The big story
Retail Gazette reports the Chancellor is considering a new VAT rule for online marketplaces. Platforms would collect VAT from UK sellers turning over more than £90,000 a year. The paper says it could raise up to £1bn.
Only sellers above that turnover would be affected. Platforms including eBay and Vinted already share seller details with HMRC. That starts at generally 30 sales or about £1,700 a year.
Being reported does not automatically mean you owe tax. Worth keeping a running total of your sales.
Source: Retail Gazette
The week in resale
- Minimist says the British Heart Foundation now uses its AI tool to create over 80,000 eBay listings a month. Expect more charity competition in eBay search, so worth checking how your prices compare.
Source: Charity Retail Association
- Value Added Resource reports eBay is widening Bundle Discounts for UK sellers, with discount tiers and the option to exclude listings. Vinted shoppers already expect bundles, so it is worth checking your settings.
Sources: Value Added Resource, eBay
- ChannelX reports that eBay UK's new Christmas seller playbook says more than half of shoppers will start well before Black Friday. Worth getting stock listed early, and the guide also points to eBay Live and the post-Christmas window.
Source: ChannelX
- Retail Gazette reports that 52.8% of Reskinned's own shoppers bought pre-loved in 2026, up from 38.6% in 2023. It dipped in 2025 and covers one platform's customers, so read it as a hint of demand, not proof.
Source: Retail Gazette
Worth knowing
Since January 2024, HMRC says sites like eBay, Vinted and Etsy must send it sellers' details and sales figures. You are left out only if you stay under 30 sales and under 2,000 euros. That is about £1,700, and passing either limit means you are reported.
HMRC says this is not a new tax, and being reported does not automatically mean a tax return. Its guidance says selling your own things from home is unlikely to be taxed.
Buying or making goods to sell at a profit is likely trading, so profits are taxed. Charity shop buyers should check whether the £1,000 Self Assessment threshold applies to them.
Sources: GOV.UK (HMRC), eBay, GOV.UK (HMRC)
Where to sell
Retail Times reports that IKEA has announced a UK second-hand marketplace for members of its free Family scheme. It suits you if you pick up IKEA homeware at car boots or charity shops. The catch is that it only takes IKEA-brand items, and the article doesn't mention fees. Worth checking fees before you buy stock for it.
Source: Retail Times
New in Very Minted
Very Minted now has its own eBay shop, Very Minted Preloved, where Mint checks, photographs and prices every piece. If you sell for yourself, it shows what a Very Minted listing looks like.
Researched and drafted with AI, checked by the Very Minted team, and always linked to its sources. News, not advice.