Ecommerce Accountants and Bookkeepers

How to choose an ecommerce accountant

An ecommerce accountant or bookkeeper should already know how your sales channels pay you. Ask these questions before you hire one:

• Which sales channels do you work with? Amazon settlements, Shopify payouts and eBay or Etsy deposits each bundle sales, fees and refunds differently.
• Which accounting software do you use? Most ecommerce firms work in QuickBooks Online or Xero. Check that they use yours.
• How do you reconcile payouts? A good answer explains how each payout is broken down into sales, fees, refunds and tax and matched to the bank deposit.
• Do you handle sales tax or VAT? Sellers in several US states or in the UK and EU need someone who knows marketplace tax rules.
• How do you charge? Ask whether the fee is monthly, by transaction volume or by project, and what happens when your volume grows.

Many sellers use both an accountant and software. The software records each payout, and the accountant handles tax filing, advice and year-end work. Read more in our guides to Shopify accountants and finding an Amazon accountant.