Why is e-commerce accounting important?

E-commerce accounting ensures online businesses remain compliant with GST, BAS, and import/export obligations. It provides visibility over profit margins, cash flow, and strategic growth opportunities.

How do e-commerce accountants help small businesses?

E-commerce accountants manage bookkeeping, payroll, and cross-border GST while providing cash flow forecasting and strategic advisory. 42 Advisory helps Melbourne retailers and startups automate accounting through Shopify and Xero.

What does 42 Advisory offer for online businesses?

42 Advisory offers fixed-fee accounting, bookkeeping, BAS and tax compliance, three-way forecasting, and advisory services for e-commerce businesses across Melbourne and Australia.

Accounting & Advisory for Melbourne’s E-commerce Businesses

E-commerce Accountant Melbourne — Fixed-Fee Accounting for Online Brands

Shopify, Amazon, or WooCommerce — we help you stay compliant, automate your books, and grow profitably.

Whether you sell through Shopify, Amazon, Magento, Etsy, or WooCommerce, our Melbourne-based accountants specialise in e-commerce tax, bookkeeping and growth strategy. With deep Xero expertise and a fixed-fee model, we help online retailers simplify accounting, save time, and scale with confidence.

Book a Free Consultation

E-commerce Accounting Explained

What Is E-commerce Accounting — and Why It’s Different

E-commerce accounting is about more than managing books — it’s about managing complexity.

From Shopify to Amazon, each sale triggers layers of tax, merchant fees, and data integrations.

At 42 Advisory, we specialise in bringing order to that chaos. Our Melbourne-based accountants help online businesses connect their platforms, understand their true margins, and make confident, compliant decisions in real time.

Accounting Built for Online Platforms

E-commerce sales don’t behave like traditional invoices. We set up accounting systems that handle hundreds of daily transactions automatically — Shopify, Magento, Etsy, Square, eBay, TikTok, WooCommerce, or Amazon — mapped cleanly into Xero.
GST, BAS & Tax Made Simple
Strategy Beyond the Numbers

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Want your e-commerce finances to run like your best-selling product?

Let’s build a system that keeps your books accurate, your tax simple, and your strategy clear.

Book a Free Strategy Session

How We Help You Stay Profitable and Compliant

How We Do E-commerce Accounting — the 42 Way

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At 42 Advisory, we believe accounting should be as smart as the business it supports.
Our approach blends automation, insight, and genuine advisory care — so you spend less time managing spreadsheets and more time growing. From first integration to board-level strategy, our process is designed for clarity, control, and confidence.

1. Set Up — Systems with Precision

Every business starts with structure.

We design and implement your accounting stack — linking Shopify, WooCommerce, or Amazon directly with Xero, integrating payment gateways, and creating clean, automated data flow.

You get reliable numbers from day one, without the manual work.

2. Streamline — Automate & Stay Compliant

Once your system is live, we automate the essentials:

bookkeeping, BAS and GST, payroll, and monthly reconciliation.
Our team manages everything from GST-free exports to import GST and customs duties, ensuring every transaction is compliant and correctly reported to the ATO.

You’ll never have to chase your accountant again — it just runs.

3. Scale — Advise & Grow with Insight

With clean data flowing, we step into strategy.

Through three-way cash-flow forecasting, detailed board-ready reports, and quarterly performance reviews, we help you make informed decisions on pricing, inventory, and reinvestment.

You’ll know exactly where your business stands — and where it’s heading next.

Why It Matters

Why E-commerce Accounting Is Essential for Growing Online Brands

Behind every high-performing online store is a clear financial story. Without accurate accounting, growth becomes guesswork — cash flow tightens, margins vanish, and compliance risks multiply. That’s why specialist e-commerce accounting isn’t a cost — it’s an investment in control. At 42 Advisory, we help founders understand their numbers, plan with precision, and make decisions with confidence.

⚖️ Three Key Reasons It Matters

1. Compliance Without Surprises

The ATO doesn’t take “I didn’t know” as an excuse.

From GST on imports and export exemptions to BAS lodgements and PAYG obligations, our systems ensure every transaction is correct, compliant, and submitted on time.
No missed deadlines, no unexpected bills — just peace of mind.

2. Profit You Can Actually See

Many e-commerce owners sell more but earn less.

We track your true margins after merchant fees, shipping, and platform costs — so you know what’s really profitable.
Our real-time dashboards and three-way forecasts turn raw data into business insight.

3. Clarity for Smarter Growth

Numbers should tell you what to do next.

Through board-ready reports, budget reviews, and scenario modelling, we turn your accounting into strategic direction — helping you grow without the chaos.
You’ll always know where your business stands and what your next step should be.

Accredited. Connected. Trusted.

Certified Melbourne Accountants Powering E-Commerce and Modern Business

Trusted by Melbourne’s e-commerce founders, medical professionals, and growth-driven SMEs, 42 Advisory partners with Australia’s most respected accounting and automation platforms. We combine professional accreditation with smart systems like Xero, MYOB, and ATO-integrated reporting — giving you precision, compliance, and clarity at every stage of growth.

Founders, Clinics, and Brands Who Trust Our Numbers

What Our Clients Are Saying

Fantastic service and such an easy experience from start to finish. My accountant made everything clear and stress-free. Highly recommend!

Maria P
Founder of MWM Pilates

42 have been outstanding for our clinic. They handle our Tax, BAS, payroll, and complex medical structures with absolute precision.

Belinda C
PM of Family First Medical Centre

As an online retailer, our sales move quickly across multiple platforms. 42 Advisory built clear reporting, managed our inventory accounting

Katerina P
CEO of Watches of Mayfair

Frequently Asked Questions

E-commerce Accounting FAQs

What does an e-commerce accountant do?

An e-commerce accountant helps online business owners manage the complexity of multi-channel sales, GST, and cash flow.

At 42 Advisory, we handle everything from Shopify and Amazon integration with Xero, to BAS lodgements, payroll, and profitability reporting — all under a fixed-fee structure.

You’ll have real-time insight into your numbers, without the admin burden.

Why is e-commerce accounting different from normal accounting?

Unlike traditional accounting, e-commerce accounting deals with hundreds of small transactions, multiple payment gateways, and international GST rules.

Our systems automate data flow from your online store to Xero, so every sale, fee, and tax entry is captured accurately.

It’s smarter, faster, and designed specifically for digital business.

How do you handle GST for imports and exports?

We manage your GST obligations end-to-end — including GST-free exports, GST on imported goods, and customs duty reconciliation.

Our team ensures every transaction is correctly coded and reported in Xero, so your BAS is always accurate and ATO-compliant.

Can 42 Advisory manage bookkeeping and payroll for my online store?

Absolutely. We provide full-service bookkeeping and payroll management for e-commerce businesses.

This includes daily reconciliations, STP compliance, superannuation tracking, and automated pay runs — all connected directly to Xero and your sales platforms.

Why E-Commerce Businesses Trust 42 Advisory

Accuracy, Automation & Insight — in Every Transaction

As Melbourne-based accountants for the e-commerce industry, we understand the challenges of scaling an online store — balancing marketing spend, logistics, and compliance while keeping your margins healthy.

From reconciling multi-channel sales to managing international stock and returns, our e-commerce specialists ensure every order, fee, and fulfilment cost is accounted for — automatically and accurately.

We work closely with independent sellers, DTC brands, and omni-channel retailers to deliver smarter financial systems, accurate reporting, and reliable growth insights.

“We speak your language — sales, shipping, and scalability.”

Our mission is to simplify your finances so you can focus on growing your brand, reaching new markets, and delivering an exceptional customer experience.