EU VAT number when purchasing products from steam

[kerosene350]

A VAT registered business (1 person or a hundred) can get a refund for VAT they have paid. On over the "border trade" complexities of different tax rates by countries etc. is avoided by using a procedure where the buyer provides valid VAT number to the seller who than charges 0% VAT rate.
This works with Amazon, Adobe, Autodesk etc.

However Steam doesn't provide this option. It wasn't so serious if it was occasional game (even though it discourages the use of Steam). but I am looking buying for example Valve Index, the price is meaningfully large for a one man indie operation that VAT treatment makes a difference.
Equally 10 games for reference add up too. Valve index is especially tricky as I have no other place I can purchase it from - that I am aware of.

Please Valve, make entering out business VAT number possible to help us small timers.

ps. On some older discussion people attacked as if this was some kind of tax evasion or started talking about deducting business expenses. This doesn't directly relate to deductablity neither is this some kind of weird tax evasion. The problem here is that Valve doesn't make it possible to operate as the system means it to work.

[wuddih]

Steam is for personal use. it is irrelevant if you make a purchase as a business.

[kerosene350]

so where can a developer or a business buy Valve VR headsets. as a business.

I get that steam account is for "retail" and individuals. It gets tricky for indies though especially if things are steam exclusive.

[ KARR™]

They provide a full VAT number on your receipt. Can you not just claim that back as input VAT?

[cinedine]

Originally posted by kerosene350:

so where can a developer or a business buy Valve VR headsets. as a business.

I get that steam account is for "retail" and individuals. It gets tricky for indies though especially if things are steam exclusive.

You can write it off your taxes like any other bureau equipment. You are an end consumer in this case and not exempt from VAT. (Well, at least here.)

[kerosene350]

VAT numbers starting EU cannot be used for reclaiming VAT. Only VAT numbers starting with your country code, FI in my case qualify. With transactions "over the border" 0% is used.

And yes I can expense that is a separate topic. The whole point of VAT is that it is paid only for value added and thus input and expense VAT is refunded or exempted as descibed above.

Any other hardware I buy (and I guess I will be buying physical copies of games) the VAT gets handled correctly.

[kerosene350]

Update:
It might workout if I get a business account, this based on a reddit thread.
Business address and bank account and tax ID required.
And they charge a fee. All cool if I can figure this out. Still haven't but will update if I do.

[󠀡󠀡󠀡⁧⁧the.jester]

Originally posted by kerosene350:

VAT numbers starting EU cannot be used for reclaiming VAT. Only VAT numbers starting with your country code, FI in my case qualify. With transactions "over the border" 0% is used.

And yes I can expense that is a separate topic. The whole point of VAT is that it is paid only for value added and thus input and expense VAT is refunded or exempted as descibed above.

Any other hardware I buy (and I guess I will be buying physical copies of games) the VAT gets handled correctly.

VAT receipts for my county start with the correct country code. I cannot imagine why yours wouldn't.

Have you spoken to Steam Support about this? If you are developer, then what about the Steamworks group?

[Darren]

Valve sells to consumers not to businesses is the answer they have given previously to all of these requests. It's not a problem in Australia because you just pay the GST, then claim it back from the government.

A business account (should such a thing exist) would be the only way for this to work. But can't you just get a VAT number with your country code in it so you can reclaim it instead?

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by kerosene350:

so where can a developer or a business buy Valve VR headsets. as a business.

I get that steam account is for "retail" and individuals. It gets tricky for indies though especially if things are steam exclusive.

https://store.steampowered.com/join

In regard to all Subscriptions, Content and Services that are not authored by Valve, Valve does not screen such third-party content available on Steam or through other sources. Valve assumes no responsibility or liability for such third party content. Some third-party application software is capable of being used by businesses for business purposes - however, you may only acquire such software via Steam for private personal use.

They have a special Cyber Cafe license, which might be what you need - https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9518-QROS-1486

[DjTihhenegger]

Originally posted by kerosene350:

On over the "border trade" complexities of different tax rates by countries etc. is avoided by using a procedure where the buyer provides valid VAT number to the seller who than charges 0% VAT rate.

Hi kerosene350, I have the exact same problem you had (small business in Hungary with EU VAT NR buying Index VR Kit for business purposes) did you find a solution for buying/reclaiming the VAT before/after the purchase? Thanks a lot in advance!