Ecommerce news: Shopify eBay integration and eBay UK VAT changes

In the news this week: Shopify integrates with eBay, as well as Shopify updates to checkout and eBay UK VAT changes.

Shopify integration with eBay by Autumn 2017

By Autumn 2017 Shopify users in the US will be able to list and sell their products on eBay from within their Shopify account. The integration will allow them to immediately sync inventory information from Shopify to eBay, including product title and description, item specifics, price and quantity. Messages from buyers on eBay will also be available to view in Shopify.

The integration will initially be available to US Shopify and eBay users, and then extended to the rest of the world.

Find out more about the integration between Shopify and eBay here. 

Shopify checkout on your shop’s domain

Shoppers will no longer be directed to checkout.shopify.com to complete purchases by the end of July 2017. The whole shopping process will now take place on your shop’s own domain; the change to checkout on your own domain will be free and activated automatically with no set up required.

If you use Shopify’s free domain: store-name.myshopify.com then your checkout will now be there as well. Shopify Plus users will be able to get a free Extended Verification (EV) SSL certificate as well. Because customisation of the checkout is allowed, the migrations for Shopify Plus users won’t happen until 20 August 2017.

Find out more about changes to checkouts on Shopify here. 

eBay UK VAT changes approaching

From 1 August, VAT will be applied to all eBay UK fees for sellers in the UK, and sellers will also be able to reclaim the VAT on their VAT returns. Currently, VAT is applied to sellers that are based in the UK and not registered as a business seller on eBay.

If you’re a UK based business seller that doesn’t already pay VAT on your eBay UK fees then you will start to pay the standard UK VAT rate of 20% on invoices issued after 1 August 2017. Sellers that are VAT registered with HMRC and entitled to claim input tax credits will be able to get this money back.

These changes only apply to business sellers on eBay UK and VAT will continue to be charged on eBay fees for private sellers.

Find out more about changes to VAT on eBay UK fees here.