Is the European collecting market really that bad? Why we have not something like reputable Auction House, Vault, Grading Company etc?
Why don’t these big companies like PWCC, PSA, BGS officially expand into Europe? Why Pokemon Company doesn’t printing card in Europe?
In USA there are at least 10 people doing consignment service : tcagaming, Z&G etc. in Europe 0 .
Is it the demand so low? We are always the last 
.
Let me know what you think European collectors!
Guys like TCA gaming started from zero as well. No options in Europe? Start a consignment service.
Exactely, why no one starting consignment service in Europe? Is it so difficult? Maybe due to some kinds of law?
Too many laws and regulations. Perhaps it would be worth it for larger companies like PSA . But the US is the largest market, and has much less regulation, so there isn’t much incentive.
Import, laws, regulations etc. Europe is incredible strick on a lot of things, both good and bad
17%-27% VAT across every border in Europe is the real killer.
It’s also oppertunity, get a cault service in the lowest bracket to atrack thehigher bracket populations, just as it happens in the different states within the US.
I just think the market is a lot smaller, things are less clear, and we manage by making use of the US market an workarounds there isn’t a real need for the people who know how to navigate this.
Depends where its coming from. In-between EU countries no tax. Many established collectors in Europe!
Grading wise it would make sense for PSA/BGS to open an office in EU, under an EU company, and hey presto! No more import/export taxes issues.
you don’t need grading to be a serious collector
There is VAT between all EU countries, charged in the home country when sales fall below €10.000 a year and in the recipient country when exceeding.
Huh? No-one in Luxembourg is going to make a nickel because their VAT (not sales tax) is 2%-10% lower than other european countries (overwhelmingly leaning towards the 2%.) The reasons it works in the US are entirely different.
Pareto would confirm. Capture 80% of market with 20% of the work. Might be off a bit there too probably closer to 90/10.
Even it out to 5% and it would still be nice, but the market just isn’t big enough.
To be fair, prices in Europe are generally better and somewhat compensating for the VAT if you play your cards right.
Resources for those who want to delve into the various bodies that make up the abyss of european trade law:
ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/index_en
www.europe-consommateurs.eu/en/index.html
www.efta.int/eea/eea-agreement/eea-basic-features
www.estv.admin.ch/estv/en/home/value-added-tax.html
There are a whole host of other issues but what is presented here is more than enough to make most ventures unattractive or just totally unfeasible.
You get charged on buying services and goods yes, but that would be the case even if it was bought in your own EU country. I meant there is no ‘extra’ tax between countries, as it seemed the person I was replying to thought that was the case (and that this would stop US original grading companies setting up shop in EU).
Also if you have an EU VAT number and are a business, buying from another EU business, its a reverse charge VAT (basically no VAT).
So if I’m a self employed person or set up a ‘Pokemon business’ to buy/sell/grade cards, if I buy said grading services in EU, I shouldn’t pay VAT on that service.
I am not expert in accounting but paying or not the VAT for business company is the same, isn’t it? Let’s say in your country VAT is it 20%.
Example 1 :
You import from USA a 10$ product. Then you didn’t pay VAT, you decide to sell it to your customer for 18$ + 20% vat = 21,60$. Your profit is = 21,60$-(20%*18$)-10$=8$.
Example 2 :
You import from USA a 10$ product. Then you pay 20% VAT = 2$ the total of your cost is 12$. You decide to sell it to your customer for 18$ + 20% vat = 21,60$. Your profit is = 21,60$-(20%*18$-20%*10$)-12$=8$.
Correct me if I am wrong.
I honestly think it’s a question of when rather than if PSA will open in the UK.
If you’re in the EU and you are a business buying a good from the USA, then yes you have to pay VAT. VAT is also calculated on the item cost + shipping cost.
Services are slightly different, depending on the country, eg. with my company we don’t have to charge our clients in the USA VAT.
Getting back to a question of goods, you’ll always have to be with example 2 if you are a buy/sell business and you buy items from the USA to sell in the EU.
If you’re selling an item to a customer in the EU, you can always charge your customer the VAT.
Of course this all assumes you are legitimately declaring everything. Most people in Pokemon find was to not pay import duties, and sell for cash.
CGC have something similar for the UK, but only for comics at the moment (I think).
I don’t know if in USA exist VAT or not but let’s say it is 10%. When you purchase as business company a good or service do you need to pay the country from where you import VAT?
Example CardSaver in USA cost 22$ (20$+10%vat) to public and you import it. Do you pay 22$ or 20$ if you import as company?