E-commerce & Trading Accounting & Tax in the Netherlands

Our Dutch e-commerce and trading accounting services are built for businesses that buy and sell goods across Europe:

• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands: Brands using Shopify or other platforms to sell to customers across multiple EU countries from a central Dutch warehouse.
• Marketplace Sellers: Businesses leveraging platforms like Amazon.nl, Bol.com, or Zalando, who need to reconcile marketplace payouts and manage multi-country inventory.
• Import/Export Trading Companies: Businesses that import goods into the EU via the Netherlands and distribute them to other member states.
• International Brands Using a Dutch Hub: Non-EU companies that have established a Dutch B.V. to act as their European headquarters for sales and distribution.

From your first shipment, accurate financial tracking is key. Specialized e-commerce accounting becomes non-negotiable when:

• You Import Goods into the EU: You need an "Article 23" license to defer import BTW, a critical cash flow advantage that requires compliant accounting.
• You Start Selling to Consumers in Other EU Countries: Once your total cross-border B2C sales within the EU exceed €10,000, you must register for the VAT One-Stop-Shop (OSS) system to declare and pay VAT in your customers' home countries.
• You Hold Inventory in the Netherlands: Properly accounting for the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) is fundamental to understanding your true profit margin and is required for tax reporting.
• You Use Local Payment Gateways: Reconciling payouts from iDEAL, Klarna, and other European payment providers is a complex task essential for accurate financial reporting.

Outsourcing e-commerce accounting is a critical investment in EU compliance and profitability. Costs are based on transaction volume and the complexity of your sales channels.

• Small Stores / Single Market: €500 - €1,200 per month. This covers bookkeeping, Dutch BTW returns, and reconciliation for one sales channel.
• Growing Brands / Multi-Country EU Sales: €1,200 - €3,000 per month. This typically includes management of OSS returns and more complex inventory accounting.
• Large-Scale Traders: Custom pricing starting at €3,000+, often involving integration with advanced inventory management systems and strategic advice on EU supply chain.

The EU e-commerce environment has specific compliance risks that can lead to significant penalties:

• OSS & IOSS Non-Compliance: Failure to correctly use the One-Stop-Shop systems for reporting cross-border VAT can lead to audits and penalties from multiple EU tax authorities.
• Incorrect Customs Valuation: Improperly declaring the value of goods imported into the EU can lead to fines and delays at customs.
• Inaccurate COGS and Inventory Accounting: Incorrectly valuing inventory leads to a flawed profit figure, which can result in overpaying corporate tax and is a major red flag for auditors.
• Loss of Article 23 License: Non-compliant bookkeeping can lead to the revocation of your import VAT deferment license, creating a major cash flow problem.

European e-commerce finance is a highly specialized field. Most general accountants lack the specific knowledge to handle multi-country VAT reporting through OSS, import VAT deferment schemes, and the fee structures of European marketplaces. Hiring a full-time expert is often too expensive for a growing brand.

Outsourcing to YourLegal's e-commerce finance team provides a cost-effective, expert solution. We utilize specialized software to automate BTW and OSS reporting, integrate with your inventory systems, and accurately reconcile all your sales data. This ensures you are always compliant with the Belastingdienst and other EU tax authorities, have a clear view of your product-level profitability, and can make data-driven decisions on pricing and market expansion.