Abbotsford CPA serving the Fraser Valley•Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm (604) 832-1743•info@everstonecpa.com
For online sellers

Accounting for E-Commerce That Scales With You

Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, multi-province sales tax, inventory and platform payouts — online selling gets messy fast. We turn it into clean books and a clear tax picture.

Book a Free ConsultCall (604) 832-1743

Selling online means sales-tax obligations that change by province and platform, inventory to track, and payouts that never quite match your bank. EverStone helps Canadian e-commerce owners — Shopify, Amazon FBA, Etsy and more — keep accurate books, handle GST/HST and PST correctly, and file a clean T2, all remotely at a fixed fee.

What we handle for you

  • GST/HST and provincial sales-tax registration and filing across Canada
  • Reconciling Shopify, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal payouts to your books
  • Inventory and cost-of-goods-sold tracking
  • T2 corporate returns and year-end statements
  • Advice on incorporating as your store grows
  • Salary vs. dividend planning and personal T1 returns
Online-seller tax, in plain English

Where e-commerce accounting gets messy — and how we fix it

Between marketplaces, multi-province sales tax, inventory and platform payouts, online selling generates more accounting complexity per dollar than almost any business. Here is what actually matters for your books and your tax bill.

Marketplaces may collect GST/HST for you — or not

Getting this wrong means either double-charging customers or under-remitting to the CRA. We map exactly which of your channels handle tax and which you are responsible for, so nothing is missed or duplicated.

Amazon and Etsy often collect and remit tax under the marketplace-facilitator rules. Your own Shopify or WooCommerce store does not — that is on you.

You charge tax based on where the customer is

Canadian sales tax follows place-of-supply: an order to Ontario carries 13% HST, to BC it is 5% GST + 7% PST, to Alberta just 5% GST. Sell nationwide and you are managing several regimes at once. We configure and file it correctly across every province.

Inventory hides your real profit

Cash in the bank is not profit when half of it is sitting in unsold stock. Proper inventory and cost-of-goods-sold accounting is the only way to know your true margin — and to file a T2 the CRA will accept. We track COGS so your numbers reflect reality.

Payouts are not revenue

We reconcile Shopify, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal payouts back to gross sales, fees and refunds — so your books show what you really earned and what you really kept.

A $200k Shopify sales figure can land as far less in your bank after fees, refunds, chargebacks and reserves. Revenue and cash are two different numbers.

Selling into the US & cross-border

US sales can create state sales-tax obligations (economic nexus) and add USD conversion to the mix. We flag when you are approaching a threshold and keep the foreign-exchange side clean on your Canadian return.

How it works

Working with EverStone, start to finish

  1. Free 30-minute consultWe learn your platforms, where you sell, and how your books look today — then give you a fixed quote before any work begins.
  2. We connect & clean upSales-tax registration where needed, and bookkeeping wired to Shopify, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal with inventory tracked properly.
  3. We file everythingMulti-province GST/HST/PST, your T2 corporate return and year-end statements, and your personal T1 — all reconciled to real payouts.
  4. Scale-ready adviceAs you grow we advise on incorporating, US expansion, and cash flow — year-round, not just at tax time.
Questions

Accounting for E-Commerce That Scales With You — FAQ

Do I still register for GST/HST if Amazon already collects it?+
Often yes. Even when a marketplace collects tax on your Amazon or Etsy sales, your own Shopify or direct sales usually are not covered — and once your total taxable sales pass $30,000 you generally must register. Registering also lets you claim input tax credits on your expenses. We look at all your channels together and tell you exactly what you need to register for.
My Shopify says $200k but my bank shows less — which number is real?+
Both are “real,” they just measure different things. Shopify shows gross sales; your bank shows what landed after platform fees, refunds, chargebacks and payout reserves. Your taxable profit is a third number again, after cost of goods and expenses. We reconcile all three so you know your true revenue, your true cash, and your true profit.
Do I have to charge sales tax on online sales in Canada?+
Usually yes once you pass $30,000 in sales, and the rate depends on where your customer is, not just where you are. Multi-province selling means multiple tax rules. We register you correctly and handle the filings so you stay compliant.
How do you handle Amazon and Shopify payouts?+
We reconcile the platform reports to your bank so your revenue, fees and refunds are all accounted for properly, with no more guessing what a payout represents.
When should an online seller incorporate?+
Typically once profits are consistent and exceed what you draw personally, so you can defer tax at the small-business rate. We will look at your numbers and advise honestly.
Do you work with sellers across Canada?+
Yes. We are fully remote and work with online sellers in every province.

Related services & tools

Keep reading, or run your own numbers before we talk.

Bookkeeping & accounting →Corporate tax (T2) →GST/HST calculator →See fixed pricing →
Fixed feesClear, fixed pricing — you approve the fee before any work begins. No surprise bills.
One dayWe reply to every enquiry within one business day — usually the same day.
CPA-ledEvery file is handled personally by a CPA — never passed to junior staff.
No obligationYour first consultation is free, with zero pressure and no obligation.
What clients say

Trusted by Canadian business owners

Verified 5-star Google reviews from EverStone CPA clients.

★★★★★

“Very knowledgeable — saved me tons in taxes by restructuring my group of companies. The best accountant I have worked with in the last 10 years, after switching from 3 different accounting firms.”

Matt Hildebrandt
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Highly recommend. We switched last year for both our personal and small business taxes — easy and seamless. Responsive, knowledgeable, and quick.”

Heather Powers
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!”

Corrin Skalbeck
Verified Google Review
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Ready for a CPA who makes it simple?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation — by phone or video, anywhere in Canada. You’ll leave with a clear, fixed quote.

Book a Free ConsultCall (604) 832-1743