VAT double charged by Queenonline Shop to EU citizens... and nobody realizes it

Just had a lengthy talk with dutch customs service, and in fact it is crystal clear what is wrong:

If Universal/Queenonline/Digital Stores wants to collect VAT on their invoice (which they do at this moment), it is mandatory that they have an IOSS number (which is needed to digitally mark the packages as 'VAT paid'). It is not enough to simply write this on the package or on the invoice attached to the package, the only way to do this is using IOSS.
If a company doesn't have an IOSS number, they are not allowed to charge VAT for foreign customers.
Simple as that.
So it seems that technically Universal/Queenonline/Digital Stores is breaking international laws.

They are charging VAT to non-UK customers on their invoices, this money is not going to the tax authorities of the customers country, it is also not going to the UK tax authority, this money is simply floating back to Universal/Queenonline/Digital Stores themselves.
Like the dutch customs service employee said to me: "Oh, I know very well where that money is going, it is completely going back into their own pockets. Apparently it is a nice revenue model."
Really, if this is true, then technically Universal/Queenonline/Digital Stores is simply stealing money from customers and foreign tax authorities.

They HAVE TO start using IOSS (again, this is MANDATORY!) or stop charging VAT to non-UK customers.
If they don't, they are breaking the law.

But how can we get them to do that? Because completing against Universal is like a mouse competing to a giant........

I sent another mail to Digital Stores an hour ago and asked them to correct their VAT policy and asked for a refund of the VAT they charged me.
Within one hour they replied and 100% refunded the VAT they charged me. (They kept silent about their VAT procedure though)
So apparently complaining helps, but no garantee things will change in the future.

I got the vinyl/cd-package delivered today (to the Netherlands). It states the discounted value on the package and was delivered without any additional customs-costs. No idea why, just glad it did.

It seems mine got through as well with no additional VAT charges. Got a message that I can collect it tomorrow at the PostNL pick-up point.

I also took my chances and chose for standard mail delivery. It took a while longer, but it now turns out a bargain.

Pls could you share their email address? Can’t find it, sorry. I’ve received today the arrival notification for Roger’s Outsider Tour vinyl from the spanish post and they’re also double charging me the VAT. Many tks in advance!

No , I didn't, I only asked for a refund of the current order.
So that is the 'Outsider Tour' release order and my previous order for the 'Another World' release (which in the end they refunded almost completely because many more things went wrong, which was actually the reason for choosing courier delivery this time instead of standard delivery)
I actually doubt if it will be of any use to ask for refunds for older orders. As said, I personally didn't try it.

After reading this I checked my previous orders as well, dating back to 2014 and something occurred to me.
In orders until 2020 VAT was charged (and correctly I believe, as pre-Brexit)
In all 2021 orders VAT was NOT charged.
In all 2022 orders VAT was charged.

So why no VAT charge in 2021, but added back in 2022 ?
I don't understand it.

This is unacceptable. I also had to pay €15 to pick my RT Outsider Live from the spanish post. My last buy at the QOL store, I don’t care what exclusives they may sell in the future, until they become a serious company and realize that they really need to create a store for EU citizens.

yes of course, as I wrote a few posts ago, I had had problems with VAT paid twice on packages outside the EU by Amazon, I phoned the Italian Post Office Customs section several times, sent several PECs, opened 3 complaints and contacted them through a consumer association, what I got after 1.5 years was a nice wall of omertà in typical Italian mafia style

I received an email from DHL yesterday that my Miracle box set will be delivered coming Monday, but that I need to pay Import Duty and VAT. A total of €75,-
This seems a bit excessive..

The original invoice stated VAT(Netherlands) was paid and our national Tax Service website states that import duty for CD's Dvd and books on orders over €150.- is in fact 0%

We've talked about VAT in this thread, but has anyone also had issues with the Import Duty??

Same.... mail from DHL and Eur 70 to Italy..... 

I'll have to check, but I think it was the standard service e-mail on the UMUK website

I'm so glad that I decided to not buy this boxset via QOL this time... (although I did buy the picture disc as it was a QOL exclusive)
I was already afraid that nothing would have been changed and that double VAT was charged again.
Luckily it seems that QOL/Universal by now are not making a big problem of refunding the double paid VAT.
Still THEY are making a mistake, so THEY Should fix it beforehand!

About the import duties. I knew that import duties would be charged for anything above €150, because the boxset is more expensive than €150.
However for CD's and DVD's the percentage for import duties should be 0%.
See this list (translated) list from www.belastingdienst.nl
product - import duties - VAT
Telephones - 0% - 21%
Laptops & tablets - 0% - 21%
Headphones & microphones - 0% - 21%
Toys - max 4,7% - 21%
Books - 0% - 9%
Cd’s & Dvd’s - 0% - 21%
Suitcases & bags - max 9,7% - 21%
Shoes & boots - max 17% - 21%
Jewelry - max 4% - 21%
Clothing - max 12% - 21%
Cosmetics & care products - 0% - 21%
Car- & motorcycle parts - max 4,5% - 21%
Watches - 4,5% (min €0,30/max € 0,80 per watch) - 21%

So that can means two things:
1) QOL fucked up by not marking the package as CD/DVD, but as something else which has a higher % (but I don't see how they could mark it as something else besides CD, DVD or maybe a book, which all go for 0%)
2) Dutch customs fucked up and charged money for something that shouldn't be charged.

In the first case you should complain at QOL, in the second case you should complain at dutch costoms (which is quite complicated usually)

I will check again tomorrow when it gets delivered, but I think it was marked as 'Music and Movie Merchandise'. Not sure in which tax or import duties category it then falls. One could argue if it shouldn't be declared as plain CD's, DVD's or Vinyl....