Provide More Details in Failed VAT Validation Notice

[mxhassani]

What

Currently, when a user inputs a VAT number that isn't valid under https://wordpress.com/me/purchases/vat-details, we show the following message:

Sometimes it's a typo or something missing, but many times it's due to the VAT number being invalid for cross border transactions within the EU :

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/#/vat-validation-result

Updating the message in our notification to include a link to the official validator or surfacing that error may be helpful.

Why

• Reduced user frustration - A user may have had that VAT number for a long time and faced no issues with it until they try it with us.
• Reducing support requests related to similar issues.

How

We can include a link to the Official validator or Surface the error if we do have visibility on that. e.g:

[cuemarie]

📌 ACTIONS

• Feature request kept

[worldomonation]

@mxhassani I randomly came across this issue while working through the backlog. Do VAT-number related inquiries occur quite often?

Also, the banner notice shown now has changed. It now reads Your VAT details are not valid. Please check each field and try again.

[mxhassani]

@worldomonation

Do VAT-number related inquiries occur quite often? Yes, there is an incentive to fill it, as we often charge VAT for those who don't.

The errors are particularly confusing for users when they do input a VAT number that isn't validated for cross-border transactions. So, a message like the updated one will still be confusing as their fields are filled correctly but rejected at another level by the validator. And since paying for a website is one of the first cross-border transactions Businesses make, a clearer message would be very useful.

[mrfoxtalbot]

If we cannot make this input field more flexible programmatically, we could at least include some tips on what format we expect users to input.

Please do not add any spaces or dashes in your number. B12345678 will work but B-12345678 will not.

CC: @Robertght

[liviopv]

Reported as a separate feature request as well https://github.com/Automattic/wp-calypso/issues/91759