Removing FBA stock in another country
Having stopped selling in Europe via FBA as I didn’t want to be VAT registered I have some stock stuck in Germany which I can’t get removed or destroyed. I have tried raising cases and nothing has happened.
Below is a transcript from ‘chat’ which shows how incompetent Amazon are capable of being.
If anyone has a solution I would be delighted to hear (so long as it doesn’t involve registering for vat in Germany!)
Me:Issue: I created a case (number 7163450642) for which I have not had a resolution.
My account in Germany has been suspended as we are not registered for some sort of tax or the other.
There is some stock that is stuck in Germany for which I keep being charged storage.
I would like the stock removed or destroyed - it’s not difficult but it seems to be beyond Amazon so far - so I hope that you can actually do it this time.
I cannot kick off a removal request - I have tried - as the account is suspended.
Please can you deal with it and let me know that it has been done.
Thank you.
Regards
Francis
The Shoe Lace Ltd
You are now connected to Mary from Amazon Seller Support
Mary:Thank you for contacting Amazon Selling Partner Support. I am happy to assist you today. This is Mary, how may I help you?
Me:HI Mary, I have logged this issue a couple of times and it just keeps getting kickied into the long grass - no one is dealing with it. I just need to have the stock that is supposedly in Germany removed but I am unable to do so.
Mary:Let me check
Hi
As per checking, you have to fix the VAT issue first before you can create removal
Me:I don’t want to be vat registered in Germany. I have withdrawn from FBA in Europe. I closed it all down. I just want the stock removed. It can’t be so difficiult!
Mary:Apologies as this is teh only option
a removal will not be created
Me:This is ridiculous. So you are saying that in order to remove the stock in Germany I have to be vat registered?
Mary:Yes
Me:But what is the sense in that. I closed my FBA as I did not want to be vat registered. There must be a viable way of resolving this.
Mary:If these were under DE warehouse, then it will not be removed
Me:So what am I meant to do? Getting vat registered is a long processes and expensive.
Mary:Fix the VAT
Me:Ok - so the truth of it is Amazon is a complete mess. This is not a vat issue it is an administrative issue which Amazon is incapable of resolving. I am completely amazed at the stupidity of your answers and the gross incompetence that is being demonstrated.
7 replies
Seller_uUVxeRJ7s5r5D
Put your adress in automated removal otherwise the goods will be destroyed.
Seller_Sc7oW8zCO8vKL
We had issue with FBA stock being returned and ending up in Poland and we did manage to get is destroyed. We have never sold outside of UK and not VAT reg in any other country. Not sure if this will work for Germany but this is what we got from Seller support
…
For more information about the create removal using a removal order file, please see the below help page:
https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/G201165780?referral=A20XUG9ZHQJXNR_A3F865BBOUJA8F&referral=A20XUG9ZHQJXNR_A1TJP93KBBR
…
Takes you to a page that will allow you to create a file for Removal to address in same country or DISPOSE OF. Took a bit of figuring out but we managed successfully dispose of 3 items. Hope this helps.
Seller_gOlDFgS5Li5Jc
you may have no other choice than to register then de-register once you have your german account reinstated and you have the goods back or destroyed we had some items in the eu and we created a flat file to get them destroyed but our accounts in europe werent suspended
Seller_64jziShTiTjOq
Read some of the other threads about VAT on stock in Germany. This is not Amazon being awkward. It is apparently a German legal requirement: if you have stock held in Germany, for whatever reason, you have to register for German VAT. The same would apply in reverse to a German business holding stock in the UK
And calling an Amazon employee stupid when they are telling you the truth does not help your case
Seller_NoMNQDGnEW5Bx
Were you vat registered when you were doing fba in Europe?
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
You should’ve been vat registered there before you started fba in europe
