Vintro Pro Knowledge Base · VAT & admin

What are margin goods?

Not every secondhand item automatically qualifies as a margin good — discover which items do, and which don't.

Margin goods are goods that may be sold under the VAT margin scheme.

VAT is then calculated not on the full sale price, but only on the margin realised between purchase and sale.

🏺 Antiques 🎨 Art objects 🧸 Collectibles 👗 Vintage items

Why do margin goods matter?

No VAT is charged when buying from a private individual.

Without a margin scheme, the same item would be taxed multiple times — the scheme ensures only the added value gets taxed.

Are all secondhand goods automatically margin goods?

No — this is one of the most common misconceptions.

How the item was purchased plays the decisive role. Ask yourself:

❓ Who was it bought from? ❓ Was VAT charged? ❓ Was that VAT deductible? ❓ Are purchase documents available?

✅ Typically a margin good

  • Bought from a private individual, no VAT
  • Secondhand, unique item
  • Purchase documentation available

❌ Not a margin good

  • New goods (fall under the standard VAT scheme)
  • Own production
  • Bought with deductible (recoverable) VAT

🧪 Test yourself: margin good or not?

Five real-world situations — decide each time whether it's a margin good.

Question 1 of 5

Done!

Why record-keeping is essential

Margin goods are almost always unique items — you can't operate like a classic shop. For each item, you should ideally know:

📅 Purchase date 💸 Purchase price 📝 Description 📷 Photos 📍 Location 💰 Sale price

A practical example

A dealer buys three different items — each tracked separately:

€750Antique cabinet
€95Vintage lamp
€325Bronze statue

Because each piece is unique, this info can't be reconstructed afterwards if it wasn't recorded.

Common mistakes

Not recording the purchase priceWithout a purchase price, no correct margin can be calculated.

Not keeping photosPhotos help identify unique items later.

Registering items togetherRecording several pieces as one purchase makes margin calculation difficult.

No location trackingMany dealers know what they have, but not where it is.

No insight into stock ageThis is how dead stock builds up unnoticed.

The link between margin goods and profitability

Revenue only tells part of the story:

Item A

Bought €50 → Sold €200

Margin: €150

Item B

Bought €180 → Sold €250

Margin: €70

Both sales generate the same revenue — but the margin differs sharply.

How does Vintro Pro help?

Per item, a complete historical record is built up.

✅ Purchase price ✅ Sale price ✅ Photos ✅ Purchase/sale date ✅ Location ✅ Margin realised

Where to find this in the app: on every item you set Purchase proof to say where the piece came from — Market purchase (private individual), Receipt, or Neither if there is already an invoice. That is exactly what you must be able to show in order to apply the margin scheme. Fill in the Margin scheme goods sale price field as well and the piece is automatically included in that period’s margin VAT calculation.

Frequently asked questions

Are all secondhand goods margin goods?

No. The origin of the item and the circumstances of purchase determine whether the margin scheme may be applied.

Can a new product be a margin good?

Normally not. New goods usually fall under the standard VAT scheme.

Why do I need to keep purchase prices?

Because without a purchase price, no margin can be calculated.

Why are photos important?

Because most margin goods are unique items that need to be easily identifiable later.

Every margin good correctly recorded, without hassle?

Vintro Pro keeps purchase price, sale price, photos and margin together per item — calculated automatically, ready for your accountant.