Vinstmarginalbeskattning
Vinstmarginalbeskattning, usually abbreviated VMB, is Sweden’s VAT margin scheme for qualifying second-hand goods. The reseller accounts for VAT on the positive difference between its sale price and purchase price, rather than on the full sale price.
For goods subject to the normal 25-percent VAT rate, the VAT portion is 20 percent of a positive VAT-inclusive margin:
purchase price = SEK 4,000
sale price = SEK 5,000
positive margin = SEK 1,000
VMB VAT = SEK 200
margin after VAT = SEK 800
The SEK 5,000 consumer price already includes the applicable VAT. VMB is not an extra 25 percent added at checkout.
When VMB can apply
A reseller may generally use VMB when it bought a qualifying used item from someone who did not charge separately deductible VAT, including a private person or another dealer who correctly used VMB.
If the supplier instead invoiced ordinary VAT separately, the reseller cannot use VMB for the later sale. It deducts eligible input VAT and applies ordinary VAT to the full resale price.
A genuine VMB purchase from another EU dealer can remain within the scheme. Giving the supplier a VAT number and treating the purchase as an ordinary intra-EU acquisition changes the route. Imported second-hand goods from outside the EU generally do not qualify for VMB.
The reseller may choose ordinary VAT instead of VMB for an eligible sale, but that does not create deductible input VAT on the original VMB purchase.
Invoice and bookkeeping
A VMB invoice must not show a separate VAT amount. For a used phone it should contain the wording “Vinstmarginalbeskattning för begagnade varor”. The business customer therefore has no separately stated input VAT to deduct.
Detailed records must connect each purchase to its eventual sale. For phones, the inventory record should preserve at least:
- IMEI or another unique unit identifier
- supplier and purchase invoice
- purchase price and date
- ordinary-VAT or VMB status
- sale price and date
- calculated positive margin and VMB VAT
Ordinary-VAT and VMB inventory must not be blended in one generic cost field. The treatment follows the individual unit and its purchase evidence.
Losses, repairs, and commercial margin
Normal VMB is calculated per item. A loss on one phone does not simply cancel a positive margin on another.
Repair and improvement costs do not increase the VMB purchase price. Input VAT on separately invoiced repair work or parts may often be deductible, but the full commercial cost still belongs in the profitability calculation.
commercial contribution = margin after VMB VAT
- repair cost excluding deductible VAT
- payment and marketplace fees
- shipping and packaging
- warranty and return provision
- installation and support labor
See GrapheneOS Pixel procurement for the handset-cost application and Swedish VAT for ecommerce for the ordinary-VAT alternative.