UK & EUROPEAN WARRIORS - 19% VAT ON EU DIGITAL DOWNLOADS!

by Jim M
17 replies
Hi guys,

This is the first time I've seen this on any website - and I buy a lot of digital downloads.....

Went to Techsmith to upgrade to their new Jing Pro - went through to pay and was shown 19% VAT - when I went to the FAQ I found the following:

Why does my order show multiple VAT rates?
The applicable VAT rate depends on the product type ordered and a customer's location in the European Union. Digital products sold by asknet into the European Union and delivered via download are always charged at 19% VAT. For boxed products, such as packages, back-up CDs and the like that are shipping into Italy, France, Spain and the UK, the national VAT rate needs to be applied. Books may be charged at a reduced VAT rate.
Applicable VAT rate for digital products delivered via download:
Shipping into all of EU: 19%
Applicable VAT rate for boxed products:
Shipping into France: 19.6%
Shipping into Germany: 19%
Shipping into Italy: 20%
Shipping into Spain: 16%
Shipping into UK: 15%
Please note that in accordance with official regulations, the United Kingdom VAT rate displaying in our systems was reduced from 17.5% to 15% today.
Shipping into rest of EU: 19%
Although the last line says VAT reduced for UK - it hasn't been - but its the top line
"Digital products sold by asknet into the European Union and delivered via download are always charged at 19% VAT" that concerns me.


I would hazard a guess that most EU Internet Marketers are unaware of this.
#19% #digital #downloads #european #vat #warriors
  • Profile picture of the author Marian Berghes
    Thats what I was thinking...I wanted to ask my fathers lawyer this for some time...since my target market is USA and/or NA I can't help it if EU customers want to buy.
    I could do IP blocking or a special thank you page and stuff only for EU customers but that would be too much trouble
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    • Profile picture of the author Jim M
      As far as a seller is concerned you only need to register / charge VAT when you break through £54000 turnover (that what it used to be anyhow), which is why many small internet marketers don't need to be concerned.

      I'm more miffed at the thought of being charged 19%!

      By the way - if you live in the UK - when you're buying some downloadable products you find that you will be charged VAT - however - when you change you're location to say a zip code in any USA state - the VAT magically vanishes!
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      • Profile picture of the author daddyg
        Originally Posted by Jim M View Post

        As far as a seller is concerned you only need to register / charge VAT when you break through £54000 turnover (that what it used to be anyhow), which is why many small internet marketers don't need to be concerned.

        I'm more miffed at the thought of being charged 19%!

        By the way - if you live in the UK - when you're buying some downloadable products you find that you will be charged VAT - however - when you change you're location to say a zip code in any USA state - the VAT magically vanishes!
        Nice tip.

        Whilst I like Camtasia Studio, I don't particularly like the way they conduct business in regards to upgrades. I purchased v5 of Camtasia about 4 months ago. About 2 months later v6 came out and they asked for another $149 to upgrade. I complained and they upgraded me for free quickly but didn't make any attempt to justify their policy. I don't know why they don't just give buyers 1 years free upgrades...it would be much clearer and upfront.
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      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
        Originally Posted by Jim M View Post

        As far as a seller is concerned you only need to register / charge VAT when you break through £54000 turnover (that what it used to be anyhow), which is why many small internet marketers don't need to be concerned.

        I'm more miffed at the thought of being charged 19%!

        By the way - if you live in the UK - when you're buying some downloadable products you find that you will be charged VAT - however - when you change you're location to say a zip code in any USA state - the VAT magically vanishes!
        That works with Clickbank (it's surprising how many people use the postcode -90210) but I just upgraded Camtasia too and it requires you give a 'state' for US addresses, and since they actually do post you a cd with your copy of camtasia on, there are 2 reasons to keep it real.

        Andy
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        nothing to see here.

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        • Profile picture of the author ExRat
          Hi Jim,

          By the way - if you live in the UK - when you're buying some downloadable products you find that you will be charged VAT - however - when you change you're location to say a zip code in any USA state - the VAT magically vanishes!
          Nice tip, but one that I would probably keep to myself, or at least, avoid incriminating myself with.
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          Roger Davis

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          • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
            I'm not up to date on the whole VAT thing as I don't earn anywhere near the threshold needed to be required to register (yet); but isn't charging more for VAT than the country you reside in charges illegal?

            As I live in the UK, I fully expect to be charged VAT, but only at the correct amount of 15% (at the moment).

            If I was charged 19% I'd be asking some serious questions of both the payment processor and of HMRC to find out if what has been done is in fact legal.

            Can anyone clarify whether or not this approach is actually legal?

            Mark
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            AWOL

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            • Profile picture of the author Jim M
              Nice tip, but one that I would probably keep to myself, or at least, avoid incriminating myself with. posted by ExRat
              Didn't say I used it - just something I noticed once when I selected the wrong country in the drop down menu
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              • Profile picture of the author ExRat
                Hi Jim,

                Didn't say I used it - just something I noticed once when I selected the wrong country in the drop down menu
                I had a feeling that was what you meant.
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                Roger Davis

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            • Profile picture of the author simbad
              Banned
              [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Alexander
    amazing how many people select the 'wrong' location!

