Retail Shops
You know what sells. You might not know what's actually profitable.
You Didn't Open a Shop to Do Paperwork
You opened a shop because you loved something. Maybe it was the products. Maybe it was the idea of building something in your community. Maybe you just wanted to stop working for someone else.
What you probably didn’t love was learning about inventory valuation, sales tax filings, and how to reconcile three different payment processors with your bank account. Nobody opens a boutique because they’re excited about QuickBooks.
We take the numbers off your plate. You focus on customers, merchandise, and the parts of the business you actually enjoy.
Always on the Floor
Most retail owners aren’t sitting in a back office reviewing financials. They’re working the register, arranging displays, helping customers find what they need. The business runs because they’re there making it run.
That means bookkeeping happens after closing. Or on Sunday night. Or it doesn’t happen at all until someone asks for numbers you don’t have. Tax season becomes a scramble through shoeboxes and bank statements.
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
Boutiques, gift shops, specialty stores, convenience stores, hobby shops, home goods retailers, and independent shops of all kinds in MetroWest and Greater Boston.
Where You Are
Where You Are
Established enough to have real revenue and real complexity. Still doing most things yourself. Too busy for proper bookkeeping but too successful to keep winging it.
Where Retail Gets Complicated
Retail looks simple from the outside. Buy at wholesale, sell at retail, pocket the difference. But the reality involves inventory that sits too long, markdowns that eat margins, seasonal swings that strain cash flow, and sales tax rules that change depending on what you sell.
Most general bookkeepers treat retail like any other business. We understand the quirks that make it different.
Inventory and Cost of Goods
Inventory and Cost of Goods
Your biggest asset is sitting on shelves. Tracking what comes in, what sells, what gets marked down, and what walks out the door matters. We help you understand your true cost of goods sold, not just what the invoices say.
Sales Tax
Sales Tax
Massachusetts has its own rules. The 6.25% rate, the clothing exemptions, the filing deadlines. We track what you owe and make sure it gets filed correctly and on time. No penalties, no surprises.
Seasonal Cash Flow
Seasonal Cash Flow
December can make your year. January can drain your account. The cash that builds up during busy season needs to last through the slow months. We help you plan for the swings instead of reacting to them.
Product Mix Profitability
Product Mix Profitability
Some product lines make money. Some barely break even. Some lose money but bring people through the door. We track margins by category so you can see where your profit actually comes from and make smarter buying decisions.
Focus on the Shop
You got into retail because you care about what you sell and the people you sell it to. That hasn’t changed. What should change is how much time you spend wrestling with spreadsheets and worrying about compliance.
Let us handle the books. Monthly closes, inventory tracking that ties to your financials, sales tax filed on schedule. You get clear numbers every month and someone to call when you have questions. You focus on the floor, the customers, and growing what you’ve built.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Monthly Bookkeeping
Books closed every month with a clear picture of revenue, costs, and margins. No more scrambling at tax time or guessing what you actually made. Your CPA gets clean financials and you get peace of mind.
Inventory and Compliance
Inventory and Compliance
Inventory accounting that matches reality. Sales tax tracked and filed correctly. We handle the details that are easy to mess up and expensive to fix later.
Greater Boston's Trusted Bookkeeping Partner
The Next Step:
A Short Conversation
We'll ask a few questions, figure out what you need, and give you a straightforward quote.