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Start a online store

Start your online store.Collect sales tax the right way.

Our office forms your retail or e-commerce company in any state, gets the EIN, connects your store and marketplaces to QuickBooks Online, and our agency insures your products and inventory.

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Reviewed by Orkun Ozkaymak, CPA, MBAClients in all 50 states and abroad

$500company setup, EIN included
50 + DCstates we form companies in
1 officeformation, taxes and insurance
2011preparing taxes since
Step by step

How to start an online store

  1. 1

    Form the company and get an EIN

    Our office forms your LLC or corporation in the state you choose and gets the EIN, which you need for payment processors, marketplaces like Amazon, and a business bank account.

  2. 2

    Register for sales tax at home

    Register with the revenue department in the state where you are based. You get a resale certificate so you can buy inventory from suppliers without paying tax.

  3. 3

    Plan for out of state sales tax

    Marketplaces collect tax on their own sales, but sales from your own website can create economic nexus in other states. Track sales by state and register once you pass a threshold.

  4. 4

    File local licenses

    Many cities and counties require a business license, even for a store run from home. Check the rules where your business is located.

  5. 5

    Insure products and set up books

    Our agency quotes general liability with product coverage and property for inventory. Our office connects your store and marketplaces to QuickBooks Online and prepares your tax returns.

Filings and prices

What our office files for you.Prices shown before you send.

Pick what you need on the request form. Ozfield's fees are shown here; government fees are passed through at cost.

  • Illinois sales tax registration and resale certificate IllinoisRegisters the company with the Illinois Department of Revenue.
    $250
  • City of Chicago business license IllinoisThe city fee is $500 or $1,000 for 2 years depending on the license type, paid to the city.
    $179
  • Payroll and state unemployment setupPayroll accounts, state unemployment registration and your first payroll.
    Quoted by our office
Company setup is $500 plus the state fee, EIN included.
The request form adds your filings and shows the full estimate as you go.
Build my estimate
Insurance from the same office

Coverage in place on day one.Quoted by our agency.

Check the coverage you want on the request form and our insurance team sends quotes from multiple carriers. Nothing is bound without your OK.

Start my online storeGet a quote only
  • General liability
  • Product liability
  • Property
  • Cyber
After you open

The filings that come every year.

Our office keeps these on your calendar so nothing is missed. How we work with retailers and online sellers →

Illinois sales tax

20th of each month. Form ST-1 for Illinois sales.

Out-of-state returns

Varies by state. Monthly, quarterly or annual in each nexus state.

Form 1099-K arrives

Late January. Matched to your recorded gross sales.

Inventory count

Year end. Including goods at fulfillment centers.

Questions

What new owners ask us.

Something else on your mind? Call 773-536-9272 and our office will help, in English or Turkish.

Do I need a sales tax permit to sell online?
Usually yes. If your home state has a sales tax and you sell taxable goods to buyers there from your own website, you register with that state and collect tax at the correct rate. Sales through marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy are usually taxed by the marketplace. Your registration also gives you a resale certificate for buying inventory.
When do I have to collect sales tax in other states?
Each state sets an economic nexus threshold based on your sales into that state, and many use $100,000 a year. Once you pass a state's threshold, you register there and collect its tax on direct sales. Inventory stored in a state, including in a marketplace warehouse, can also create nexus. Track your sales by state from the start.
Do marketplace sellers still need to file sales tax returns?
Marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy and eBay collect and remit sales tax on the orders they process in states with marketplace laws. You may still need registration in your home state for direct sales, and some states ask sellers to file returns even when the marketplace collects. Review each sales channel so you know which filings apply.
What insurance does an online store need?
Most online sellers carry general liability with products coverage, because a buyer can claim injury from something you sold even if you did not make it. Property coverage protects inventory in your home, office or warehouse. Some marketplaces require proof of liability insurance once sales grow. Our agency quotes these together for your store.

Ready to start your online store?

Answer a few questions, see your estimate and send it to our office.

Start my online store773-536-9272