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.

The UK government has no choice or control over this. We did not "take back control" by leaving the EU. We put ourselves on the wrong side of the boundary of the 450m-person single market and gave up our seat at the table where the rules governing trade on our continent are made.

This change is just the beginning. These problems will escalate over the years as the EU moves forward with fresh regulation (as it always has) and the rules in the UK get out of sync with it. The only solution is to join the single market, which in reality is not possible for the foreseeable future. Get used to getting poorer!

can you still sell abroad? I'm in Canada and I like buying from the UK, because everything arrives so fast and the shipping is cheaper than from the US. Go figure.

A friend has stopped making goats milk soap she sold on Etsy. It's just too onerous.

There’s no Aldi in NI. Bars have a reduced selection because they’re tied to one of two breweries who determine the drink selection - so you’ll get Harp in one bar, but Tennants in another, and so on across the range. Often a night out can be determined by which pubs sell Guinness.

Brexit. The ongoing saga of self inflicted wounds.
I really feel for you, op.

Percy Pigs too!

DP is from NI but has lived in GB for 20+ years now. We noticed how expensive things are getting over there. Obviously prices have gone up everywhere but seems to be even more over there.

Mate…are you serious? Have a little think about what would happen if the UK did not trade with other countries. It horrifies me that people genuinely think things like this.

We went to Portugal on a package holiday. Met a lovely Irish family who had paid £2k more for the same holiday. Shocking gouging.

I can still sell to many other places - US, Japan, Canada (well not at the moment as there's a postal strike but usually) - except not on Etsy any more, as they won't allow NI to be separated out from shipping. Folksy and Ebay have done this - so small sellers who can't meet the onerous GPSR requirements can continue to sell to other places that aren't the EU (and NI, which for the purposes of this is counted as EU because Brexit is a shitshow)
Here's the Folksy advice.
blog.folksy.com/2024/11/26/gpsr-guide-for-artists-and-makers-on-folksy

I'm an Etsy seller and this is news to me, though 99% of my sales are within the UK ( can't remember selling to Northern Ireland this year) and the US. I just looked this up in the Etsy handbook and it says this:

'The GPSR may apply to you if you’re a “trader” (which may include registered businesses or professional sellers) that list items for sale to the EU market, and/or if you manufacture, import, or distribute products available to EU consumers. Since Etsy is unable to advise whether or not this applies to you, you may want to consult a legal professional with further questions.'

As I only makes sales to about £1000 to £1250 a year, do I need to worry about the 1% that goes to the EU? I wouldn't describe myself as a professional seller and I certainly don't have a registered business.

Indeed.

To be fair, people presumably didn't vote for Brexit because they expected it to contribute to our GDP. There were abundant warnings before the referendum about the damage that it would do to our economy. So I presume that those who voted for it felt that, whatever perceived benefits they were voting for, the British people getting poorer was a price worth paying.

Yes it applies to you. Because Etsy are useless, even though you don't remember selling much to NI your products are offered for sale there, so you are supposed to comply. This also shows that Etsy are doing a great job letting sellers know!

I buy a lot from Etsy this is ridiculous, it's bad enough trying to buy from small businesses on Amazon. Even ebay won't delivery a lot of times too.
As pp said we don't have Aldi over here.

Also if anyone is selling to France, Germany, and probably some others too - you should be complying with the packaging laws and be paying a representative for that too.

Thanks, that Folksy info is a lot easier to understand than the Etsy equivalent.

The idiots that voted for Brexit are the ones that are beyond the pale

Sellers on Folksy can opt out of the whole thing by just not selling to NI - not ideal obviously but an option I'd like to be able to take on Etsy - even to give a bit of breathing space to consider if complying with the regulations is even possible.

i was talking to a friend who runs an amazing independent boutique about this. It’s not only stopping her small EU website sells, but the clothing brands she buys from who are ethical and small and have good trade with Europe.
It’s absolutely killer and yet more economic harm from the shitty gift that keeps giving that is Brexit

I would argue that this is another example of terrible EU bureaucracy harming businesses.

They like to strengthen themselves by pushing those outside of Europe down.

This is why a lot of traditional left wingers in Europe are opposed to the EU - their unethical trading practices with outsiders, especially the third world.

And the reason we won't join the Customs Union or Single Market is what exactly?

An advisory referendum wanted to leave the EU by a small percentage.

Cameron should never have called the referendum.
Parliament should have insisted on a 2/3 majority even for an advisory referendum.
The UK should have at least stayed in the Single Market.
Cameron could have thanked the electorate and used the referendum result to negotiate a better deal within the EU, but he bottled it.

So if you want to sell on Etsy and can’t afford this representative, you have to turn off the UK due to NI, and the EU?

That is hard OP.

Even on this thread there are several posters who don't understand that NI is within the UK - shocking. And don't understand that brexit meant the EU has no obligation to make deals with the UK - so no one should be shocked when they don't.

Well at least those idiots won't be eating meat riddled with disease or full of drugs.

Unless of course they go abroad on holiday.

It's not the got ya' that you think it is.
"Beyond the pale" has no offensive or racist connotations in use of the phrase, unless you're actively searching for offense and/or racism where there is none.

"Beyond the pale" = outside of the staked area, outside of the regulation and law. So it's rather understandable how the meaning would merge with outside of the acceptable.

"Beyond the pale" is also race-less in English language. The Irish territories would not be at all uniquely bordered with pales in the ground. A pale is a wooden fence stake.
Or shall we be up in arms at the racist President Obama, who has used the phrase in his writings to describe unacceptable policies?

Maybe the chronically offended should campaign to have the phrase banned and books burned. Who doesn't love a great cause that makes the world a better place? 🙄
I'll start the change by saying "Beyond the trellis" if no one objects?

Northern Ireland IS in the UK