Tillie Doyle
The term pan-European is used in various contexts, including politics, business, and geography. In terms of business and e-commerce, Pan-European FBA refers to a program by Amazon that allows sellers to distribute their inventory across multiple European countries, including the UK. However, it is important to note that the specific inclusion of the UK in the Pan-European FBA program may vary depending on the seller's preferences and Amazon's inventory distribution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pan-European FBA | DE, FR, IT, ES |
| VAT registration | Required in 7 countries |
| Inventory storage | Stock distributed across 7 countries |
| MCI | Alternative to Pan-EU with more control over inventory storage |
| UK inclusion | Possible to disable listing in the UK |
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What You'll Learn
VAT registration requirements for Pan European FBA
Amazon's Pan-European Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service allows sellers to deliver their inventory to a local fulfilment centre, from which Amazon ships products across its European Fulfillment Network. This means that the products are stored closer to customers, resulting in shorter delivery times and lower international shipping costs.
However, the Pan-European FBA service triggers certain VAT obligations. When you opt for this service, you become liable for VAT in each of the countries where you hold inventory. This means that you must register for a VAT number in each of these countries. As Amazon will move your goods between different countries, you will need to register for VAT and carry out filing obligations in each country. In addition, you must file a VAT return in every country where you have inventory stored, and these returns may have to be filed monthly or quarterly.
Before putting goods in certain countries, Amazon may request proof of tax compliance, such as a tax registration number or a tax certificate. Amazon also works closely with tax offices in Europe to combat VAT fraud, so it is important to ensure that you comply with the relevant VAT regulations.
If you find managing VAT compliance for multiple countries challenging, you can consider using a VAT compliance service, such as Staxxer or Hellotax, to simplify the process and ensure that you are fully compliant with the regulations of each country.
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Inventory storage across Europe
Inventory storage is a critical aspect of any business, and with the European marketplace presenting a lucrative opportunity for growth, efficient inventory storage options across Europe are highly sought-after.
One prominent option is RedSky Europe, which offers flexible inventory storage services tailored to current and future stock levels. Strategically based in the Midlands of Ireland, RedSky Europe provides immediate order fulfilment, with additional inventory secured in storage space. Their Inventory Management Software (IMS) system is a notable feature, offering end-to-end tracking of inventory, from arrival to final shipment, and automating stock replenishment alerts.
For businesses selling on Amazon, Amazon's FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) program is a popular choice. FBA simplifies fulfilment and provides tools to track orders and inventory, making it a convenient option for new sellers and busy merchants. Amazon also offers specific programs like Multi-Country Inventory (MCI), which helps tackle long shipping times by allowing storage and shipping from multiple facilities across Europe. This option, however, may be more suitable for major and experienced sellers due to the associated costs.
Additionally, Amazon's CEE (Central Europe) program provides storage in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, offering lower fees and convenient access to all European Amazon websites.
For smaller businesses, home-based inventory storage or renting a small warehouse may be more feasible, especially if they handle fulfilment themselves (Fulfilment by Merchant, or FBM).
Lastly, the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean convention (PEM), which includes the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, several Balkan countries, Ukraine, Morocco, Syria, and Palestine, offers an opportunity to streamline trade through common rules. While the UK is not currently a signatory, there have been discussions about the potential benefits of joining.
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ASIN availability in specific countries
When selling on Amazon, the ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is a crucial consideration. An ASIN is a unique 10-letter/number code assigned by Amazon to each product sold on its platform. It is used to identify products in Amazon's catalogue and helps customers find accurate product information.
ASINs are universal and can be used to identify products across different countries. Amazon allows sellers to use the same ASIN in their home country and international marketplaces. This simplifies logistics as packaging and barcodes can remain the same. However, there are pros and cons to using international ASINs. For example, listings on a new marketplace will pull reviews from the home market, which can be advantageous if the product has good reviews, but detrimental if it has poor reviews. Additionally, images are shared across marketplaces, which can be problematic if they contain English annotations in non-English speaking countries.
