Owning an eCommerce business comes with many challenges, and most entrepreneurs agree that the challenges are never easy to resolve. Among the many difficulties, the resounding answer by most is almost always cash flow!
Cash flow is often one of the most difficult challenges because it fluctuates so much due to the nature of the eCommerce business. However, cash flow is merely a symptom that we must address, but almost always not the main problem.
Getting an accountant for your eCommerce business is a wise move to determine what’s blocking your cash flow. While we must manage cash efficiently and effectively, the source of cash flow concerns is often pricing and margin health issues or out-of-control expenditure. Are you charging too little for your product? Or does it cost too much to create your product for the market price?
Cash flow can become an even bigger worry depending on the economic situation at any particular time. Let's go through a few pointers to assist you in preparing for the inevitable ebbs and flows of uncertain times.
Analyse Your Operating Expenses
Analysing your expenses is an excellent starting step in eCommerce accounting. Pull your most recent three months' worth of expense transactions, either via a thorough transaction report in your accounting software or by simply reviewing your bank and credit card bills.
Examine each transaction and mark it as C, R, or K—Cut, Reduce, or Keep. Examine each transaction and assume that you can cut it. How would that change or affect your world if you did? How can you reduce it if you can't let it go completely? Nothing is exempt.
Consider how you might be able to make do with less. It is preferable to save those dollars now rather than waste them and then wish you still had them three months later. I challenge you to reduce your account balance by $2,000, which is a typical amount we can achieve with new clients.
Inspect Your Payroll
Are you getting the output you need from your employees? It's never easy to let people go, but how long can you retain payroll at present levels if sales fall dramatically?
Unless you have months of cash reserves, you should focus on keeping the firm rather than saving every worker.
Evaluate Your Margins
What can you do to boost your profit margins? Is it possible to raise prices? Price gouging isn’t always ideal, but it’s essential to check the current pricing to keep updated regularly.
If this is the case, think about what changes you can apply. Examine your product costs and see if there are any modifications you can do to minimise them.
Study a Line of Credit
If your company has been running smoothly and profitably for a few years, your local bank or credit union may be ready to give you a line of credit. Remember that it's usually better to ask while you're in good financial shape.
Don't wait until your sales statistics have decreased and all of your funds have been depleted. Maintain that line of credit as a rainy-day fund. It's not an open cheque book; it's there to be your life support if everything else fails.
Conclusion
It is critical for your eCommerce business to manage cash efficiently and effectively. If it affects your business or you are not receiving the ideal services, make sure to work with the best eCommerce accounting firm. One who can elevate your company rather than settling for a firm only because they have been by your side the entire time.
At The Ecommerce Accountant, we have a team of professional eCommerce accountants to support online retailers and influencers in Australia on all things eCommerce. What makes us different is that we have a young and innovative team who aim to empower and excite and build confidence in our business clients through clarity in their figures. Reach out to us right now!