E-commerce accountant, CPA or bookkeeper: which one does your store need?
Short answer: Most online sellers need two kinds of help. A bookkeeper or e-commerce accounting firm keeps the monthly books: reconciling marketplace payouts, tracking inventory and cost of goods, and producing margin reports. A CPA or tax professional prepares income tax returns and advises on tax planning and entity choice. Some firms do both; many specialize in one. Ask each firm which it does.
Who does what
| Role | Typical work | Hire when |
|---|---|---|
| E-commerce bookkeeper or accounting firm | Payout reconciliation, inventory and COGS, monthly close, P&L by channel | Books are behind, or you cannot see margin by product or channel |
| Controller-level accountant | Accrual close, inventory accounting, reporting for lenders or investors | Revenue and inventory have grown, or a lender asks for statements |
| CPA or enrolled agent | Income tax returns, IRS notices | Every year, at a minimum |
| Tax strategist or tax-planning CPA | Planning ahead of year-end, entity choice, multi-state questions | Profits are growing and you want to plan, not just file |
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Bookkeeping and accounting for your store
Ottit focuses on bookkeeping and controllership for e-commerce, SaaS and SMB operators. For income tax returns and tax planning, work with a CPA or tax professional.
Tax planning for your store
CPA on Fire is a tax advisory firm on Sam’s List:
CPA on Fire is a concierge-level tax advisory firm led by former Big Four accountants, delivering proactive, forward-thinking strategies that go far beyond traditional accounting to support the growth and success of ambitious business owners & founders.
Talk to CPA on FireQuestions to ask before you hire
- Which marketplaces, payment processors and inventory tools have you worked with?
- Do you do bookkeeping, tax returns, or both? Who does the other part?
- Cash or accrual books? How do you handle inventory and landed costs?
- When will monthly reports be ready, and what will they show?
- How do you coordinate with our tax preparer?
See e-commerce bookkeeping cost, Amazon seller accounting and S corps for e-commerce sellers. Browse e-commerce accountants and tax planning.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a CPA or a bookkeeper for my online store?
Usually both: a bookkeeper or accounting firm for the monthly books, and a CPA or tax professional for tax returns and planning. Some firms offer both.
What does an e-commerce accountant do?
Reconciles marketplace and processor payouts, tracks inventory and cost of goods, closes the books monthly and reports margin by product or channel.
What is a tax strategist?
Usually a CPA or tax professional focused on planning ahead of year-end rather than only preparing returns.
What should I ask an e-commerce accountant?
Which channels and tools they know, whether they do books, tax or both, cash vs accrual, inventory method, report timing and how they coordinate with your tax preparer.
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