Mumsnet Talk

I have a lot of items I want to sell on eBay.

How many items can you list per week for example before you are considered to be a business?

Also is there a way that I can register to be a business? And if so are there any perks to that like cheaper listings etc?

You are a business if you buy to sell on - you are not a business if you sell old unwanted personal items. It isn't how many per week/month.

If a business you need to register as one with HMRC and eBay.

generally a personal account is considered a personal account for about 100 items a month, though flexible if you are regularly sellingloads ? maybe asked but its small fry and ebay dont care that much they just want your fees.

you have a max of 3 months to register with HMRC,

listings and fees can get cheaper if sell loads, limk it to your personal account or your initial selling limit will be too low for viable business, usual limit if good personal account is 100 items or £3500 a month to start with

I have both types of account, a business account means no free listings cost 10p for low value then rises ebay and paypal fees the same unless you sell heaps

because you are a business seller and have to accept returns people often bid more but expect accurate descriptions

you have to accept change of mind returns if you sell with BIN within 7 days of receipt

however if sell in auction format change of mind returns do not apply,

people judge a bit more if parcels late or poorly wrapped

have a read through my ebay me page - it clarifies many things
http://cgi3.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=talkinpeace

NB ebays definition of a business is NOT the same as HMRC's
you can have a business shop on ebay while doing a loft clearout outside the scope of HMRC