The marketplace boom and accounting challenges
Selling on Amazon.de, Galaxus/Digitec, Ricardo or other marketplaces is now one of the fastest ways to reach millions of customers without investing in a proprietary e-commerce store. For a Swiss seller, however, the marketplace model introduces tax and accounting complexities that are often underestimated: who actually collects the customer's payment? How are commissions recorded? And above all, who is liable for VAT?
Since 2019, with the introduction of the marketplace facilitator regime (deemed supplier) in the Swiss VAT Act (VATA) and analogous EU regulations, marketplaces such as Amazon can become the taxable person for sales to final consumers, fundamentally changing the seller's accounting flow. If you also use FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) with stock in EU warehouses, additional foreign VAT registration obligations arise.
This guide analyses in detail every tax and accounting aspect of selling on marketplaces from Switzerland: from the facilitator regime to commissions, from settlement reports to reconciliation in AccountEX. The goal is to provide a clear, actionable framework to avoid costly mistakes and manage marketplace accounting efficiently.
The facilitator regime (deemed supplier)
From 1 January 2019 Switzerland introduced the concept of a facilitating platform in the VATA. The EU adopted similar rules from 1 July 2021. Here is how it works and what it means for sellers:
What is the facilitator regime (art. 20a VATA)
When a marketplace (Amazon, Galaxus, Zalando) facilitates the sale of goods to final consumers in Switzerland by foreign sellers, the platform is deemed to be the supplier for VAT purposes. In practice, the platform collects VAT from the customer and remits it to the FTA, relieving the seller of the Swiss VAT registration obligation for those sales.
When it applies to Swiss sellers
For a seller based in Switzerland selling to Swiss customers via a marketplace, the facilitator regime generally does not apply: the seller remains the taxable person and must charge VAT as normal. The regime kicks in when a Swiss seller sells via a platform to EU consumers (with stock in the EU) or when a foreign seller sells into Switzerland via a platform.
Impact on invoicing
When the marketplace acts as facilitator, the seller issues a B2B invoice to the platform (without VAT, under reverse charge or exempt) and the platform handles invoicing to the end customer with local VAT. The seller must therefore record a B2B sale to the marketplace in the accounts, not a B2C sale to the consumer.
Galaxus/Digitec as a Swiss marketplace
Galaxus mainly operates as a direct reseller (buy-and-sell) for many products, but also offers a marketplace model for third-party sellers. In the marketplace model, Galaxus handles checkout and payment, and the seller receives a net credit at the end of the settlement period. Unlike Amazon, Galaxus does not act as a deemed VAT supplier in Switzerland for Swiss sellers: the VAT obligation remains with the seller.
Marketplace commissions and fees
Every marketplace deducts a series of commissions from the seller's gross revenue. These commissions must be recorded separately in the accounts, not netted against turnover. Here are the main items for Amazon:
| Fee type | Typical percentage / amount | Accounting treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Referral fee (sales commission) | 8–15 % of the selling price (varies by category) | Cost of sales / marketplace commissions (account 4400) |
| Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) | CHF 2.50–5.50 per unit (depends on weight/size) | Logistics / shipping costs (account 4500) |
| Monthly storage fee | EUR 26–36/m³ (Jan–Sep) · EUR 36–40/m³ (Oct–Dec) | Warehousing costs (account 4510) |
| Advertising (Sponsored Products) | Average CPC EUR 0.20–1.50 (variable budget) | Advertising costs (account 6600) |
| Return processing | Referral fee partially refunded (–20 %) | Revenue adjustments / return costs (account 3800) |
Reading and reconciling the settlement report
Every 14 days (Amazon) or monthly (Galaxus), the marketplace generates a settlement report summarising all transactions for the period. Here is how to read it correctly:
Download the report from Seller Central
In Amazon Seller Central, go to Reports → Payments → Statement by period. The file contains: gross sales, refunds, commissions, FBA costs, withholdings and the net amount credited. Galaxus provides a similar summary in the seller portal.
Identify gross sales
Gross revenue includes the product price plus any shipping charges billed to the customer. This is the amount that must appear as turnover in your accounts, before any commissions deducted by the marketplace.
Separate commissions by category
The report lists referral fees, FBA fees, storage costs, advertising costs and other deductions separately. Each category must be posted to the correct ledger account — do not lump everything into a single generic account.
Handle refunds and returns
Customer refunds appear as negative amounts in the settlement. Record them as revenue adjustments (credit notes), not as expenses. Amazon partially refunds the referral fee on returns: this must also be recorded separately.
Verify the net amount credited
The net amount transferred to your bank account must equal: gross sales – refunds – total commissions – any tax withholdings. The difference between the bank deposit and gross turnover must find an exact match in the accounting entries.