    :-)
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    http://www.contentboss.com - automated article rewriting software gives you unique content at a few CENTS per article!. New - Put text into jetspinner format automatically! http://www.autojetspinner.com

    PS my PM system is broken. Sorry I can't help anymore.
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  • Profile picture of the author pearsonbrown
    "The VAT is different in different countries of the EU. If it is 15% in UK, and you buy something in Germany - it might be 19% in Germany. Then you will pay the 19%, not 15%. It's based on the country of the seller."

    Not for online purchases. Then the sale is considered to take place in the country of the purchaser. So if I buy an online product from Germany, it's the UK rate of VAT which is used.

    Pearson
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
      Originally Posted by simbad View Post

      The VAT is different in different countries of the EU. If it is 15% in UK, and you buy something in Germany - it might be 19% in Germany. Then you will pay the 19%, not 15%. It's based on the country of the seller.

      Hope this explains it, otherwise please ask me to clarify.

      That makes sense to me Sinbad, but I was also led to believe that what Pearson said is actually the case when dealing with downloadable products.


      Originally Posted by pearsonbrown View Post

      Not for online purchases. Then the sale is considered to take place in the country of the purchaser. So if I buy an online product from Germany, it's the UK rate of VAT which is used.

      This is why this whole issue's got me a bit confused. Surely they can't go ahead and charge 19% VAT on a downloadable product sold to a UK customer, when by right that customer should only be paying 15%?!

      I'm still left baffled by this.
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      AWOL

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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas
    Originally Posted by Jim M View Post

    "Digital products sold by asknet into the European Union and delivered via download are always charged at 19% VAT"
    Techsmith are completey wrong to do this.

    Here's a direct quote from a section about VAT on electronically-delivered products and services from the European Commissions' "Taxation & Customs Union" website: "The VAT rate applicable to non-EU suppliers' sales to consumers will in any Member State be the same as the rate charged by a local supplier." (Therefore, since you (Jim) are in Northern Ireland, you should only be charged 15%.)

    Every country in the European Union has their own VAT rates and, afaik, only 6 of them charge 19% on some products.

    I don't know how it works when the company is based abroad but, if it were based in the E.U., and Techsmith were charging 19% in a country with a higher or lower rate, there's a strong chance they would end up facing prosecution for tax fraud.

    Tommy.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
      Originally Posted by Thomas View Post

      Techsmith are completey wrong to do this.

      Here's a direct quote from a section about VAT on electronically-delivered products and services from the European Commissions' "Taxation & Customs Union" website: "The VAT rate applicable to non-EU suppliers' sales to consumers will in any Member State be the same as the rate charged by a local supplier." (Therefore, since you (Jim) are in Northern Ireland, you should only be charged 15%.)

      Every country in the European Union has their own VAT rates and, afaik, only 6 of them charge 19% on some products.

      I don't know how it works when the company is based abroad but, if it were based in the E.U., and Techsmith were charging 19% in a country with a higher or lower rate, there's a strong chance they would end up facing prosecution for tax fraud.

      Tommy.
      Thanks for answering that for me Thomas.

      I knew something about it wasn't right but I wasn't sure either way. Like I said, if I had been the one charged the 19% instead of the correct 15%, I would have been asking some serious questions; and would have reported it to HMRC to see what they thought of it and whether or not they could do anything about it.

      I'm sure the HMRC would be very interested to find this information out.

      Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author pearsonbrown
    When I used to live in France and buy books from Amazon UK, Amazon would charge me VAT at the French rate on books I bought, even though books are zero-rated in the UK. I think you can trust that Amazon got it right - or they would have had huge problems with Revenue and Customs by now ;-)

    The main confusion arises because in the US system the sales tax is charged depending upon the domicile of the vendor and in the EU system it is based on the domicile of the customer.

    When I had an offline business in France, dealing quite often with suppliers and customers in the rest of Europe, this VAT business was a nightmare. I was fined by the French authorities on a couple of occasions for 'breaches' that I still don't understand.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jim M
      Originally Posted by pearsonbrown

      When I used to live in France and buy books from Amazon UK, Amazon would charge me VAT at the French rate on books I bought, even though books are zero-rated in the UK. I think you can trust that Amazon got it right - or they would have had huge problems with Revenue and Customs by now ;-)

      The main confusion arises because in the US system the sales tax is charged depending upon the domicile of the vendor and in the EU system it is based on the domicile of the customer.

      When I had an offline business in France, dealing quite often with suppliers and customers in the rest of Europe, this VAT business was a nightmare. I was fined by the French authorities on a couple of occasions for 'breaches' that I still don't understand.
      Thanks for your update on this - I'm sure many will find your information useful.
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