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 arrogance and hypocrisy of the UK ,.

Do you actually have any idea of what the EU is and how it sets to protect it's members.

You want the benefits then be in the club. You walk you lose!

I feel sorry for people in NI because I'm one of them.

We didn't vote for Brexit because we understood what an unbelievable mess it was going to create. Yet in spite of this we seem to be paying the highest price for it.

I'm sorry your business is being affected. I hope a more workable solution is found.

Because you are outside the EU.

I'm sorry you are in that position @lostmybuttons
Flipping Brexit.
I sometimes buy from smallish clothing retailers in the UK but as I live in Ireland the tax added, plus the handling charge by the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail and delivery charges ( no free returns ) makes the prices prohibitive now, sadly.

People study for many years to understand international trade - trade deals, the various science and educational agreements, equivalence....

They believed people like Farage and Bojo and the huge amount of anti EU propaganda.

My contempt isn't for people who voted to Leave, its for the politicians, people like Cameron, May, Johnson, Starmer... people who either then or now, could change things but they don't care, Labour aren't even looking to rejoin Erasmus.

Its all "lets make Brexit work..." twats.

Agree the level of information about it has been so low!

I managed to find some online training sessions about it on the UK Export Academy site - run by the Department for Business and Trade.

It was helpful and covers the basics, I think they are going to be repeating them in the new year too so take a look.

I'm the same , I always bought things from smaller businesses in the UK but now with the import tax it's just not worth it 😕 I did find a go around by sourcing products sold in Northern Ireland instead but now I'm guessing those products won't be shipped to ni for sale either

The people have voted. Only now the consequences of sovereignty is becoming apparent. I am sorry for you and your business.

Op how do you get it tested and once you'd done it for that product is it a one off cost?

For those opposed to the EU on this basis, surely better to be inside the tent p1ssing out than outside the tent p1ssing in…?

Leaving the EU means giving up the relatively small amount of influence we may have had to change this to having zero influence.

Nose cut off to spite face.

Ah, but the abundant warnings about economic self-harm were all PROJECT FEAR weren’t they?! We were promised £350m a week for the NHS plus sunlit uplands and golden apples raining down on all!!!

OP I started reading your thread yesterday and it was the first I'd heard about this. In my emails this morning there is info from Holly & Co. I don't know if someone has already given you this info as I haven't RTFT.

Hope helps a little. Good luck. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKsfk1F13r04H7wDrPXI6BtzOjSqeAXjKKtN6CFJ7nUputPQ/viewform?_kx=3IBagWpaz7ZzeTsi0932oW7i9eJ04GWu-xutbdLclgU.XTCXRC

Last time i looked...NI was in the UK...another Brexit pressie...sigh, sorry for business owners

Christ. Is there no Uk Gov website that breaks this down and provides help and guidence? (I've looked and can't see any.)

Also nothing on my local Chamber of Commerce website.

Thanks for the thread OP. I had no idea about this.

It’s a sad time for small UK businesses. I buy from a number of them and they’ve all decided to stop selling to the EU. One gave warning in mid November.

One also sells downloads but has posted that those are ok (on their own website, not on Etsy), so I’m confused after reading the comments about downloads above.

This has completely fucked my small business (selling new old stock classic car parts).
I've looked at options but suspect that my many customers in NI and Europe will be unable to buy from me now.
I'm probably going to end up writing the business off and many European spares from the 1930s to the 1970s will just go for scrap.

People up thread have posted official information suggesting the regs don’t apply to items manufactured before today.

So sorry. This is incredibly shit, I hope you can somehow find a way forward.

I'm in NI and a family member has a second hand car business. He sources most of his cars from England. No idea how that will work for him.

I will preface this by saying I have no in depth knowledge of running a business in NI, but can you formally set up a business presence in NI which would mean that your business has two trading addresses - NI and GB?

Obviously any income you earn in NI would be taxed within your normal UK personal tax return, but would it be possible to create a presence in NI that would allow you to carry on trading there, or, at the very least, not open yourself up to a fine just because Etsy can't get their act together to allow you to remove NI from your sales locations?

The problem is proving it. I'm already 'losing' goods in customs at a far higher rate in the past few years than ever before. This will make it untenable.

Plus

''Taking back control of our borders''

{Well that worked a treat, didn't it!}

Name one positive thing Brexit has done for UK citizens?

I'll wait.

I agree.

Is there no Uk Gov website that breaks this down and provides help and guidence? (I've looked and can't see any.)Is there no Uk Gov website that breaks this down and provides help and guidence? (I've looked and can't see any.)

I haven't looked but agree there should be an easy break down of what to do and what it covers

On googling I got a few services that provide advice and some who will help for less than the op's figure. They will be created to fill the gap but the gov website should have something that is simpler and clear

But - it does apply to second hand or vintage items. Antiques are only exempt if they are over 100 years old. Vintage sellers are going to find it very difficult to comply with information needed even if we could afford to appoint representatives.

And there are many new "services" popping up - pay us a load of money and we will help you! How do we know which ones are any good and which ones are just scammers? Government advice is no help. Etsy is worse than useless. Ebay seems to be making a better job of helping their sellers so I'm going to be transferring over there.