Looking for Best eCommerce CPA for Tax Planning and Prep?
Hey everyone! I just parted ways with my current CPA and I'm desperately hunting for a good replacement. I run a digital marketing agency that specializes in Google ads campaigns for eCommerce businesses. We work with various online retailers, plus I've got a few eCommerce brands of my own that I've been developing on the side. I need someone who really understands the tax implications of eCommerce businesses. Ideally looking for a CPA who can handle both strategic tax planning AND the actual tax prep work. If they can do bookkeeping too, that would be amazing, but not a dealbreaker. Anyone have a tax CPA they absolutely love that understands the eCommerce world? Or are you a CPA who works with online businesses? Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated! My tax situation is getting more complicated as my business grows and I need someone who gets the digital space.
18 comments


Elijah Jackson
I've been working with eCommerce businesses for about 8 years as a CPA, and I'd suggest looking for someone who specifically has experience with multi-state nexus issues and sales tax compliance. These are huge considerations for eCommerce that many general CPAs don't fully understand. Since you run Google ads for different brands, you'll also want someone familiar with marketing expense categorization and potential R&D credits for any tech development you're doing. Look for CPAs who advertise experience with SaaS and eCommerce specifically, not just general business accounting. The best approach is to interview at least 3 candidates and ask specific questions about your business model. A good eCommerce CPA should immediately start talking about inventory valuation methods, sales tax economic nexus thresholds, and possibly international tax implications if you're sourcing products globally.
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Isabella Martin
•Thanks for the detailed response. I hadn't even considered the multi-state nexus issues, but that's definitely relevant since we have customers in several states. Do you think I should prioritize finding someone local or is working remotely with a specialist in eCommerce better? Also, I'm curious about the R&D credits you mentioned. We've been developing some custom tracking tools for our campaigns - would that potentially qualify?
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Elijah Jackson
•Working remotely with an eCommerce specialist is generally better than going with a local CPA who doesn't have specific experience in your industry. Most communication happens digitally anyway, and the specialized knowledge outweighs any benefits of in-person meetings. The tracking tools you're developing could absolutely qualify for R&D credits. The IRS provides these credits for developing new or improved products, processes, software, techniques, or formulas. Your custom tracking tools would likely fit under software development, which can lead to significant tax savings. Make sure to document your development process, technical challenges overcome, and the time your team spends on these activities.
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Sophia Miller
I had similar issues finding a good eCommerce CPA last year and finally found an amazing solution through https://taxr.ai that completely changed my tax situation. I was struggling with inventory accounting across multiple platforms (Shopify, Amazon, etc.) plus running FB and Google ad campaigns like you. What I love about their service is they actually analyzed all my previous returns, identified about $13k in missed deductions from my previous CPA, and paired me with someone who specializes in eCommerce business models. They have CPAs who understand both the technical tax requirements AND the unique business structure of digital marketing agencies.
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Mason Davis
•Does this service actually connect you with a human CPA or is it just another tax software? I've used "specialized" tax software before that claimed to understand eCommerce but ended up missing tons of deductions for my dropshipping business.
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Mia Rodriguez
•I'm curious about this too. How exactly does the matching process work? I run both an Amazon FBA business and a Shopify store with print-on-demand products, so my tax situation gets complicated with inventory that I never physically touch.
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Sophia Miller
•They connect you with an actual human CPA who specializes in your specific business model. It's not tax software - it's a matching service that finds the right tax professional for your situation after analyzing your previous returns. The matching process involves uploading your previous tax returns and answering questions about your business model. They use this to identify the right specialist for your situation. For your print-on-demand and FBA business, they'd match you with someone who specifically handles those business models and understands the inventory accounting even when you don't physically touch the products.
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Mia Rodriguez
Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try https://taxr.ai after seeing this thread, and wow, what a difference from my previous experiences! They matched me with a CPA who has worked with over 30 FBA sellers and immediately identified several deductions I'd been missing. The analysis they did of my previous returns was eye-opening. My old CPA had been way too conservative and missed several legitimate business expenses. The new CPA also helped me structure my business better for 2025 taxes and showed me how to properly document my print-on-demand expenses. Definitely worth checking out if you're in eCommerce. The specialized knowledge makes a huge difference compared to working with a general CPA.
