Needing to set up a UK business from abroad

[bogomip]

Hi all,

So I made a website which I want to monetise by selling yearly subscirptions for a small amount of money, about 10 GBP. To do this I need to add a paypal button, google pay button etc onto the site. The problem with this is that all these companies want my business details to allow this (presumably for anti-fraud measures).

The difficulty here is that while I am a UK Citizen (having lived most of my life in the UK, being British, having a British passport etc) I currently live and work overseas in Qatar. I dont want to start the company here because of the ramifications and difficulty of doing so, but also because I will only be here an additional year before moving back to the UK.

My question is what to do. I want to set up as a sole trader really because that seems like the easiest thing to do. However then when paypal asks for things like where I live most of the year I cant answer the UK because I dont. So then I need a company ID to register as a company with them. Im just unsure of how to proceed with this. I have a UK [personal] bank account and was intending to do all tax requirements as if I was a UK resident (even if it means paying more tax than if I were getting money sent here - though thinking my business will make enough money to tax is currently feeling pipe dreamy! ).

Thanks for any help,
Bogo

 

[fisicx]

There is no easy answer to your problem. If you want to take payments in the UK you need to prove your UK credentials. You may need to pay someone to register on your behalf - they become the owner and take a cut of your income.

What does the subscription get me? I'd be very suspicious of a fee as low as £10/year.

 

[japancool]

How much money do you anticipate the website making over the next year?

 

[Alan]

You can sell yearly subscriptions on via other platforms.

You could take a look at BuyMeACoffee ( https://buymeacoffee.com/?via=wpdevalan my affilate link )
which has monthly / yearly subscription options and download options

They will pay to a UK bank account without asking any deep questions as far as I understand.

 

[bogomip]

The website is a thing for teachers to generate their end of year reports. The fee is low because people will only use it a few times a year, and are teachers so are generally poor/stingy (im a teacher by profession so am aware of my clientele! ).

I dont know how much money I intend to make! Im not a successful marketer and dont really know how many people will go for it so its a bit difficult to gauge. I was going to do some advertising but again have never done something like this so dont have any baselines for what to expect. This is the first time I have done anything businessy and am a bit at sea for what I expect to happen and how to make it so!

Thanks Alan for that link, ill take a look (and use your affiliate if I go for it!).

 

[fisicx]

There is no market for this. Schools already have report writing software.

 

[bogomip]

There is no market for this. Schools already have report writing software.

Well then I guess I have been working in the wrong schools for the past 13 years, because outside of comment banks and one other thing a colleague uses (which also requires more work than my site!) I havent used anything quite like mine

Thanks for the support though :/

 

[fisicx]

Well then I guess I have been working in the wrong schools for the past 13 years, because outside of comment banks and one other thing a colleague uses (which also requires more work than my site!) I havent used anything quite like mine

Thanks for the support though :/

I thought you live in Qatar?

Many schools in the UK now have report writers. Those that don't have a set of templates. I doubt if many teachers will be able to use your generator. Do you have a website with a demo?

As to cost. £10 puts you in the 'to be avoided' category. It's way too cheap. In any case, it will cost you far more to market the product.

 

[japancool]

I dont know how much money I intend to make! Im not a successful marketer and dont really know how many people will go for it so its a bit difficult to gauge.

The reason I ask is, if it's minimal before you return to the UK, why not just set your location to Qatar and sort it out when you get back? I'm assuming you'll be heading back for the summer holidays anyway.

As an aside, I went to Doha College.

 

[bogomip]

I thought you live in Qatar?

Many schools in the UK now have report writers. Those that don't have a set of templates. I doubt if many teachers will be able to use your generator. Do you have a website with a demo?

As to cost. £10 puts you in the 'to be avoided' category. It's way too cheap. In any case, it will cost you far more to market the product.

I do, I work as a teacher here. Before this I have worked in several countries and the UK. I know other things like this exist, so lets just pretend I came here more for business advice on how to set up and start taking money than a critique of the audience I have or haven't got

edit: To JapanCool: No way!! Small world! Thanks for the thought, I will have a look and see if I am more successful on PayPal that way.

 

[fisicx]

I you want to set up a UK business and be paid into a UK bank account you need a documents to prove you live in the UK. There is no simple way round this.

I'd pay someone in the UK to do all this for you. Ideally a teacher as they can market this to their school.

 

[bogomip]

I you want to set up a UK business and be paid into a UK bank account you need a documents to prove you live in the UK. There is no simple way round this.

I'd pay someone in the UK to do all this for you. Ideally a teacher as they can market this to their school.

Ah ok, thanks for the advice. I was worried it might go that way but it does make sense.

Ok, thanks very much for the help

 

[Ray272]

Have a UK address?

If yes your absolutely fine, if no check out ukpostbox or other letter opening and scanning services, pay attention to their other services too.

All payment providers can be obtained. WISE formerly transferwise can be used for a bank account too.

All the things you seek can be done, with ease.

Strange how people comment on peoples business's on this forum and deviate from the queries, very strange, kind of like anti support in an forum supposedly geared up for support.

 

[fisicx]

@Ray272 - the address isn’t the problem. It’s the proof of identity. You need that utility bill with the address to open a bank account. Even paypal requires proof for a business account.

 

[Ray272]

Exactly, really really simple fixes. UK passport is real, no issues anywhere else to get set up. No issues at all, not with paypal or a bank etc.

 

[fisicx]

PayPal and banks require proof of address. Part of money laundering regulations. Usually Needs to be a utility bill in your name. If @bogomip has this no problem. If not they may struggle.

 

[Ray272]

I do, I work as a teacher here. Before this I have worked in several countries and the UK. I know other things like this exist, so lets just pretend I came here more for business advice on how to set up and start taking money than a critique of the audience I have or haven't got

edit: To JapanCool: No way!! Small world! Thanks for the thought, I will have a look and see if I am more successful on PayPal that way.

Not a lot to checkout. Seems locked and requires sign up. No video explainer or actual video of the software in action? Looks a bit incomplete without those tasters, needs a lot more visuals/explainers before people start handing over email addresses.IMO.

Seems a bit of an odd name too.

In any event, no, i would not sign up for free full access based on the description here and on the site.

I was using a phone to navigate btw, most do nowadays.

 

[bogomip]

Dont you see the GIF on the front page of me using the site to create a set of reports? Hmmm, will need to check why that isnt working :S Maybe I will add a link on the front page to the youtube channel which has tutorials and such.

And yeah, you need to sign up. The website needs to protect the data thats put into it. This seems pretty standard with the websites I use as a teacher. None of what I use allows me to do anything really without signing up, but as I use my school email it doesnt bother me.

Thanks for the advice on the business element, I will need to give further thought to how it might work.

 

[fisicx]

Dont you see the GIF on the front page of me using the site to create a set of reports?

I see a video on the right but it's small and fast and have no idea what it's supposed to represent.

What I expect to see as some 'how it works' content, maybe a knowledge base, screenshots, tutorials and so on.

If you want a review upgrade your membership and post in the website reviews forum.

 

[bogomip]

Knowledge base was a good idea - there were tutorials on the inside, but I like the idea of just making it available so people can see how it works. Added a beta version!

This isnt the kind of thing you do on the phone. I dont know many teachers who sit down to write out 300 lots of 500 character comments on their mobile phone And anybody who does have to do that has greater problems than my site can solve!

Thanks again for the advice!

 

[fisicx]

This isnt the kind of thing you do on the phone.

Maybe not but many teachers will use a phone to research products.