VAT Refund - Online purchase from Germany - Page 2

st2lemans · #21 28.03.2013, 13:31

	Quote:	varun.c.jain
	Yes indeed a 300EUR item including 19% MwSt would imply that its value is 243EUR.

252.10, actually.

However, the Swiss WILL charge VAT on the VAT.

Tom

varun.c.jain · #22 20.06.2013, 14:30

	Quote:	varun.c.jain
	I recently purchased a Kombi Kinderwagen (stroller + bassinet + car seat) from Amazon.de and got it delivered home in Bern. I knew that I would have to pay delivery + customs + Swiss VAT over this purchase, but even after those calculations, the product that I was buying was coming at a much lesser price as compared to the same product being sold on websites of Switzerland. I did my calculations with the excellent FAQs on the Swiss Post website. This being not the first time that I have ordered stuff from Germany, I was expecting the postman to bring along an invoice for the customs charges + Swiss MwSt (VAT), but he just dropped the parcel off at my place yesterday. The delivery was handled by GLS which partners with Swiss Post. I am now expecting this customs + Swiss VAT invoice to come in the post in the following days. Why I am posting in this thread is because, even though I made the purchase from Amazon.de, the seller that I bought from was not Amazon but a third-party selling via Amazon. As a result the Amazon engine could not deal with the concept of deduction of German MwST (VAT) before processing the order. I effectively had to pay the German VAT and now will have to ask for a refund from the seller. I contacted the seller before I got the delivery and he assured that once the delivery is completed, and I show proof of paying the Swiss VAT, he will refund the German VAT. However, when the delivery arrived, the order invoice on the package shows just two components, i.e. product cost + shipping charges. Nowhere has the seller mentioned that the product cost is *inclusive of the German VAT*. It is the same story on the Amazon.de online receipt that I received on making the purchase. So I guess the Swiss customs office shall calculate the Swiss VAT based on this incorrect sum. Let's see what shall happen. I will post in this thread later when I get the actual invoice in the post. I shall also post about whether the seller actually refunds the German VAT or not.

So I eventually got the Swiss VAT bill from Die Post and paid up. On trying to contact the third-party seller on amazon.de to refund the German VAT now that I have proof of paying the Swiss VAT, the scumbags conveniently stopped replying to my emails. I gave up after sending 8 emails on the same topic to them

#23 20.06.2013, 15:05

	Quote:	varun.c.jain
	So I eventually got the Swiss VAT bill from Die Post and paid up. On trying to contact the third-party seller on amazon.de to refund the German VAT now that I have proof of paying the Swiss VAT, the scumbags conveniently stopped replying to my emails. I gave up after sending 8 emails on the same topic to them

Not sure why you think it's relevant. It makes no difference to the seller if you've paid Swiss tax on it or not. If they don't want the hassle of removing the VAT from the purchase price then that's their prerogative, just as it's your prerogative to ensure you find this out _in advance_ and refuse to deal with them if they won't work on a basis you're happy with.

Complaining about it after the event is a waste of time.

varun.c.jain · #24 20.06.2013, 15:15

	Quote:
	Not sure why you think it's relevant.

I think it is relevant because before the item was ordered and delivered, they confirmed by email that they will refund the German VAT to me once the item gets delivered and I provide them with a proof of paying the Swiss VAT. I didn't know that they were lying. On querying amazon.de customer service I was informed that all purchases from 3rd party sellers on their websites are not in their control and all queries/complaints have to be directly sent to the seller.

Hence the complaint.

Castro · #25 13.05.2015, 13:25

I am looking to buy something online from Germany which costs €1100. The seller has confirmed that I won't be charged German VAT which is good, however they or their courier cannot estimate what the final price will be (roughly speaking). From experience it all seems to be pretty nebulous in terms of admin charges, and which are coming from DHL/GLS/Fedex/TNT etc.. as opposed to Swiss customs, and why some packages have them and others do not?

Is there a ceiling I should expect over and above the Swiss VAT? Because if its something like CHF 100 in additional charges I might just forget about it

Flatrate · #26 13.05.2015, 15:30

From my experience, for anything >€1000 then admin charges + Swiss VAT is cheaper than the German VAT.

Admin charges is anything from 10CHF to 40CHF depending on which company is handling the shipping.