Tax and VAT info for Switzerland missing in orders

[AnnaleasFinest]

Etsy provides VAT info for orders from UK in a light blue info box under the buyer's address, but Switzerland requests the same since 01.01.2025, so our buyers don't get charged tax/ VAT twice.

Unfortunately, I don't see Etsy's VAT number in Swiss orders, as I see it in orders to UK....

am I missing something? What should I use for orders from Switzerland, which VAT number, - the same as for UK orders?

Could Etsy please implement anything that may be missing?

[EmmArtDesignPlus · Accepted solution]

I stuck a label with such information on the package.

VAT

Item total  ?????CHF
VAT  ????CHF 

Packing slip declares the finat VAT amount collected by Etsy.

Purchased via Etsy online marketplace
Etsy - UID VAT: CHE-373.086.513
Etsy Address: Etsy Ireland, 66/67 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1

[AnnaleasFinest]

@EmmArtDesignPlus 

thank you, this is very helpful!

I will write this on my parcel.

It feels like the bureaucracy gets more complex every year.

[Rubycrazycrystals]

Do they pay tax? I don't think they do

[AnnaleasFinest]

@Rubycrazycrystals 

oh yes, they always paid some tax, it's been this way for many years.

But now, WE sellers have to inform the officials that VAT and tax has already been paid by the buyers already, so they they won't be charged again.

[Frapperie]

@AnnaleasFinest 

I've just checked several orders in 2024 from Switzerland and none of my customers paid VAT on Etsy.
Is this a new thing since the start of 2025?

[AnnaleasFinest]

@Frapperie 

Yep, it's new. 1. of January 25.

I see in my order that they paid tax and Vat.

Etsy implemented into the orders from UK, that we have to write Etsy's VAT nr onto the label plus the amount in British Pounds.

This legal info is missing for orders from Switzerland.

[swatchoclock]

I had 2 orders last week, one with the info and one without. One was a low amount and the other was a higher amount, perhaps it is the height of the amount that has to do with it although on the lower amount, on the receipt, there was VAT as well... I am not sure.

[Amaradorn]

Etsy is not responsible for the collection or determination of any custom duties or VAT costs for the countries listed below, so we recommend that you check individual tax authority websites for more information: 

• Switzerland

source: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000337247-Custom-Fees-and-Physical-VAT-Collection?segment...

[ETA: now been told this is out of date]

[swatchoclock]

@Amaradorn they might not be responsible but something changed since a week or so (potentially since 2025?). I have orders from Switzerland regularly and I never got a red banner from Etsy stating that I need to put info regarding VAT paid on the shipment.

I checked orders from 2024 and customers did not pay VAT to Etsy and since 2025 they are. I tried to look this up online but found little to no information.

[Frapperie]

@swatchoclock  @Amaradorn 
Found some info here about the change:
https://marosavat.com/new-e-commerce-vat-rules-by-2025-switzerland/

[Amaradorn]

@swatchoclock thanks - that Etsy page is out of date then. 

I was going by the fact that I have had UK to Switzerland orders in the past and they didn't get charged any VAT.

[DesDesVintageFashion]

I ship from Switzerland and Etsy is charging VAT even to local  Swiss orders which it should not I think …. There was another thread about it. But the amount does matter when paying import tax even before ( as a buyer) but now the responsibility in on the platforms ie Etsy 

https://www.taxually.com/blog/new-vat-rules-for-e-commerce-in-switzerland-from-2025

[DesDesVintageFashion]

Here is an even more detailed explanation which is helpful 

https://blogs.deloitte.ch/tax/2024/02/upcoming-revision-of-the-swiss-vat-law-understanding-the-poten...

[AnnaleasFinest]

Hi, all,

it's mysterious!

Apparently some get a yellow info box what to write on parcels and others don't!

Why?

A fellow German seller sent me a screenshot of an order to Switzerland, and she received all the necessary info in a yellow banner-

and I didn't!

Why not?

Her order was higher than mine.

But my buyer still paid both tax and VAT.

I want to avoid that my buyer gets charged twice, so I wrote the info I received here, plus the amount of tax and VAT she paid onto the parcel, but I think Etsy should provide all sellers with these infos in a yellow box.

[AnnaleasFinest]

Again, I did not receive in an order to Switzerland the necessary VAT info as we get it from Etsy for UK on a light blue background in the order..

Etsy - UID VAT: CHE-373.086.513,  needs to be shown in the order.

Could a moderator please forward this to the developping team ? @ModAngie 

Thank you!

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I am bumping this thread as I recently received an inquiry from Switzerland. 

I read through the links above from Etsy and USPS, and understand that Etsy now, as of January 2025, charges VAT at the time of ordering, regardless of the item price. (Link and revised Etsy policy copied below.)

Does Switzerland require additional customs at delivery?

Does Switzerland follow the EU directives on packaging (such as Lucid) or the GPSR regulations?

I am having difficulty finding that additional information.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000337247-Custom-Fees-and-Physical-VAT-Collection?segment...

Selling to Switzerland buyers

Etsy collects VAT on orders delivered to buyers in Switzerland. VAT applies whether the goods are dispatched from within or outside Switzerland, and regardless of their value. (Note: this is different from the rest of the EU/UK where we only collect on imports under a certain amount or dropship items). 

Etsy automatically includes the tax in the buyer’s total. The buyer pays the tax at checkout, and Etsy remits it to the Swiss Tax Authority.

For orders placed through Standalone PayPal, Etsy sends the VAT collected to the seller as a part of the payment. Etsy adds the tax to the seller’s Etsy statement so that we can collect the tax remitted to the Swiss Tax Authority.

For orders imported into Switzerland with a VAT amount of more than 5 Swiss Francs, there are a few things you will need to do to ensure your buyer is not charged VAT a second time on delivery:

Required Package Information

Input Etsy’s name and VAT number in the online delivery portal: Etsy - UID VAT: CHE-373.086.513

Input the order value in Swiss Francs in the online delivery portal: CHF [XXX.XX]

Input the VAT collected by Etsy in the online delivery portal: CHF [XXX.XX]

Ensure the postal carrier/courier transmits the correct data electronically with the package.

This information can be handwritten on postal letters/flats.

Electronic Data Transmission Instructions

Sending by Postal Service

Provide Etsy’s name and Swiss VAT number (Etsy - UID: CHE-373.086.513) to your postal carrier. The VAT number CHE-373.086.513 should be provided in the relevant importer Tax ID/VAT No./IOSS/EORI fields via electronic advance data (M33/ITMATT). In case of character limitations, provide CHE373.086.513 instead.

Sending by Other Transporters or Couriers

When creating customs or commercial documents, provide Etsy's details below for the 'Sold to Party' or 'Importer/Importer of Record.' The buyer’s information should only be provided as the 'Deliver To' or destination address.

Required Information

In the relevant Tax ID/VAT No./IOSS/EORI Field, enter Etsy’s VAT ID: CHE-373.086.513

Address: ETSY IRELAND UC BADENERSTR 172 C/O KPMG AG CH - 8008 ZÜRICH

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I found on a Swiss site that VAT to Switzerland is 8.1%, and customs is an additional 3.1% plus clearance fees.

Are there additional fees or regulations to ship to Switzerland that I am missing?

I am excited about the possibility of adding Switzerland to the countries I ship to as I receive a lot of European inquiries that I have to say no to due to EU regulations.