Running a successful ecommerce business requires more than just selling products. As a founder, you need to have a firm grasp of your finances and bookkeeping, which starts with your accounting.

Here’s an in-depth look at the key accounting considerations for ecommerce businesses, strategies to follow, and common pitfalls to avoid.

Revenue recognition

What It Is: Revenue recognition is about when you record sales revenue in your financial statements. For ecommerce, this means acknowledging revenue when the sale is made, regardless of when the cash is received.

Ecommerce Parallel: Think of revenue recognition like tracking orders. Just as you confirm an order only when it’s shipped and delivered, you should recognize revenue only when the sale is complete and the product is on its way to the customer.

Strategies:

• Accrual Accounting: Use accrual accounting to match revenues with the expenses incurred to generate them. This provides a more accurate financial picture.

• Clear Policies: Establish clear revenue recognition policies. For example, recognize revenue when the product is shipped, not when the order is placed.

Common Hiccups:

• Early Recognition: Recognizing revenue too early can inflate your income and mislead stakeholders.

• Late Recognition: Recognizing revenue too late can understate your income and affect your financial planning.

Inventory management and valuation

What It Is: Inventory management involves tracking and valuing the goods your ecommerce business holds for sale. It’s vital for maintaining optimal stock levels and accurate financial records.

Ecommerce Parallel: Your inventory management system is like your warehouse. You need to know what’s in stock, where it is, and how much it’s worth to ensure smooth operations.

Strategies:

• Inventory Software: Use inventory management software that integrates with your accounting system to track stock in real-time.

• Valuation Methods: Choose a suitable inventory valuation method (FIFO, LIFO, or Weighted Average) based on your business model.

• Regular Audits: Perform regular physical inventory counts and reconcile them with your records to prevent discrepancies.

Common Hiccups:

• Overstocking: Holding too much inventory ties up cash and increases storage costs.

• Stockouts: Running out of stock can lead to missed sales and unhappy customers.

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

What It Is: COGS includes all direct costs attributable to the production of goods sold by your business. For ecommerce, this typically involves the cost of products, shipping, and handling.

Ecommerce Parallel: COGS is like the total cost of getting an item from your supplier to your customer’s door. It’s essential for calculating your gross profit.

Strategies:

• Detailed Tracking: Track all costs associated with acquiring and delivering products, including shipping and handling fees.

• Accurate Calculation: Ensure accurate calculation of COGS to determine true profitability and make informed pricing decisions.

Common Hiccups:

• Misallocation: Incorrectly allocating costs can distort your profitability figures.

• Neglecting Overheads: Forgetting to include indirect costs, such as storage fees, can lead to underestimating COGS.

Sales tax management

What It Is: Sales tax management involves collecting and remitting sales tax to the appropriate tax authorities. Ecommerce businesses often face complex sales tax obligations due to selling in multiple states or countries.

Ecommerce Parallel: Managing sales tax is like ensuring your product prices include all necessary charges so customers aren’t surprised at checkout. It’s about compliance and accuracy.

Strategies:

• Automated Software: Use automated sales tax software to calculate, collect, and remit sales tax accurately based on your customers’ locations.

• Stay Updated: Keep abreast of the latest sales tax regulations in all the regions where you sell.

Common Hiccups:

• Non-compliance: Failing to collect and remit sales tax correctly can result in hefty fines and legal issues.

• Complex Calculations: Misunderstanding tax rates and rules across different jurisdictions can lead to errors.

Payment processing fees

What It Is: These are the fees charged by payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, or credit card companies for handling transactions.

Ecommerce Parallel: Payment processing fees are like the shipping fees your customers pay. They are necessary costs of doing business online.

Strategies:

• Fee Tracking: Record these fees as an expense to reduce your net revenue.

• Compare Providers: Choose a payment processor with transparent fee structures and competitive rates to minimize costs.

