Without informing us, another thing has changed on the website.
It is perfectly legal and accepted by many companies to make invoices for customers within the EU without VAT registration number, as long as all information is present on the invoice, they can use it in their companies administration, with the drawback that they cannot ask back any VAT.
So, why did you stop this option suddenly?
Can you print invoices?
Yes, I can supply my customers with a valid invoice- In the EU, only businesses with a VAT registration qualify to provide VAT invoices
Yes, I can supply customers with a valid invoice *signs box*. The explanation is correct: only VAT registered businesses can print VAT invoices. not-registered businesses can still print valid invoices, just without VAT number. And then I cannot continue the form as you want me to supply a VAT numberâŚ
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Seems I cannot edit my postsâŚ
In addition:
First (logical) question would be:
You cannot be a business if you have no VAT registration.
-> Wrong. Many countries have a threshold to be qualified to get a VAT registration. I found in the UK this is 83.000 GBP turnover yearly. In the Netherlands, there is a hour threshold and even if you get over that threshold, you also have a turnover threshold. You need quite a lot of orders a week to get over the thresholds.
In the UK at least, you donât have to break that figure to VAT register yourself. You can do it from day 1. It does mean a little more paperwork and reporting but does allow you to claim back the VAT on purchases.
cobnut
4
Hi @ProtoArt I raised this issue with support some time ago and it appears to be just a wording issue. The warning is intended to be only about VAT invoices, not invoices in general, and 3DHubs are happy for you to check the box if youâre not VAT registered, you just (obviously) canât issue a VAT invoice.
cobnut
5
My apologies @ProtoArt Iâve just looked at this again on my own Hub and itâs now not letting me choose invoicing unless Iâm VAT registered, so your question is valid. Iâll get back to support to ask about this.
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Alex_9
6
I am in the same boat. I have just seen my âcan print invoicesâ badge removed without warning by 3D Hubs, and this has caused (perhaps with other factors) a sudden drop-off of orders - I have raised the question to 3D Hubs support, but am getting circular redirection to the generic notice at https://www.3dhubs.com/knowledge-base/finance
Has anyone had any clearer response from 3D Hubs about the current state of this issue?
So, no response from 3DHubs after two month. Thanks.
To make things more silly, my customers asked for an invoice at 3DHubs support, and support send the customer to me to make an invoice. Like how? According to 3DHubs I canât make invoicesâŚ
Sadly no - that is exactly what I understood too - and I ticked the âcan print invoicesâ box also - but this was automatically un-checked as I donât have a VAT registration number.
There is a big disconnect between real customer expectation and how this works currently as just like you I still get customers asking for invoices, who are then perfectly happy with non-VAT invoices.
I have raised this direct to Robin at 3D Hubs, he has requested the team find a better way to advertise hubsâ services on this front.
It has cost me all of my more valuable orders for several months now, so I hope it will be fixed soon
To be fair, anyone can create an invoice, all you need is a word processing app. If your client needs a VAT invoice, then only a VAT registered business can do that and thatâs nothing to do with 3DHubs.
Alex_9
10
Hi, can you describe exactly what paperwork is involved?
Iâm in a slightly odd situation where the key customers I created my limited company to serve are university research departments - as they are VAT exempt, I would have to zero-rate their VAT and submit supporting paperwork every time - as this would be the bulk of my revenue and eclipse the 3D Hubs orders, I am worried this is a âhit meâ sign for an HMRC auditâŚ
Itâs not just customers asking for invoices, itâs 3DHubs telling my customer to ask me for an invoice. Why? They told me I canât make invoicesâŚ
And yes, it has cost me several valuable customers as wellâŚ
This site is becoming silly(sorry to say). Lot of new half working features and old issues arenât being solved.
Anyone can print invoices, as long as all required(legal) information is there. That is exactly my point in the opening post.
The thing that is bothering me is the lack of communication and clarification when 3DHubs decided to untick the box 2 months ago.
How things are now, customers are scared away as I donât have the icon that I can print invoices for their administration.
cobnut
13
No, theyâre saying you canât produce VAT invoices, anyone can produce a simple list of services and their cost. Many customers require a physical invoice for their paper trail, if youâre not VAT registered yours wonât be a VAT invoice, but itâll still be AN invoice, even if you scribble it in crayon on the back of a fag packet.
When I created this topic 2 months ago, the description icon said only âthis hub can create invoicesâ. No words about VAT. They luckily now changed it to âregistered businessâ.
The problem is communication. Changing things without informing your customers = bad practice. Even when the old text was temporary and to be replaced with how it is now, I know I lost at least one customer for it.
cobnut
15
Donât get me wrong, I agree with you that the distinction between VAT and non VAT registered Hubs is disturbing, and I too have raised this issue with 3DHubs. However, itâs unavoidable that some clients prefer to work with a VAT registered company and many Hubs are, so from their point of view it would be unfair if Hubs did NOT say they could produce a VAT invoice. Anyone can register for VAT and if you think itâs a big hit on your business, thatâs an option. Personally, I donât think I lose much but not being VAT registered, and I gain a lot on simplified accounting 
Alex_9
16
I agree - I think they are trying to please customers, but reaching out to Hubs is not a default mode. Hoping to see some improvements on this front.
Personally I think the âregistered businessâ badge is even worse. I am a âregistered businessâ with a company number, and Iâm a full time 3D printing professional. I am not VAT registered, for various reasons, so cannot get this badge - but now if there is a comparison in searches between mine and a âregistered businessâ hub, they will get the professional business every time, as I look even less professional by comparisonâŚ
cobnut
17
I totally agree. But there is a very long list of things that we as Hubs would like changed and they canât all be solved overnight. Iâd like nothing more than for 3DHubs to be a perfect company, we all would, but itâd likely be the first one in existence if it was. 3DHubs ARE aware of this issue, but itâs in that list and we just have to let them deal with it as they can. The change to registered business was, in my opinion, worse (because it makes non VAT businesses sounds like hobbyists) but each and every change takes time.
