So I sell handmade ceramic planters on Etsy. A buyer just messaged asking for a wholesale order of 40 units and wants a 'proper company invoice' for their accounting. I've only ever used Etsy's receipts. What do I even send them? Do I need to register as a business? Feeling a bit out of my depth here.
Etsy invoicing
A wholesale buyer wants proper company invoices from my Etsy shop
You can create an invoice in Word or Google Docs, but if they're a real wholesale buyer they might need your tax ID or business number. Do you have one? If you're a sole trader, you can usually just use your own name and address.
Just make a PDF with your shop name, address, order details, and a big 'INVOICE' at the top. That's usually enough for most small buyers. Don't overthink it.
This is why I hate wholesale. They want net 30 terms and a fancy invoice but then pay late. Anyway, I use WaveApps for invoicing, it's free and looks professional.
Thanks. I don't have a tax ID, just my personal. Should I tell them that? Worried it'll scare them off.
Don't lie about having a business number. If they're VAT registered they might need it, but for many it's fine. Just be upfront. Also check if Etsy Allows off-platform invoicing, they might flag it.
Etsy does allow you to send an invoice for a custom order,but keep the payment on Etsy if possible. Otherwise you lose seller protection.
I've done this. I made a simple template in Canva with my logo. Buyer was happy. But they did ask for my EIN later. Got one for free from the IRS (if yoh're in the US). Took 10 mins online.
Wait, you can get an EIN as a sole prop? I thought you you needed an LLC.
Nope, sole props can get an EIN. It's just for tax purposes, doesn't make you an LLC.
Okay, I'll look into the EIN. And I'll just make a clean invoice with my details. Thanks everyone.