Quick Answer
You need a professional bookkeeper when your online store's financial complexity exceeds what you can manage accurately on your own. Key signals: more than one sales channel, monthly revenue over $5,000, GST/HST registration, employees or contractors, or spending more than 4 hours/month on books.
Many online sellers start with a spreadsheet and a dream. It works fine at first. But as your store grows, bookkeeping complexity grows exponentially — multiple platforms, more expense categories, GST/HST obligations, and the ever-present risk of CRA scrutiny.
Signs You've Outgrown DIY Bookkeeping
- You're spending more than 4 hours per month on bookkeeping
- You're not sure how much profit you're actually making
- You missed a GST/HST filing deadline
- You can't quickly answer "what's my year-to-date revenue?"
- Your bank balance doesn't match what you expect
- You're selling on more than one platform
- You have a business bank account but it's not reconciled
What an E-Commerce Bookkeeper Does for You
- Reconciles each platform's payouts to gross sales monthly
- Tracks all business expenses and matches them to receipts
- Maintains the GST/HST liability account and files returns on time
- Tracks COGS and inventory
- Produces monthly P&L reports so you know your actual profit
- Prepares year-end working papers for your accountant
The Break-Even Math
If a bookkeeper costs $250/month and saves you 5 hours of work at your effective hourly value of $75, you've already broken even on time alone — before accounting for better records, fewer errors, and more accurate tax deductions.
MaxRefund: Bookkeeping Built for Online Stores
We handle the books so you can focus on growing your store. Monthly reconciliation, GST/HST filings, and CRA-ready records — all included.
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