·3 years agowhere exactly do you need to ship to? Anyway, the invoice for private individuals is the pro-forma one found in the eBay seller console when you click on "send invoice to buyer". You can print that one (without sending it to the buyer who has already paid).
If it's useful to you, read here too:
https://www.spedizionecomoda.it/spedizioni-extra-cee-quali-documenti-doganali/#:~:text=Uno%20dei%20documenti%20doganali%20che,e%20apporla%20alla%20tua%20spedizione.
and here https://blog.ratioform.it/spedire-fuori-dallunione-europea-tutti-i-documenti-e-le-informazioni-necessarie/#:~:text=copia%20del%20codice%20fiscale%3B,o%20all'ufficio%20postale).
or here https://www.youship.it/spedire-pacco-estero-quando-serve-fattura-proforma.aspx
The important thing is that it is clear that it is a second-hand item.
Kind regards
prettyd_63
OP3 years agoThanks, but I still don’t understand one thing...
in the past I’ve always used Poste to send parcels (Pacco economy) and they never asked me for an invoice. That’s why this seems strange to me.
A private individual, who sells for example an item they no longer use, why would they have to issue an invoice? Do you have to pay taxes on an item I had already bought, and if I no longer use it do I have to pay taxes again in order to sell it?
What are export taxes? What do you mean by issuing an invoice non commercial invoice?
It seems shipping has become so complicated..
Where do you issue this non commercial invoice...
before they never asked me for it to ship parcels this is the first time in 10 years...
So all eBay sellers, even private individuals who sell second-hand items, when they ship a parcel now have to attach a non-commercial invoice?
I have no idea where to get one, I’ve never done one before. By export taxes, what is meant?
On eBay I had looked into it and they told me that only professional sellers need to issue an invoice...
I’m a bit confused..
Thanks for the information
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoIf you don't want to call it a sales invoice, call it proof of payment.
Whenever there is an exchange of money, whether by bank transfer, PayPal, or a payment with eBay, as the seller you always have the option of attaching proof of payment.
You then pay any export taxes on this proof of payment.
Kind regards.
marioelegio
·3 years agohttps://support-ebay.packlink.com/hc/it/articles/360006638399-Fattura-doganale-e-come-compilarla
marioelegio
·3 years agoYou need to do a non commercial invoice declaring the value of the sale and your status as a private individual.
This is Packlink's one, but you'll find them on every shipping site: https://support.packlink.com/hc/article_attachments/10286763957010
hi
mario