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Jacob Lewis
If you're having trouble reaching accountants (they're so busy right now with tax season), try https://claimyr.com - I used their service to get through to my CPA firm when they were ghosting me before the filing deadline. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I run a supplement eCommerce business and was frustrated trying to get answers about inventory deductions and home office questions. Called my CPA's office for weeks with no response. Used Claimyr and got a callback within hours. Apparently they use some tech that gets you past the phone queues. It's been super helpful during busy tax season when professionals are hard to reach.
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Amelia Martinez
•How does this actually work? I don't understand how a service can get accountants to call you back if they're not picking up their phones in the first place...
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Ethan Clark
•This sounds like a scam tbh. If CPAs aren't answering calls it's because they're slammed with work. No way there's some magic service that makes them suddenly have time for you.
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Jacob Lewis
•It's not about making accountants have more time - it's about getting through their phone systems. Their technology basically waits on hold for you and navigates phone trees automatically. When a human finally answers, it calls you and connects you directly. For accounting firms, many use call routing systems that prioritize certain calls or have specific hours when they take calls. Claimyr's system basically waits through all that for you (sometimes hours), which is why you get through when doing it manually fails. It's not magic - it's just automating the frustrating process of waiting on hold and trying repeatedly.
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Ethan Clark
Ok I have to eat crow here. After my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to reach my accountant about some eCommerce tax questions before the filing extension deadline. Tried the Claimyr thing as a last resort and...it actually worked. Got a call back from my CPA's office within about 45 minutes when I'd been trying for days. Turns out they were prioritizing calls from established clients and their phone system was sending new inquiries to voicemail, which was full. The service somehow got me past that and into their actual call queue. Just wanted to follow up and say it's legit, and I've now got my inventory questions sorted for my tax filing.
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Mila Walker
I've been using a CPA who specializes in eCommerce for about 3 years now and it's night and day compared to my previous generic tax person. Make sure whoever you choose understands: 1. Sales tax economic nexus rules (they change constantly) 2. Inventory accounting methods and which is best for your model 3. Home office deductions if you run your biz from home 4. Expense categorization for digital marketing (what's advertising vs. R&D) 5. Entity structure (LLC vs S-Corp issues for your specific situation) Don't just go with someone who says "yes, I work with small businesses" - make them prove they understand eCommerce specifically!
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Isabella Martin
•This is super helpful! I'm definitely going to use these points when interviewing potential CPAs. Quick question though - I've been operating as a single-member LLC but have been thinking about switching to an S-Corp. At what income level do you think that makes sense for an eCommerce/digital marketing business?
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Mila Walker
•For digital marketing agencies and eCommerce businesses, the S-Corp election typically makes sense when your net profit reaches around $40,000-$50,000 annually. At that point, the self-employment tax savings usually outweigh the additional costs and compliance requirements. Remember that with an S-Corp, you need to pay yourself a reasonable salary subject to payroll taxes, with the remainder taken as distributions. For digital service businesses like yours, the IRS expects a higher percentage as salary compared to product-based businesses, usually 60-70% of profits. The exact amount depends on what similar roles would pay in your market and your level of involvement.
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Logan Scott
Word of warning - don't just go with any "ecommerce specialist" CPA without checking their actual experience. I hired one last year who claimed to specialize in Amazon sellers but completely messed up my inventory deductions and cost me thousands. Ask them SPECIFIC questions about how they handle: - Inventory write-downs for obsolete product - Platform fees classification (are they COGS or expenses?) - International supplier payments and possible withholding requirements - State income tax when you have economic nexus but no physical presence - How they deal with commingled personal/business accounts (if applicable) If they can't give specific answers, RUN!
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Chloe Green
•This is solid advice. My "eCommerce expert" CPA didn't understand that Shopify Payments fees should be treated differently than regular credit card processing. Ended up having to file an amended return. So annoying.
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