More sales should leave room for the next step. COPA helps retailers and wholesalers keep accounts and tax on track, while our senior team discusses ranges, pricing and expansion using your existing sales, stock and cash figures.
We're selling more. Why isn't profit following? Discounts, freight, card fees and returns can use up the extra takings. More sales don't always mean a better business. Discuss sales and selling costs with our senior team using existing figures. Product or channel detail depends on the records you keep.
Can I afford the next stock order? A bulk discount commits cash before the stock sells. Wages, rent and existing supplier bills still need paying. Talk through payment dates, expected receipts and slower sales using your existing figures before committing to the order.
The customer owes us. The supplier wants paying. A large wholesale order can use up cash before the invoice is paid. If a trade customer pays late, the next stock delivery and payroll don't automatically wait with them. Review unpaid customer invoices, supplier due dates and buying commitments together. Test slower receipts before extending credit or taking on another large order.
Why don't the takings match the bank? The till says one thing; the card settlement says another. Fees, refunds, timing differences and online orders make it hard to tell whether money is missing or just arriving differently. Follow a sales report through to its settlement and bank receipt. Agree a reconciliation approach around your current reports and tools; specific integrations need checking.
Is that stock figure still realistic? The records may include a range that no longer sells, damaged goods or quantities that don't match the latest count. That matters when you're trying to understand both profit and cash tied up in stock. Discuss the counts you keep, the valuation basis and any adjustments needed for the accounts. Bookkeeping support is not a physical stock-count service.
Does this sale need different VAT treatment? Adding a new product, selling overseas or changing how goods are supplied can raise a different VAT question. Don't assume the treatment used for your usual sales carries across. Use actual products and transactions to discuss registration, returns and relevant treatment. Imports, overseas sales and specialist customs requirements need their own scope discussion.
Compliance, understood well before deadlines Keep accounts, VAT, company filings and payroll organised where applicable. Explain the records needed and upcoming liabilities well before deadlines so there are fewer last-minute surprises.
Tax efficiency: pay no more than you need to Review stock costs, allowable expenses and VAT treatment and recovery. Plan Corporation Tax and VAT around your goods and transactions so you pay no more than you legally owe.
Business strategy: scale and prepare to sell Talk through new ranges, locations, trade customers and a possible future sale with our senior team. Use existing sales, stock and accounting figures to discuss affordable growth.
Systems & automation: connect your financials Connect sales, purchases, payment providers and bank feeds with your accounts. Review till and stock-system compatibility, then automate supported data flows with reconciliation checks.
Start with the pressing question. A buying decision, squeezed margins or receipts you can't reconcile: tell us what's taking up your time and how you currently trade.
Look at what's already in place. Discuss your sales channels, payment terms, stock records and accounting tools. Identify gaps without assuming you need to replace every system.
Agree the work before it starts. Confirm services, responsibilities and price. Specific integration or specialist requirements are checked and scoped, not assumed to be included.
Discuss the next decision. Use existing figures to talk through stock, margins and commitments with our senior team. Future sales and cash flow are not guaranteed.
A shop taking card payments and a wholesaler offering customer credit have different rhythms. Choose a model to see the records and decisions worth discussing. These are conversation starters, not a promise to cover every trading arrangement.
Independent shops You're buying for the shelves while paying to keep the doors open. A good day's takings need to be seen alongside stock costs, card fees, rent and wages. Till reports, card settlements, supplier invoices and the stock information you keep. Can the next seasonal order fit alongside the bills already due?
Multichannel retailers A store sale, an online order and a marketplace payout don't arrive in the records in the same way. Settlement amounts can hide fees, refunds and timing differences. Sales by channel, refunds, settlement reports, fees and bank receipts. Is the extra channel adding margin, or just adding sales and work?
Distributors Buying and moving goods commits cash before customer receipts arrive. Freight and other buying costs matter alongside the supplier's unit price. Purchase and freight invoices, buying commitments, stock records and unpaid customer invoices. What does another large order mean for cash before the customer pays?
Wholesalers Order volume can look reassuring while stock holdings and customer credit stretch the bank balance. The timing of trade receipts deserves as much attention as the value of the orders. Trade sales, discounts, aged debtors, supplier due dates and stock purchases. How much room is there to offer credit or a volume discount?
We discuss your systems and requirements before agreeing support. This page does not promise a particular till, inventory or marketplace integration, stock-count service, or specialist customs advice.
We can discuss support for independent shops, multichannel retailers, distributors and wholesalers. Tell us what you sell, how you hold stock and how customers pay so we can assess fit and agree the support you need.
Our senior team can discuss purchases, supplier terms and customer receipts using your existing stock and accounting figures. Strategy support does not include bespoke forecasts or reports. This is not a stock-count service or a guarantee of future cash flow.
We review your current tools, sales reports and payment records before agreeing a bookkeeping approach. We do not promise a specific integration from this page. Tell us which systems you use and where reconciliation is difficult so the requirements can be checked.
We can discuss VAT registration, returns and the treatment relevant to your goods and transactions. VAT can vary with the product, customer location and supply arrangements. Overseas sales, imports and specialist requirements need a separate scope discussion; one treatment should not be assumed for every sale.
No. Your industry does not determine your business structure. We discuss the accounts and returns relevant to your current circumstances. The optional Build for me pricing suggestions assume a limited company, so review the suggested services rather than treating them as a compliance assessment.
Use the pricing calculator to choose services and quantities, or select Retail & Wholesale in Build for me for editable turnover-based starting suggestions. LinkMyBooks is not automatically added for this sector. Your personalised quote appears after you submit your details, and we confirm scope before you go ahead. You can also book a free, no-obligation discovery call first.