Common Hiccups:

• Unrecorded Fees: Failing to account for these fees can inflate your revenue figures.

• High Costs: Not comparing fees can result in overpaying for payment processing services.

Return and refund management

What It Is: Return and refund management involves handling the financial implications of returned products and issued refunds.

Ecommerce Parallel: Managing returns and refunds is like your customer service process. Just as you want to handle returns smoothly to keep customers happy, you need to account for them accurately to maintain financial integrity.

Strategies:

• Systematic Tracking: Track returns and refunds systematically to adjust your revenue and inventory records.

• Clear Policies: Establish clear return and refund policies to manage customer expectations and minimize disputes.

Common Hiccups:

• Revenue Impact: Not adjusting revenue for returns can overstate your income.

• Inventory Issues: Failing to account for returned items can distort your inventory records.

Shipping costs

What It Is: Shipping costs include the expenses incurred to send products to customers.

Ecommerce Parallel: Shipping costs are like the logistical leg of your order fulfillment. They need to be factored into your overall pricing strategy and accounted for properly.

Strategies:

• Cost Allocation: Decide whether to absorb shipping costs or pass them on to customers.

• Expense Recording: Record shipping costs as part of your COGS or operating expenses based on your business model.

Common Hiccups:

• Hidden Costs: Ignoring shipping costs can lead to underestimating expenses.

• Customer Dissatisfaction: Not clearly communicating shipping fees can result in unhappy customers.

Marketing and advertising expenses

What It Is: These are the costs associated with promoting your ecommerce store and products.

Ecommerce Parallel: Marketing expenses are like the storefront displays that attract customers. They are essential investments in growing your business.

Strategies:

• Expense Tracking: Track all marketing-related expenses, including digital ads, influencer partnerships, and promotions.

• ROI Analysis: Regularly analyze the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing campaigns to optimize spending.

Common Hiccups:

• Overspending: Not tracking marketing expenses can lead to overspending.

• Ineffective Campaigns: Failing to analyze ROI can result in continued investment in ineffective marketing efforts.

Financial reporting and analysis

What It Is: Financial reporting involves preparing statements like the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement to understand your business’s financial health.

Ecommerce Parallel: Financial reporting is like your business’s health check-up. Just as you need to monitor your health regularly, you need to keep an eye on your financial reports to make informed decisions.

Strategies:

• Integrated Software: Use accounting software that integrates with your ecommerce platform for real-time financial data.

• Regular Reviews: Regularly review financial statements to track performance and make strategic decisions.

Common Hiccups:

• Inaccurate Data: Not updating financial records regularly can lead to inaccurate reporting.

• Lack of Insight: Ignoring financial reports can result in missed opportunities for improvement.

Cash flow management

What It Is: Cash flow management is about monitoring and optimizing the flow of cash in and out of your business to ensure you have enough liquidity to meet obligations.

Ecommerce Parallel: Managing cash flow is like managing your personal budget. You need to ensure that you have enough cash to cover your expenses while also investing in growth opportunities.

Strategies:

• Cash Flow Forecasts: Prepare cash flow forecasts to anticipate future cash needs.

• Monitor Regularly: Monitor cash flow regularly to avoid shortfalls and ensure smooth operations.

Common Hiccups:

• Overestimating Revenue: Overestimating revenue can lead to cash shortages.

• Ignoring Expenses: Underestimating expenses can result in insufficient funds to cover obligations.

Conclusion

Accounting for an ecommerce business involves a mix of traditional accounting principles and industry-specific practices. By understanding and implementing these considerations, you can ensure that your financial records are accurate, your business is compliant, and you have the insights needed to drive growth.

Remember, good accounting is the backbone of a successful ecommerce business. It’s worth investing time and resources into getting it right from the start.

At FlowFi, we can help. Connect your accounts to a live dashboard of all your finances and get matched with a top 2% e-commerce expert who’ll help you understand your metrics and hit your KPIs.