FBA and foreign warehouse stock
The Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) programme requires sellers to ship goods to Amazon warehouses across Europe (typically Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic). This has significant tax implications:
Mandatory VAT registration in the country of storage
If your goods are physically stored in an Amazon warehouse in Germany, France or Italy, you are required to register for VAT in that country — regardless of your sales volume. Storage alone creates a fiscal nexus.
Intra-community stock transfers
When Amazon moves your goods from a German warehouse to a French one (Pan-European FBA), this movement is treated as an intra-community transfer and must be declared in both the country of departure and the country of arrival. For a Swiss seller, the initial shipment to the EU is an export from Switzerland and an import into the EU.
Multiple VAT returns
With stock in multiple EU countries, the seller must file periodic VAT returns in each country, in addition to the Swiss return. Non-compliance can result in penalties, interest and suspension of the seller account on Amazon.
OSS regime as simplification
Since July 2021, the EU's One-Stop Shop (OSS) regime allows distance-selling B2C VAT to be declared in a single member state. However, OSS does not cover local storage: if you have goods in a German warehouse, you must still register in Germany for local VAT on domestic sales and stock movements.
Warning: many Swiss sellers on Amazon underestimate foreign VAT obligations linked to the FBA programme. Failure to register can lead to retroactive penalties, seller account suspension and personal liability for directors. Consult a tax adviser specialising in cross-border e-commerce before activating Pan-European FBA.
VAT thresholds and obligations in key EU markets
For Swiss sellers using FBA or shipping directly into the EU, it is essential to know the thresholds and VAT obligations in the main European markets:
| Country / Regime | Threshold / Condition | Obligation for Swiss sellers |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (DE) | Local storage → mandatory registration; B2C distance sales → EU-wide threshold € 10,000 | USt-ID registration, monthly/quarterly returns, Zusammenfassende Meldung for intra-EU supplies |
| France (FR) | Local storage → mandatory registration; B2C distance sales → EU-wide threshold € 10,000 | TVA registration, monthly CA3 return, fiscal representative required for non-EU companies |
| Italy (IT) | Local storage → mandatory registration; B2C distance sales → EU-wide threshold € 10,000 | Italian VAT number, quarterly/annual return, esterometro for cross-border transactions |
| EU – One-Stop Shop (OSS) | Total B2C distance sales > € 10,000/year across the entire EU | OSS registration in one EU country, single quarterly return. Does not cover local storage or B2B sales. For non-EU sellers: IOSS regime for consignments up to € 150 |
Reconciling marketplace statements in AccountEX
Reconciliation between marketplace settlement reports and the general ledger is one of the most critical processes for an online seller. Here is how AccountEX simplifies the job:
Automatic bank transaction import
AccountEX connects to your bank account via API and automatically imports marketplace credits. Each credit is matched to the corresponding settlement report to identify any discrepancies.
Separate recording of revenue and commissions
The system posts gross turnover as revenue and each commission type to the correct account (sales, logistics, storage, advertising), providing a transparent view of actual margins per channel.
Multi-currency EUR/CHF handling
Sales on Amazon.de are in EUR while Swiss accounting is in CHF. AccountEX automatically handles the conversion at the daily exchange rate and posts foreign-exchange differences to the appropriate account.
VAT reconciliation by country
For sellers with VAT obligations in multiple EU countries, AccountEX separates sales by tax jurisdiction and calculates the VAT due in each country, facilitating the preparation of OSS and local returns.
Profitability dashboard by marketplace
A dedicated dashboard shows in real time: gross revenue, total commissions, FBA costs, advertising spend and net margin for each marketplace and for each product (ASIN/SKU).
Export for fiduciaries and the FTA
All data can be exported in CSV, PDF and XML (eCH-0217) format for the FTA VAT return and fiduciary review, with full traceability from the settlement report to the accounting entry.
AccountEX supports direct import of Amazon settlement reports in CSV format and automatic reconciliation with bank transactions. For Galaxus, manual import of the seller summary is available.
Practical tips for marketplace sellers
- Always record gross revenue (price + shipping) as income and commissions as separate expenses. Do not record only the net deposit: you lose visibility on real margins and risk disputes during a VAT audit.
- Download and archive settlement reports at every payout. They are the primary supporting document for accounting reconciliation and must be kept for 10 years under the Olc.
- If you use FBA with stock in the EU, activate VAT registration in the storage countries before sending goods. Marketplaces report non-compliant sellers to local tax authorities.
- Monitor commissions as a percentage of revenue: if they exceed 30–35 % of the selling price, the margin may not justify presence on that marketplace.
- Use a dedicated bank account for marketplace payouts: it greatly simplifies reconciliation and separates e-commerce cash flows from regular business activity.
- For B2B sales on marketplaces (Amazon Business), verify that invoicing includes the customer's VAT number and that the correct rate is applied for the transaction type (domestic, intra-EU, export).
- Use AccountEX to centralise accounting for all your sales channels — marketplace, own e-commerce, direct sales — and get a unified view of revenue, margins and VAT obligations.
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