A Business Owner’s Guide To eCommerce Accounting

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December 7, 2022 Business

Many small business owners often need to pay more attention to their eCommerce accounting process. It’s an essential step in the life of an online retailer. In addition, eCommerce accounting primarily aims to keep track of sales and expenses. It also helps you monitor your inventory to know when to order more products from suppliers.

These eight tips will help you manage your online store efficiently while staying on top of your finances:

1. Consider Freelance Finance Services

Businesses need to track inventory carefully to avoid paying too many taxes on products purchased by customers. Accountants specializing in eCommerce know how to track inventory, so you don’t lose money on stock. Also, they understand how different supplies can affect your bottom line.

Meanwhile, you can optimize your eCommerce accounting processes by utilizing freelance finance services. Companies providing freelance finance services like Infinity 22 can help you ensure that you have the proper licenses and paperwork to comply with tax laws.

So, you can fulfill your responsibilities to the government promptly and accurately, protecting your name from potential legal trouble.

2. Create A Budget

A budget is essential for business owners because it helps them plan and manage their finances more efficiently. It also allows them to forecast potential revenues, expenses, profits and financial risks.

A reasonable budget should include information on the projected revenue and expenses of the company over the next 12 months. A well-planned budget should reflect where your money is going so that you can control costs effectively and make changes if needed.

3. Keep Track Of All Payments

Keeping track of all customer payments is crucial to your eCommerce business. These payments can be in credit card, check, or money order. It’s best to ensure that you receive them promptly and deposit them in your bank account as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to monitor your sales is by using accounting software. This technology allows you to monitor your business transactions—including sales, payables, and receivables—with ease and efficiency.

When looking for accounting software, it would be better to look for features like managing multiple currencies and online banking integration. This way, you can keep track of every transaction that comes through your company’s website or mobile app.

4. Track Inventory Levels And Stock Movement

The internet has given businesses across the globe new opportunities for selling their products online. However, it has also created new challenges that many business owners need help handling correctly. One challenge is keeping track of stock levels and movement within their warehouses or stores. This task requires effort, and it can take time to keep up with it.

To avoid this problem, one excellent option is to use eCommerce accounting software. Such software will allow you to manage all aspects of your business, including inventory management. In addition, you can save time because it can handle all backend tasks like bookkeeping and taxes, helping you focus on managing your business instead.

5. Record Shipping Costs

When shipping orders, it’s essential to know how much each shipment costs so that you can accurately calculate profit margins. Additionally, you may consider using a third-party shipping service to help you track your shipping costs.

Doing so can help you automatically update customer addresses to deliver packages on time. When recording shipping costs, consider whether or not these costs are tax deductible. If they are, you’ll need to keep track of the sales tax collected.

6. Set Up A Separate Bank Account For Your Business

A separate bank account for your business is essential so all funds go into one place without mixing up personal funds. This makes it easier to track expenses and avoid getting overdrawn at any point in time.

When setting up a business account, opening a merchant account is best. Merchant accounts allow you to accept payments online through credit cards, debit cards, and other forms of payment. You can also set up recurring billing for subscription services or membership sites.

7. Monitor Your Returns

One of the essential things an eCommerce accounting system can do is monitor your clients’ returns. If you sell products online, there’s always a chance that some customers will return items because they’re damaged. This can be very costly for small businesses that rely on every dollar they make from each transaction to stay afloat.

However, if you have an accurate record of every sale made on your website, it’ll be easier to track which items are being returned by customers and why they’re being returned. This way, you can avoid making similar mistakes again in the future.

You can also track your customers’ returns using a return-to-sender shipping label. This will let you know how many items are being returned and where they came from. Suppose you notice that a particular region of the country has more returns than others. It could indicate a problem with handling your product by a service provider.

8. Integrate All Your Sales Channels

Integrating all your sales channels is the first step to effectively managing your eCommerce business. You can quickly pull reports from each platform and compare them. For example, if you sell on Amazon, eBay, and Shopify, it’s essential that you can see everything in one place.

Furthermore, you can see where most of your customers come from. This may help you decide better which platforms work best for your business. You may also use a reporting and analytics tool to combine data from multiple platforms. This lets you see how much money each sales channel brings over time and how much profit it generates for your business.

Key Takeaway

Knowing how to effectively manage your eCommerce accounting is an absolute must if you want to be a successful online business owner. Indeed, the core concept of online accounting isn’t all that different from traditional bricks and mortar accounting. Still, eCommerce’s digital nature poses unique challenges regarding tracking and reporting on your results.

So, keeping up to date with developments in online accounting is necessary so you can take advantage of the most innovative solutions.