Merchant of Record
Merchant of Record (MoR) for your e-commerce
If you sell online, especially abroad, payments, taxes, refunds and regulatory compliance can become a job of their own. A Merchant of Record (MoR) is a service that takes care of these things for you. I offer it together with a team of experts I work with, connected to your store.
Who delivers this service
The Merchant of Record service is not offered directly by me. It is delivered by a team of experts I work with, who specialize in the administrative, tax and operational management of e-commerce.
Before any agreement I explain who does what, so it is clear who is responsible for each part of the service.
What a Merchant of Record is
A Merchant of Record is the party that processes the payment and takes responsibility for it: it handles chargebacks and refunds and looks after sales-tax obligations in the countries where it operates. Sellers can be their own Merchant of Record, or hand this role to an external service.
Handing it to an external service simplifies payment handling and legal matters, especially when selling internationally. From the customer's point of view the buying experience does not change: they still buy from your store and see your brand.
Who it is for
- Companies and brands that want to sell abroad without building the tax and administrative side themselves.
- Anyone with a store who wants to lighten the handling of payments, refunds and disputes.
- Anyone with little in-house staff who prefers to focus on product, marketing and sales.
- Anyone considering outsourcing orders, warehouse and customer support too.
What benefits it brings
Simpler tax and regulatory handling
The service takes care of calculating and paying taxes and of compliance with local rules, reducing the risk of penalties.
Payments, fraud and disputes
It handles payments, protects against fraud and takes responsibility in case of disputes, lightening the operational work for the seller.
Easier international expansion
It makes entering new markets easier by handling complex regulatory requirements, so you can start faster and with less risk.
Less administrative load
Many transactions are brought under a single management, with fewer obligations to follow directly.
What the service can include
- Payment processing and handling of chargebacks and refunds
- Calculation and payment of sales taxes
- Management of orders, returns, invoices and shipping
- Outsourced logistics and warehouse, with selected suppliers
- Customer support before, during and after the purchase, in several languages
- Connection to your store through an order management system
- A dedicated team following the project
Which platforms it works with
The service connects to your store through an order management system. It can work with stores on WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento 2, PrestaShop, Mage-OS and Adobe Commerce.
You can outsource the whole store or only some functions, for example shipping and support, the technical management of the site, or the coordination of sales and marketing activities. We discuss it based on what you need.
How it works
Analysis and goals
It starts with a kick-off meeting to understand how you sell today, where you want to get to and what the difficulties are.
Assessing the service
Together we assess whether a Merchant of Record is the right choice for your case, and which functions to hand over.
Connecting to the store
The team integrates the service with your e-commerce, and I handle the part of the store that is involved.
Launch and targeted action
The difficulties holding the business back are tackled first.
Results and new goals
Results are shared and the next steps are defined.
Frequently asked questions
Who delivers the Merchant of Record service?
I do not offer it directly: it is delivered by a team of experts I work with. I look after your e-commerce and can put you in touch with the team, explaining who is responsible for each part.
What changes for my customers?
The buying experience stays that of your store, with your brand. The Merchant of Record's name may appear on the card statement, since it is the party processing the payment.
Do I really need it to sell abroad?
It is not mandatory: it depends on the countries, the volumes and how much you want to handle directly. The service is most useful when tax and administrative obligations become a brake on expansion.
How much does it cost, and what are the tax implications?
The cost depends on the services included and on volumes, and is defined after a free, no-obligation analysis. Handing over the Merchant of Record role changes how payments and invoicing are organized: it is worth discussing with your accountant. This information is general and is not tax advice.
Contact
Want to find out whether a Merchant of Record suits your e-commerce? Write to me: we'll make a first assessment together, with no obligation.
Quotes are always free
Every quote is free and comes with no obligation: get in touch to talk about your project, at no upfront cost.