HELP! Sales from UK to EU - Register for IOSS? Use a marketplace?

Accounting & Taxes

Topic summary

UK-based seller seeks a workable method to resume smooth EU sales post-Brexit, weighing IOSS registration versus using marketplaces that handle VAT. Main pain points: prior IOSS via Avalara was time-consuming, expensive, and confusing; current approach has couriers collecting VAT from customers on delivery, causing surprise fees and reduced sales.

Key considerations raised:

  • IOSS (Import One‑Stop Shop) for EU VAT on low‑value imports (≤ €150): looking for simpler providers or Shopify app solutions, but skeptical due to mixed reviews.
  • Marketplaces (e.g., Amazon) that manage IOSS/VAT: exploring whether routing EU orders through them is a practical fix.
  • Orders over €150 (outside IOSS scope): asks how others handle these, specifically whether to ship DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) so the seller covers duties/VAT upfront.

Status: Request for community experiences and recommendations; no decisions or consensus yet. Unresolved, with open questions on tool choice, cost, and handling > €150 orders.

Summarized with AI on January 28. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi I am aware this has probably been posted before and I have looked at other threads but cannot find a solution. Prior to Brexit, I had really good sales to the EU. I then used Avalara for help with IOSS and it was time consuming, expensive and confusing. I since have been selling to EU with customers paying VAT via the courier before delivery which has significantly impacted my sales due to surprise fees. I really want to find a solution to this. I have looked at apps from companies on Shopify who advertise how easy they make this process, but checked out their reviews and worry I will have a repeat of my prior IOSS experience! After researching, I know there are options to sell via Amazon to the EU and they handle IOSS and other marketplaces. Just interested to find out what solutions others may have found or advice on the best way to approach this? Plus for orders over €150 how are you handling those - sending DDP? Thank you in advance

2

Can anyone help with this? :crossed_fingers:

3

Hello

I have a few UK clients, so appreciate the frustration, Brexit has been tough for them. I can only speak of what I have seen being used but if it helps, I have heard generally positive comments with EAS EU & UK Compliance, I think this is seen as a simple one. I have also seen UK companies use an intermediary in the EU to register with the Irish VAT OSS portal (you can’t register directly on the portal so you must appoint an EU-established intermediary to handle the registration and quarterly filings on your behalf through that portal)

For orders over €150, where IOSS doesn’t apply and duties + import VAT always come in, you are right, couriers will typically collect these on arrival unless you arrange otherwise, but clearly you have the same issues with customers being surprised by this extra charge. DDP is the preferred way, there are a few options - Our clients tend to increase their prices to “absorb” this extra charge.

Hope this helps, Antravia

4

Thank you so much for your reply and advice. This is really helpful