Unable to setup with IOM address or from an IOM location. 

Sage Payroll and Sage Accounting unable to be accessed in the IOM, unless businesses are using a subscription via a local accountancy/bookkeeping firm. Formally following contact with Sage, IOM Accounting and Payroll accounts are ineligible. 

Access is possible, however there are limitations with the services for IOM customers including: 

• Shopify Payments unavailable to IOM accounts. This is due to Stripe not being available, and Shopify Payments being powered by Stripe. Various other aspects of Shopify are not available to users unless they are using Shopify Payments. E.g. surfacing your shop and your products via the 'Shop' app, but also more importantly, the ability to use local currency in stores worldwide.   
• If a Shopify user is not using Shopify Payments then their shop displays their home currency, ie: GBP irrespective of the customer's actual country. This can be a disadvantage for businesses selling outside the UK. 
• VAT issues: Shopify doesn't recognise IOM and charge VAT in the correct way. Shopify treats the relationship as though the IOM is in the EU. Such that VAT is charged below a threshold amount (around £135), but VAT is not charged above that threshold.   
• Pricing for IOM customers is more than UK customers for the basic and standard packages (£32 vs £25 and £92 vs £65 respectively).  

Etsy Payments – new accounts ineligible: 

• As of 26th April 2021, Etsy sellers were required to onboard with Etsy Payments. Etsy Payments is only available to this list of countries - Isle of Man is excluded from the list.  
• Etsy detail on their website that they are working on expanding the availability of Etsy Payments so they can offer the benefits to sellers in more countries. 
• Businesses have been encouraged to appeal directly to Etsy to request expansion of availability of Etsy Payments, however this has not resulted in anything to date. 
• Etsy seem to be controlling this by checking that bank accounts and residential addresses are within their approved list of countries, so Etsy won’t allow new IOM accounts at this time as they don’t comply with this requirement. 

Account suspension: 

• Existing accounts have been permanently suspended if they cannot comply with Etsy Payment changes.  

Recognising Company Registry numbers: 

• We also had feedback from businesses that Etsy doesn't recognise IOM Company Registry numbers. We have been unable to determine at what stage of the process this applied to, or whether this links to the Etsy Payment requirement/inability to create a new account from the IOM. 

VAT issues:  

• Previous IOM users also reported issues with VAT 
• As IOM businesses shouldn’t link to HMRC, it sounds like Etsy’s system therefore assumes VAT should be charged differently to the UK.  
• The Isle of Man has a VAT sharing agreement with the UK, so VAT should work the same however is collected in the Isle of Man. 

Facebook & Instagram Shops: 

• Facebook and Instagram Shops (to display and sell products through) is not available in the Isle of Man, due to the Isle of Man not being a supported country - Supported Countries for Shops on Facebook and Instagram | Meta Business Help Center. 
• There appears to be an option to link directly to existing Shopify Accounts but this equally presents issues as Shopify has some limitations for IOM Businesses. Businesses that try to use Commerce Manager then come across issues as it’s not supported in the IOM. 

* Businesses are able to use Meta and pay to advertise through these platforms in the Isle of Man, as are residents.* 

TikTok Shop: 

• IOM Businesses unable to set up TikTok Shop to sell to customers. 
• It is currently unknown if businesses can set up a TikTok Business Account as a first stage, but then come into trouble setting up the shop at second stage. We understand it is a requirement to have a TikTok Business Account to set up a TikTok Store. 
• People with TikTok accounts are equally unable to purchase from TikTok Shops either. 
• TikTok Stores need to be located in the US or the UK and have a verifiable address in Locations settings.  
• Setting up a TikTok Shop also appears to link to Shopify which has it's own limitations for IOM accounts. 

*Individuals are able to use the TikTok app from the Isle of Man* 

Doesn't recognise 07624 as a mobile number and prevents completion of order process.

TV channel (on Firestick) used to work but now says 'Sorry our video library can only be watched within UK' (this works from a mobile). 

Independent filmmakers face challenges in monetising their work through video-on-demand (VOD) platforms due to payment processing limitations. In some cases, certain payment processors do not support transactions from specific regions, preventing filmmakers from placing their content behind a paywall to generate revenue for project completion. This restriction can hinder funding opportunities and limit access to essential distribution channels.

Merchant accounts – companies registry documentation: 

• Issues with recognition of Isle of Man as location of company incorporation for merchant accounts - reports that Isle of man company documents are not accepted as part of KYC process. 

Merchant accounts – Manx Alcohol Licence Paperwork: 

• Amazon doesn't recognise Manx Alcohol License Paperwork formats and so auto rejects applications to sell alcohol on their site. 

Number area codes not recognised:  

• Amazon doesn't recognise Manx mobile number area codes, so cannot do 2 factor authentication.  

Amazon Alexa: 

• Alexa does not accept IOM mobile numbers, therefore unable to set up local numbers for emergency calls. 

Online store for business use: 

• Issues with acceptance of Isle of Man Companies Registry details during KYC reviews. 

Payment gateway issues: 

• Creation of a website with sales function not viable as payment gateways through this provider don't accept Isle of Man registered Companies. 
• We believe the payment gateway is linked to Stripe, which is inaccessible from the IOM currently. 

IOM Accounts ineligible: 

• IOM not recognised as eligible location for Merchants - https://gocardless.com/faq/merchants/international-payments/

IOM Mobile numbers 

• Reports that IOM mobile numbers are not accepted for verification.