v9 is in beta

[completerookie]

some people may only be watching certain areas of the forum,
thought I would bring the release of the v9 beta to the general attention of people.

I've been looking breifly at the the current list,

• there's no mention of a revision f the VAT (those with mobility sites)
• no mention of speeding up the upload process
• seems to be a better way of exporting design features etc
• turned the multiple product options into a wizard
• re-written the help
• one nice feature seems to be a "telephone order's page" allowing faster order taking over the phone
• tax inclusive pricing
• plug in of the google analytics features
  new "flexible stretchy design" with a few new layouts (6) not offered before
• postcode lookup (plug in)
• error messages now easier to understand
• [better links to epos

not sure how people are going to react but some people might not notice the betas out.

[cdicken]

Hi Kevin

there's no mention of a revision f the VAT (those with mobility sites)

Could you explain this one a bit more? We have completely re-written the way we do VAT - and I'm not sure what a 'mobility' site is.

[completerookie]

sorry Chris, rattled off the points quickly

Disability/mobility web sites need to be able to remove the vat element at checkout time for certain products


example, a "suction grab rail" that goes in the bathroom is NOT vat exempt (even if you are disabled)
whereas, a "grab bar to be screwed to the wall" may be vat exempt if you are disabled, but if you just "fancy a grab rail" (and you are not disabled), then you have to pay the vat.

The removal of the vat is triggered by the simple tick that says "i am disabled, please remove the vat element"

I have over simplified this requirement, but there has been previous threads by "mobility/disabled" sites asking how we can achieve this functionality - replies range from "get the user to login in and then declare certain elements as zero rated" up to the reply of "it can't be done"

I note that you have re-written how the vat is calculated, but thats not the same as the ability to remove the vat element totally.

[cdicken]

OK - I understand now. I'm not sure if this would ever be possible to do though. Surely a system such as a checkbox in a checkout is open to all kinds of abuse. Is there some sort of registration number that people can enter to confirm they are eligible for tax exemption on certain products?

Really, the way to do this would be to remove the VAT on the downloaded order after you've confirmed they really qualify, and then refund the VAT on the required lines.

Tricky - but probably the only way.

[Duncan Rounding]

How about a main product being the component sum of two others. One being subject to normal VAT the other being subject to zero VAT.

[completerookie]

its an old chestnut that has occured before now on the forum.
.
the rules simply say that you must declare the recipient to be entitled to the exemption - (I had thought about trying that ruse for all the other vat laden things in life) - the person delcaring does not have to be the recipient, they can "sign" on their behalf

Once you sign the form, which can be done electronically, then you (the signatury) accepts the risk that the vat man will come after you.
at the end of the day, its a simple tick box "I am exempt because I suffer from the following condition" (give a name and address, the list of goods you are receiving and from whom) and the vat free purchases are yours.

refund of the items is the only real way that actinic can work at the moment, but it don't half mess up the PSP tracking, and it becomes even harder when you then say "this is exempt, but this isn't"

its a nightmare. talk to one vatman and he says "course, that product would be exempt, thats obvious" , talk to another, they say "you must be kidding", talk to the man that does you vat inspection and if he's got out of bed on the wrong side, you end up arguing as to the merits of a case

thought I'd ask.