In the era of digitization, ecommerce has not only reshaped how consumers shop but also how businesses operate and navigate the complexities of commerce. With this shift towards ecommerce, sales tax obligations and intricacies pose formidable challenges for ecommerce brands.

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar stores that often deal with a singular, local tax regime, ecommerce brands might cater to a global audience, opening them to a vast landscape of regulatory expectations. 

As the ecommerce industry continues to grow, there's a pressing need for platforms that can simplify and streamline the often convoluted process of sales tax compliance. In recent years, staying compliant with all sales tax regulations and rules across every state and county has become very hard for ecommerce brands to manage.

Importance of eCommerce Sales Tax Compliance

Taxes are annoying on a good day and stressful on a bad day, which is why it is important to keep track of what you owe and to whom. You owe it to yourself, your business, and the state to keep track of your tax obligations. 

Missing sales tax requirements can have serious consequences (like hefty penalties charged by states). As your business grows, you need to have a sales tax permit for every state you’re selling into. 

You’ll also have to file sales tax returns, and pay any sales tax you owe. Miss these steps, and you’ll have to pay past-due sales tax, penalties, and interest that can range from hundreds up to tens of thousands of dollars. 

In some states, failure to file or pay sales tax can have criminal penalties. Correct sales tax is good for customer relationships When you have all your sales taxes organized, you can charge the correct sales tax amount instantly at checkout. 

If that’s not the case, you may have to ask your customers for additional payments, which can frustrate the customer and put their trust in you at risk.

Enter Numeral, The Best eCommerce Sales Tax Software

Numeral is the only ecommerce sales tax platform that ensures brands like Obvi, immi, Muddy Bites and Fresh Sends don’t spend more than five minutes a month on sales tax. It’s effectively a white-glove solution that ensures sales tax isn’t a headache for DTC brands. 

Because let’s face it—no founder actually wants to spend more than a few minutes on sales tax, if they can help it.

Before delving into the intricacies and offerings of Numeral, it's crucial to understand the context in which it operates—the multifaceted world of ecommerce sales tax.

In this article, we outline our objective review of Numeral’s Comprehensive Sales Tax Platform, including key features, use cases, reviews and solutions.

How Numeral Works: Sales Tax Compliance Simplified

Numeral's streamlined and efficient system helps to simplify and streamline the daunting task of ecommerce sales tax compliance. Here's how Numeral uncomplicates the sales tax process for you in just four easy steps:

1. Collect Taxes

The foundation of accurate tax compliance lies in ensuring proper sales data collection. Once you connect your online stores to Numeral, it takes the reins by automatically monitoring your store settings. This vigilance ensures that all sales data is accurately recorded, laying a firm groundwork for the subsequent steps.

2. Streamlined Registration 

Establishing a nexus in multiple states comes with the labor-intensive task of registering your business in each of them. Numeral simplifies this by taking over the registration process for you. With its extensive knowledge of nexus criteria across states, Numeral promptly registers your business wherever it establishes a nexus. And the best part? You won't have to engage in a single phone call or grapple with tedious paperwork.

3. Monitoring Your Tax Obligations

As your business grows and evolves, so do your nexus obligations. To keep you in the loop, Numeral offers 24/7 sales monitoring. This proactive approach ensures that as soon as your business reaches economic nexus in any state, you're immediately notified. This timely alert system prevents potential compliance oversights and helps you stay ahead of any tax obligations.

4. Remit Your Taxes

The culmination of the sales tax process is, of course, remitting the collected taxes to the respective states. Whether it's a monthly, quarterly, or annual obligation, Numeral automates this process for you. By handling the remittances on your behalf, it ensures timely and accurate payments, mitigating risks of penalties or missed deadlines.

Numeral vs. Avalara: An Objective Comparison

If you're on the hunt for an efficient alternative to Avalara, Numeral stands out as a prime contender. 

Here’s how Numeral is a significantly better solution for eCommerce sales tax software than Avalara:

1. White-glove Service: With Numeral, sales tax becomes a five-minute monthly task, thanks to its white-glove service. Top tier eCommerce brands like Obvi, immi, and Muddy Bites have trusted Numeral with their sales tax compliance, noting that “it truly only takes 5 minutes of my time each month.”

2. Transparent Pricing: Numeral takes pride in its clear-cut pricing model. Boasting only two fixed fees, you pay solely for the services you use, ensuring no hidden costs or surprises. On the contrary, Avalara's pricing structure might not provide this same level of clarity.

3. Full Visibility on Sales Tax: With Numeral, you're not left in the dark. You'll always know the difference between the sales tax you've collected and what you've remitted to the state. Avalara, however, only informs you about the amount paid to the state, potentially leaving gaps in your financial insights.