When deciding whether to use an international ASIN or a country-specific ASIN, sellers should consider the potential issues with images and reviews. If a product has poor reviews in some markets, these will show up in new markets until market-specific reviews are achieved. Regarding images, Amazon rarely allows market-specific images to be uploaded, and there are associated risks of trying to do so. Amazon may display these images in other markets, causing a strained resolution process.
To expand into new markets, sellers can either use an existing ASIN from Amazon or create a new ASIN. When creating a new ASIN, sellers need to know their product's GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers), such as UPCs, ISBNs, or EANs. These universal product identifiers are used by Amazon to create and match ASINs.
There are various tools available to help sellers find ASINs, such as ASIN lookup tools and online tools that perform bulk uploads of product identifiers to return ASINs.
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Cost of registering for Pan European FBA
The cost of registering for Amazon's Pan-European FBA program includes various fees and expenses. Firstly, to qualify for the program, you need to obtain VAT numbers for the five core European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and one other country. Obtaining these VAT numbers can cost around £4000, and the process can take several months due to the extensive documentation and specialist advice required.
Additionally, there are ongoing costs associated with VAT compliance. As a Pan-European FBA seller, you must register for VAT in each country where you store inventory and file VAT returns periodically, typically monthly or quarterly. This can be a complex and time-consuming process, and you may need to engage specialists to ensure compliance, which adds to the overall cost.
Another cost consideration is the removal fees charged by Amazon for removing items from FBA inventory. To avoid long-term storage fees, it is advisable to opt for a removal order. If you need to remove inventory from your Pan-European FBA and have it delivered to an address in the same country as your home marketplace, Amazon will charge local removal fees based on that country.
Furthermore, while not a direct cost of registration, it is essential to consider the potential impact on fulfilment costs. Through the Pan-European FBA program, you will pay local fulfilment fees in the countries enabled for storage and cross-border fulfilment fees in other EU countries. Optimising inventory across multiple fulfilment centres can help reduce these costs.
Finally, to make the most of the Pan-European FBA program, you may need to invest in tools and services that provide additional support. For example, you might consider using software like Helium 10 to gain insights and advantages over your competitors, which comes at a cost. Alternatively, you could engage a specialist like Staxxer to handle your VAT registration and compliance, which they offer for a fee of €1,795.00 for all six original Pan-European countries.
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MCI as an alternative to Pan European FBA
The Pan-European region includes all countries in the European Union.
MCI as an Alternative to Pan-European FBA
Multi-Country Inventory (MCI) is an alternative to Pan-European Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) for sellers who want more control over where their inventory is stored and want to avoid registering for VAT in multiple countries. With MCI, sellers can choose which countries they want Amazon to store their inventory in, rather than having to register for VAT in all seven countries required by Pan-EU FBA. This gives sellers more flexibility in terms of VAT registration and inventory storage.
One advantage of MCI is that it can be more cost-effective than Pan-EU FBA, especially if you are only selling in a few countries. With MCI, you only pay local fulfilment fees for the countries where your inventory is stored, whereas with Pan-EU FBA, you pay local fulfilment fees plus cross-border fees for any inventory stored in another country. Additionally, with MCI, you can avoid the high fees associated with Pan-European FBA, which can be a significant extra cost for sellers.
Another benefit of MCI is that it can simplify tax work. With Pan-EU FBA, you must register for VAT in all seven countries before you can start selling, which can be a complex and time-consuming process. With MCI, you only need to register for VAT in the countries where your inventory is stored, which can make tax compliance much simpler.
However, one disadvantage of MCI is that delivery times may be slower compared to Pan-EU FBA. With MCI, inventory is stored in specific countries, so if a customer in another country places an order, it may take longer for the item to be dispatched and delivered. In contrast, with Pan-EU FBA, inventory is already stored in multiple countries, so delivery times may be faster.
Ultimately, the decision between MCI and Pan-EU FBA depends on the specific needs and business plan of the seller. Both options have their own benefits and costs, and sellers should carefully consider their inventory storage requirements, tax compliance, delivery times, and associated fees before choosing the best option for their business.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the UK is not included in the Pan-European FBA. If you are selling in all countries except the UK, you can disable your listing in the UK and then use Pan-EU.
Registering for Pan-European means you have to register in every country, which costs around €5-6k per year.
There are 7 countries included in the Pan-European FBA.
