- Home
- Industries
- E-commerce
Accounting for e-commerce operatorsSales are the easy number. Net cash, fees, returns, COGS, and channel reality are the ones that matter.
ABFI helps e-commerce businesses turn settlement-heavy transaction flow into a reconciled, reviewed accounting system leadership can actually use.
| Channel | Gross | Net cash |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $118,420 | $105,884 |
| Amazon | $76,215 | $61,972 |
| Wholesale | $34,900 | $34,900 |
- Fees classified
- Refunds matched
- Settlements tied out
Sales are up, but the bank balance does not agree.
Payouts from Shopify, Amazon and payment apps net out fees, refunds and reserves, so revenue, COGS and cash never quite match.
Deposits do not equal sales
Processor timing, refunds, fees, chargebacks, and marketplace settlements can make cash and revenue drift apart.
COGS and operating spend compete for the same attention
Without disciplined categorization and close review, margin visibility gets blurred.
Multiple channels create multiple versions of the truth
Bank, marketplace, payment processor, card, payroll, and accounting records all need to agree.
Growth creates more reconciliation work before it creates clarity
Volume magnifies small accounting inconsistencies quickly.
Channel-to-Cash Reconciliation
A useful e-commerce close should reconcile channel settlements, fees, refunds, operating spend, and cash movement into one reviewed picture.
ABFI’s job is to keep the accounting underneath reliable enough that a view like this can be trusted.
Each close should tie payouts, inventory and margin by channel.
- 01Do settlement totals reconcile to the accounting records?
- 02Are fees, refunds, and chargebacks classified consistently?
- 03Is inventory and COGS information feeding the reports leadership sees?
- 04Which channel is creating cash and which is absorbing it?
- Gross sales$48,992.10
- Refunds−$2,113.40
- Fees−$4,062.48
- Processor settlementDeposit in the bank$42,816.22
- Difference$0.00
The close should explain why the deposit is not the sales number. Illustrative example.
See what a Diagnostic finds in an e-commerce brand.
The central question in this sample: can the owner rely on the books to manage product margins, inventory, platform cash, and the next decision for the brand? Three of the eight findings are specific to e-commerce.
- 02Product margins omit landed cost and fulfillment fees$118,000
- 03Platform payouts and recorded sales are not reconciled$27,000 unexplained
- 04Inventory records and the ledger do not agree$24,600
Fictional company and figures, built to show what an owner receives. Complimentary with a subscription to The ABFI Accounting Brief.
The work stays specialized. Accountability stays unified.
Each layer has a different job. ABFI coordinates the layers, with one point of accountability through Client Accounting Management, so the owner is not the integrator.
Bookkeeping
Disciplined transaction recording, reconciliations, document organization, and payroll alignment.
ValidationController Review
A review layer that owns the close, validates balances, and protects reporting integrity.
CoordinationCPA Coordination
Accurate records and organized documentation for independent CPAs engaged by the client.
DirectionCFO Advisory
Forecasting, cash planning, budgeting, and decision support grounded in reliable records.
Built for E-commerce
- E-commerce businesses with multiple channels, processors, cards, payroll, inventory or COGS complexity, and recurring reporting needs.
Probably not the fit
- Low-volume sellers looking only for tax filing or a once-a-year transaction summary.
Before you hand over the function.
A few questions leaders usually need answered first.
How is ABFI different from basic bookkeeping for e-commerce businesses?
Bookkeeping is only the first layer. ABFI also reviews and closes each month, reports on it, prepares the CPA handoff and advises on decisions, with one person answerable for all of it.
What is in the e-commerce sample Diagnostic report?
Eight findings on a fictional Shopify and Amazon brand, Illustrative Brightwell Goods LLC, including freight and duties left out of product margins, Amazon settlements booked net, an unrecorded reserve, and a warehouse count below the ledger. Each finding shows the evidence, the amount involved, the decision it affects and who fixes it, followed by a 90-day roadmap.
Does ABFI prepare tax returns?
No. ABFI does not provide tax preparation or CPA services. Independent CPAs are engaged directly by the client. ABFI supports tax readiness through accurate records, organized documentation, and coordination.
Can ABFI work with the systems we already use?
Usually, yes. We look at your current setup in the first conversation and keep what works. We only suggest a change when a tool is causing errors or extra work.
What if the books are already behind or unreliable?
ABFI provides clean-up and catch-up accounting where needed so ongoing accounting can begin from a reliable foundation.
Who owns communication?
ABFI uses a coordinated structure with a single point of accountability so the owner is not required to integrate multiple disconnected providers.
See true margin by channel once fees, returns and freight are in.
Bring the current setup. ABFI will help you determine where the gaps are, what should be owned, and whether a managed fractional accounting department is the right structure.
What clients say
“Finding him has been one of the biggest blessings for our business.”
Client of founder Jordan Wells
“He has completely transformed our bookkeeping and financial organization.”
Client of founder Jordan Wells
Start with one call
Talk with ABFI about your books. Bring your questions and your messiest account, and we'll tell you which plan fits.
Or call (804) 391-4002