From Canada - I'm setting up an online store supplier is in the USA/China - do I need to charge gst

[slapsoilco]

Hi there,

I'm just starting out and do not know whether I need to set up a GST/HST account with the CRA.

Actually I did try but it's asking me my annual revenue and I my store is not even online so there is no revenue.

So my question is do I need to charge GST and HST in CANADA or not?

Can I legally sell online without charging taxes on my customers in canada? And what about outside of canada.

I'm really new to this your help would mean alot.

Hope to hear from you soon.

[Don]

Hi there @slapsoilco!

Thanks for reaching out here in the Shopify Community to share your query on taxation for your store.

I can share some info with you here on how Shopify can help you handle your tax settings for Canada, but first it's important to clarify what we can't do.

We are unable to answer questions on legal or taxation requirements here as this is simply outside of our scope of support.

As such, we would always recommend you consult with a qualified expert in your jurisdiction, so you can be sure you're compliant with all local requirements. 

When you do know what taxes you need to charge, you can refer to our help doc here on setting up Canadian taxes to see how to put these settings in place correctly.

We've got further info and definitions you can check out here on our Canadian taxes reference doc.

You mentioned you're just starting out with selling, can you tell me a bit about what you're selling and who your target audience is?

For new merchants starting their business, I'd recommend our How to Start a Business blog article here.

Let me know what you're selling and what else you're working on for your store here so we can provide you with relevant support!