How Company Taxation Works for eCommerce Businesses in India in 2022
Starting an online store in India is now quite simple. Almost anyone can create a website and start accepting online payments in less than a week thanks to technology and simple website builders like Shopify. Of course, joining internet bazaars like Etsy and Amazon is another very substantial alternative.
A tax consultant in Kolkata warns that
there are hundreds of businesses that refrain from selling online because they
think it is expensive and there are heavy tax liabilities that will hardly
allow them to generate any revenue. But that is not true. Compared to offline
enterprises, setting up an eCommerce business in India is far less expensive,
easier, and more profitable.
Regardless of the platform or methods you
choose to sell your products online, you must be aware of your tax obligations
and the deadlines for filing them. Get a head start on this article.
What Is the Status of an
eCommerce Business in India?
It starts with Sec. 2(44) of the CGST
Act, 2017, which defines electronic commerce or eCommerce as a means to sell
either physical or digital products or services through an electronic network,
website, marketplace, social media, or any other platform.
E-commerce businesses in India must
obtain tax registration. There are two types of business status: an e-commerce
operator and an e-commerce participant.
➔
eCommerce Operators (ECO):
individuals that have their own website, Shopify store, or any other electronic
platform or facility, through which they sell their goods or services, either
handmade, manufactured, or procured products, online classes, etc.
➔
eCommerce Participant: selling
goods or services through a third-party eCommerce operator, such as Amazon or
any digital marketplace.
What Tax Registrations Do You
Need To Start An eCommerce Business In India?
Small sellers that sold their goods or
rendered services through e-commerce operators were previously exempt from
taxes because there were no regulations governing such transactions, which
allowed for tax avoidance. Additionally, non-resident e-commerce operators
gained money in India without paying taxes. So, the government changed the company formation laws for e-commerce companies to include the following provisions:
●
VAT Tax
●
Sales Tax
●
Service Tax
The Finance Act, 2020, has introduced a
new 2% levy on the e-commerce operator on receipt of consideration for the
online sale of goods or services made, provided, or facilitated by it in an
amount of at least INR 20 million in aggregate, effective from 1 April 2020.
To sell your goods and services online
through e-commerce, all you have to do is apply for online company registration
and obtain GST registration. The top tax audit firms in Kolkata recommend
individuals looking to start their own e-commerce business get professional
audits and consultancy right at the starting point of their business.
How the Tax Threshold
Exemption Works for eCommerce Businesses
E-commerce operators are not eligible for
the threshold exemption and must register regardless of the value of the
supplies they make. There are no threshold exemptions applicable for eCommerce
businesses or individuals that supply goods or services through online
marketplaces and platforms that are required to collect tax at source, until
and unless the marketplace or the eCommerce operator is liable to pay tax on
behalf of the supplier as per the directions under section 9 (5) of the CGST
Act, 2017.
Does the Supplier Have to
Collect TCS If They Sell Their Products on Their Website?
According to Section 52 of the CGST Act,
ECOs don't have to collect tax at source (TCS) if they are artisans or
manufacturers selling their products through their website, electronic medium,
or self-made platform. ECOs are liable to collect TCS when they are supplying
products crafted, developed, or delivered by another supplier. In the latter
case, the consideration is to be collected on the net value of the taxable
supplies.
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