- An ecommerce bookkeeper keeps day-to-day records clean: payouts reconciled, fees/refunds categorised, VAT-ready books.
- Bookkeeper vs accountant: bookkeeping is the ongoing record-keeping; the accountant does year-end accounts, tax and advice (many firms do both).
- Relies on A2X or Link My Books turning marketplace settlements into clean journals in Xero/QuickBooks.
- Good bookkeeping underpins correct VAT returns and real per-channel profit.
- Typical fees ~£40-£250/mo by volume and channel count. Matched free with a specialist.
What an ecommerce bookkeeper does
An ecommerce bookkeeper keeps the underlying numbers accurate and up to date:
- Reconciles payouts from every marketplace and payment processor (Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Etsy, TikTok, Stripe, PayPal) against the bank.
- Categorises sales, platform fees, refunds, advertising and shipping into the right accounts.
- Tracks inventory and COGS so margin is meaningful.
- Keeps VAT-ready records so the quarterly return is straightforward and correct.
- Produces clean management figures the accountant builds on at year-end.
Bookkeeper vs accountant: what's the difference?
| Bookkeeper | Accountant | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Ongoing day-to-day record-keeping | Year-end accounts, tax returns, advice |
| Cadence | Weekly / monthly | Quarterly / annual |
| Typical output | Reconciled ledgers, management figures, VAT-ready data | Statutory accounts, corporation tax, VAT submission, planning |
The two are complementary, and many ecommerce-specialist firms provide both under one roof, which is usually simplest. If you only need the books kept, a bookkeeper suffices; for tax and advice you also want an ecommerce accountant.
The software stack
Ecommerce bookkeeping is only practical with the right tools:
- Accounting ledger: Xero or QuickBooks Online.
- Marketplace bridge: A2X or Link My Books, which turns each platform's settlement report into a clean journal and posts it automatically.
- Inventory (at scale): Linnworks, Cin7 or similar for COGS and stock.
A bookkeeper who proposes to key in marketplace payouts by hand is a red flag, the bridge layer is what makes ecommerce bookkeeping accurate and affordable.
Typical fees
| Volume | Monthly fee |
|---|---|
| Low volume / single channel | ~£40-£80/mo |
| Growing / multi-channel | ~£80-£150/mo |
| High volume / multi-channel | ~£150-£250/mo |
Bookkeeping is often bundled with an accounting package rather than billed standalone. Plus the A2X or Link My Books subscription. Your matched firm gives a fixed quote.
Get matched
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