E-Commerce Tax Advisory for New Businesses in Germany

Get your German e-commerce tax setup right before costly mistakes arise

Amazon, Shopify, OSS, German VAT, legal form and accounting must work together from the outset. SPIELMANN establishes the right tax structure before later corrections become costly.

Have your German setup reviewed

Free & without obligation

15 minutes

No preparation required

+160 e-commerce client engagements. Focus on Amazon, Shopify, D2C and multichannel.

Where international founders make costly mistakes from the outset

Many German e-commerce tax issues arise not at year-end but during the first few months: incorrect accounting logic, unclear VAT treatment, missing integrations and no established document workflow.

Choosing a German legal form without financial modelling

A sole proprietorship, UG or GmbH should fit your revenue, risk profile, financing and growth plans in Germany.

Considering German VAT too late

OSS, EU sales, platform processes and payment providers must be assessed from the outset to avoid making later corrections the main focus.

No monthly accounting routine

If documents, payments, inventory and DATEV processes are not properly organised from the outset, the first management accounts (BWA) may not be sufficiently accurate.

How SPIELMANN gets your German setup right from the outset

We consider company formation in Germany, VAT, accounting and integrations together.
This creates a setup that works today while providing a foundation for your long-term growth.

1. Initial assessment

We begin by assessing your business model, sales channels, countries, payment providers, flow of goods and planned growth in Germany.

Review shop, marketplace and payment data
Identify data gaps and manual records
Review legal form and VAT together

2. Define your tax setup

VAT, OSS, the DATEV structure, document processes and responsibilities are defined to ensure clarity in day-to-day operations.

Review VAT logic and OSS
Set up DATEV and document structures
Properly address cross-border matters

3. Establish your first monthly routine

Once the setup is in place, the routine matters: documents, payments, shop data and reports should be consolidated accurately each month.

Define responsibilities and deadlines
Launch the document and payment process
Receive and understand your first reports

Get it right from the start, rather than correcting it later

SPIELMANN helps e-commerce founders establish a reliable long-term setup for their legal form, VAT, accounting and integrations from the outset.

Request an initial consultation

Free & without obligation

15 minutes

No preparation required

Smiling man with glasses and beard wearing a blue suit jacket and white shirt, sitting at a table with an open book and laptop.

What type of support is right for your launch?

E-commerce accounting requires more than exported data. What matters is having someone who can properly integrate your shop, marketplaces, payment systems, inventory and DATEV.

Without a sound tax structure

Suitable for the basics, but risky when it comes to VAT, OSS, legal form and e-commerce data flows.

Digital tools

May be sufficient for straightforward cases, but often fails to account for the operational and tax complexities of platforms, payments and the flow of goods.

SPIELMANN

From day one, SPIELMANN brings together tax advice, practical e-commerce expertise and ongoing bookkeeping.

Smiling man with glasses and beard wearing a light blue dress shirt looking to the right.

The result: a solid foundation

You start with a clear tax framework, sound bookkeeping processes and a setup that will not immediately hold back your growth.

Legal form clarified

VAT and OSS assessed

Monthly processes established

Bookkeeping becomes a management tool—with
figures you can understand and verify every month.

Frequently asked questions about starting an e-commerce business

For an initial assessment, all we need is your business model, planned online shop or marketplace, expected revenue, target countries and current stage of formation.

Plan your launch properly

Do you also advise agencies, service providers and SaaS companies?

Yes. In addition to Amazon and Shopify merchants, we advise agencies, service providers and SaaS companies in the e-commerce sector. We are familiar with recurring revenue, retainer models and international invoicing.

How quickly can I switch to Spielmann?

Typically within four weeks, with less than 30 minutes of your time required. We handle communication with your current tax adviser and manage the entire transition without disruption.

Are you really tax advisers?

Yes. SPIELMANN Steuerberatung GmbH is a licensed tax advisory firm registered with the Düsseldorf Chamber of Tax Advisers. Financial accounting, payroll accounting, tax advisory services, annual financial statements and tax returns are all provided by a single firm.

How does communication work?

Communication is primarily via a dedicated Slack channel for your team, as well as by email and phone. We generally respond to queries within a few hours.

Can you handle international sales and customers?

Yes. We set up cross-border transactions, reverse charge, OSS and foreign registrations correctly and handle the ongoing filings, so you can focus on your business.

Get your German e-commerce tax setup right before costly mistakes arise

+160 e-commerce client engagements. Focus on Amazon, Shopify, D2C and multichannel.

Where international founders make costly mistakes from the outset