4. Tailored for Ecommerce: Numeral isn't just another software platform; it's a solution crafted by seasoned ecommerce sellers for their peers. The team understands the nuances of categorizing products accurately, which is pivotal for correct tax collection. Avalara doesn't provide this hands-on configuration assistance.

5. Flexibility and No Strings Attached: If you're wary of long-term contracts, Numeral's month-to-month model is ideal. With no binding contracts and its promise of top-tier service, you're free to assess the value it brings to your business. Conversely, Avalara ties you down with a commitment.

6. Efficient Physical Mail Management: Dealing with sales tax across 50 states means a mountain of physical mail. Numeral offers a game-changing solution with its virtual mailbox service. Every piece of correspondence is scrutinized, ensuring you're only alerted to important changes. This proactive approach eliminates the clutter and friction associated with Avalara's lack of a similar feature.

Numeral vs. Taxjar: Another Objective Comparison

Here's a breakdown of why Numeral stands out in comparison to TaxJar.

1. Transparency in Pricing: Numeral adopts an admirable policy of crystal-clear transparency. With only two fixed fees, users never experience surprises in their billing. Unlike some platforms with hidden fees or variable pricing models, Numeral ensures you pay only for the services you use. No monthly subscriptions, no unexpected surge pricing. In stark contrast, with TaxJar, understanding the full cost spectrum isn't always straightforward.

2. Sales Tax Insights: Understanding the sales tax you've collected versus what you've paid to the state is crucial for businesses. Numeral offers a clear insight into this, allowing you to see if you're collecting the right amount or if adjustments are needed. TaxJar, on the other hand, only reveals the amount paid, which could lead to uncertainties about over or under-collecting taxes.

3. Tailored for Ecommerce: Numeral is crafted by ecommerce veterans and CPAs who comprehend the nuances of online selling. One of the most pressing concerns for sellers is accurate product categorization for precise sales tax collection. While Numeral offers assistance with categorization ensuring you're set up right from the beginning, TaxJar doesn't extend the same helping hand.

4. Dedicated Support: Nothing speaks louder than a company's dedication to its customers. Numeral takes pride in its white-glove service. Not only can users limit their sales tax management to less than 5 minutes a month, but they also have access to 24/7 live support. Should you have a question, a dedicated team member from Numeral is there to help. In comparison, TaxJar users often find themselves unsupported and unattended.

5. Your Virtual Mailboxes are Monitored by a Real CPA: Handling sales tax across 50 states can become an administrative nightmare, especially when snail mail starts piling up. Numeral offers an ingenious solution: a virtual mailbox. All your sales tax correspondences are managed and monitored by a CPA. Only crucial updates, like changes in filing frequency or tax rates, are relayed to you. This ensures you remain informed without being overwhelmed. TaxJar, however, doesn't provide this supportive feature, leaving you to grapple with stacks of mail.

6. White-glove Service: Numeral is the best of both worlds—it provides a white-glove service that ensures you’re sales tax compliant all year round, while also automating error-prone tasks like tracking nexus.

The Best eCommerce Brands Trust Numeral for Ecommerce Tax Compliance

It’s no surprise that hundreds of the best and biggest brands in eCommerce are turning to Numeral to stay compliant with sales taxes. Here are a few customer reviews from brands like Fresh Sends, immi and more:

“We had many issues with TaxJar including late filings which incurred penalties, incorrect tax filing resulting in $5700 more paid in taxes, complexities around state onboarding, and non-existent customer support. Numeral provided complete onboarding, prompt customer service, rapid feature additions based on customer input, and so much more” - Kevin Chanthasiriphan (Co-founder, immi)

"I was spending way too many hours every month... And if you wanted someone on customer support from my tax service, there was no one. Numeral has made it easy to identify and know the tax laws. And then on your behalf, registering, managing everything, is kind of taking the worry off of my plate.” - Jesse Hiss (Co-founder, Fresh Sends)

“Numeral has been, by far, the best sales tax experience I’ve had. It’s simple and very user-friendly. You can feel confident that your sales tax is being done right.” - Liz Carter (Founder, Unwilted)

Get a Free Demo of Numeral Today

Yes, the world of eCommerce sales tax is intricate, and navigating it requires a partner that is both adept and transparent. 

As we've outlined, while there are multiple solutions on the market like Avalara and Taxjar, Numeral stands out not just for its feature-rich platform but for its understanding of the unique challenges faced by ecommerce sellers. 

With its transparent pricing, user-centric approach, and a suite of tools tailored to simplify sales tax management, Numeral has carved a niche for itself as a leader in the space.

But don't just take our word for it. Experience the Numeral difference firsthand. If you're serious about elevating your sales tax management and prioritizing peace of mind, there's no better time than now to explore what Numeral has to offer.

Get a Free Demo of Numeral Today