Ecommerce tax, explained.
Business Structure and Tax · 6 min read
UK Online Seller Company Formations: A Decade of Data and the 2026 Cooldown
Company formations for UK online sellers rose 656.7% since 2016 but cooled 13.4% YoY. What the data means for sole trader vs limited company.
Business Structure and Tax · 7 min read
How Long Do Online Retail Businesses Survive? The 5-Year Odds
ONS data: only 34.5% of the 2019 UK retail business cohort survived 5 years. What the drop-off curve means for cashflow, VAT timing and drawings.
Bookkeeping and Inventory · 5 min read
Cash Basis or Accruals for a Stock Business? What Online Sellers Should Choose
Cash basis is the default for sole traders but distorts a stock business. Why most online sellers get better data from accruals accounting.
Bookkeeping and Inventory · 7 min read
Cost of Goods Sold and Inventory for Online Sellers: Why Your Profit Is Higher Than Your Bank Balance
Why your taxable profit is higher than your bank balance. How COGS, closing stock and the lower-of-cost-and-NRV rule work for UK ecommerce sellers.
Platform Reporting and HMRC Letters · 7 min read
eBay Tax Rules UK: What Sellers Actually Have to Report and Pay
Do you pay tax on eBay sales in the UK? When decluttering becomes trading, the £1,000 allowance, HMRC reporting and when VAT applies. Clear 2026 guide.
Amazon and Marketplace Selling · 6 min read
Etsy Fees, VAT and Tax UK: How the Deductions Actually Join Up
Etsy fees, VAT on those fees, and the tax on your profit, explained as one join. Why your Etsy payout is not your taxable income or VAT turnover. UK 2026.
VAT and Cross-Border Selling · 6 min read
Why the VAT Flat Rate Scheme Is Usually the Wrong Choice for Goods Sellers
The Flat Rate Scheme sounds simpler but costs most goods sellers money. The 16.5% limited cost rate and lost input VAT make it a false economy.
Amazon and Marketplace Selling · 6 min read
Is It Worth Selling on Amazon UK? What the Survival Data Says
Is selling on Amazon UK worth it? Companies House survival data on online-retail businesses, why most fail, and the tax line starters miss.
Making Tax Digital and Self Assessment · 5 min read
MTD for Income Tax and Online Sellers: The Seller-Specific Rules
How MTD for Income Tax applies to sole-trader sellers on Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify: the threshold, multi-platform income aggregation and digital records.
Platform Reporting and HMRC Letters · 6 min read
What Online Platforms Now Report to HMRC (eBay, Vinted, Etsy, Amazon) and What It Means for You
From 1 Jan 2024 platforms must report your sales to HMRC. The 30-sale/€2,000 exclusion is NOT a tax-free allowance. What sellers need to know.
Amazon and Marketplace Selling · 7 min read
Amazon Merch and Print on Demand Tax UK: How Royalty Income Is Taxed
Is Amazon Merch and print on demand income taxable in the UK? Royalties vs trading income, the £1,000 allowance, VAT and reporting. Clear 2026 tax guide.
Business Structure and Tax · 7 min read
Sole Trader or Limited Company for Online Sellers? The 2026/27 Numbers That Decide It
When does incorporating your Amazon, eBay or Shopify business pay off? The 2026/27 dividend rates, a worked example, and the reinvestment factor.
Making Tax Digital and Self Assessment · 6 min read
The £1,000 Trading Allowance for Online Sellers, and When a Side Hustle Becomes a Taxable Trade
No new tax-free limit was created. The £1,000 trading allowance is the real figure: when reselling becomes taxable and the deadlines that follow.
VAT and Cross-Border Selling · 5 min read
VAT Threshold for Marketplace Sellers: It Is Your Gross Sales, Not Your Payout
The £90,000 VAT threshold bites on gross marketplace sales, not the net payout after fees. Learn the rolling test, the 30-day test, and the reverse-charge trap.