Tomorrow is a dark day for small businesses in the UK

[lostmybuttons]

I run a small business, mostly selling on Etsy. But as of tomorrow, Friday 13th December the introduction of the new GPSR legislation is creating such a huge headache for businesses like mine.

We can no longer sell to the EU or Northern Ireland, without paying for an appointed representative to ensure our products are safe. The cost for this is completely unachievable for most businesses like mine. Obviously, we all want our products to be as safe as possible but is it right that it'll cost me at least £2,000 a year to tell me my paper stationery is safe!!

Our only choice is to stop selling to the EU and Northern Ireland, which is a huge loss in income for those already struggling.

We feel like we are shouting into the void and absolutely no one is listening.

This is compounded by the fact that Etsy refuse to separate Northern Ireland in our shipping settings, so by default we are all breaking the legislation and risking fine of up to £20,000.

All Etsy have advised is to cancel any NI orders, which frankly is terrible customer service.

If there was ever a time to shop independent, your small business friends need you now.

@DizzyCow63 I completely agree, I feel sorry for those in NI. Etsy have basically told us that if we get any orders from NI, then we are to cancel them. I'd be extremely frustrated if I was the customer in this situation.

It sounds like an awful situation for small businesses, but you have brexit and those who voted for it to thank. I didn't know these specifics about what you've said, but I did know that trading would be impacted by brexit.
In terms of NI, if UK residents knew more about the laws/ agreements within the uk (e.g Good Friday agreement) then maybe they would have thought again about the implications for trading and wider issues, but perhaps not as NI is always an after (4th) thought.
Sorry that this is impacting your business. Small businesses are the back bone of our economy.

So how do Temu operate?

I had no idea just how ridiculous this is despite seeing the notice from a small business that I follow online. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this and also how difficult it will be for those in NI to buy online.

I’m really sorry. Brexit has been a disaster for small business 😢 I hope you’ll find a way to navigate this

Ignore me, totally misunderstood 😁

Yes! Why sell to a market 520 million people when you could just sell to a market of under 70 million instead?

Also bumping as I'm in Northern Ireland and was completely clueless about this until I read your post @lostmybuttons

I'll be honest I don't buy from Etsy as i just never think to but I'll certainly be aware of this now so thank you for highlighting and I'm really sorry you're facing such a battle and financial costs to sell your products from tomorrow in the same way you did yesterday

Awwwww. Well done on achieving exactly what you wanted to achieve there.

The EU really are beyond the pale. They've done trade deals with South America for meat and other foods. Breathtakingly arrogant.

Lovely racism there.

No, this means a lot of businesses will fold because a lot of their custom is from EU. And the marketplaces like Etsy which a lot of small businesses rely on for their shop front are inexplicably refusing to separate NI for shipping, so the options are set to UK including NI and risk a £20k or more fine, or shut up shop completely.

It is that stark.

And for the pp who said £2k isn't much, if it's £2k per product minimum and your turnover is maybe £15-30k max, that's your profit and therefore your living gone.

You are a business genius.

NI is part of the UK.
Without NI the UK is just GB 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'd never heard of this. Awful.

It’s new to quite a lot of people who don’t understand the UK is more than just England!

Thanks for starting this thread OP, I'm in the same position. I really feel for people in NI as well, who are going to suddenly find that they are unable to buy from small businesses in the UK. I'd imagine that Temu, Shein, etc - who this legislation was presumably set up for - will just pay their way round it.
My shop on Etsy sells vintage items so I can't meet the requirements if I tried, as I'm supposed to include manufacturers information and in many cases I don't know who they were - or even if I did they are no longer trading, because well.... vintage.
Etsy are being completely crap about the whole situation - other online marketplaces e.g. Ebay have allowed sellers to opt out of NI selling - not ideal, but better than the Etsy choice which seems to be 1) take your chances breaking the law or 2) shut your shop.
I already didn't sell to the EU for the most part due to the packaging laws.
and it does seem to me that a lot of these new rules are set up to make money somewhere for someone - maybe if anyone lives in NI set up a business being a GPSR representative and just rake in a load of money!

@UncharteredWaters

Seems so from the ignorance on this thread alone ..

You've explained it with much more clarity than I could @hilariousnamehere

At 22 November the gov.uk site still had no information about it, and I really think they have overlooked (again) the hundreds of thousands of one-person businesses who this will affect.

Temu, Shein and the like make enough money from peddling cheap shit to pay for the representatives, I would imagine. Though if it stops them selling unsafe stuff here that would be a small win I suppose.

But it increasingly feels like eventually only the big brands will be left - and I am usually the most optimistic person going and passionate about tiny business and start ups and small, independent ventures. But if the current climate and challenges continue, it's too much for all but the biggest to survive.

“. I really feel for people in NI as well, who are going to suddenly find that they are unable to buy from small businesses in the UK.”

NI is part of the UK.

NI is of course part of the UK. Except when it's also part of the EU.
Ah, Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving.

I wish I didn't have to and it would all go away, to be honest! But thank you for posting, I have been letting my customers and my irl friends know but didn't think to post here, and the comms and media around it have been close to nonexistent!

Without NI the UK is just GB.

Huh?!!