How to apply different VAT rules for specific products in Shopify?

Shopify Discussion
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Topic summary

A Dutch merchant needs to implement 0% VAT for solar systems sold to consumers (B2C) following new government regulations, while maintaining standard VAT rates for other products and all B2B transactions.

Initial Solution Proposed:

  • Toggle the “charge taxes” button per product via bulk editing
  • Issue: This removes VAT for all customers, including B2B clients who still require taxation

B2B Workaround Suggested:

  • Use a client login app to differentiate B2B from B2C customers
  • Merchant already has Wholesale Pricing Discount app installed
  • Challenge: Unclear how to display invoices showing VAT breakdown (e.g., €80 without VAT + €20 VAT = €100 total)

Recommended Approach:

  • Create a separate Collection for 0% VAT products (solar systems)
  • Apply a Netherlands-specific override in the European Union taxation section for this Collection only
  • Configuration depends on existing tax rule setup

The discussion remains open regarding the invoice display issue for B2B customers.

Summarized with AI on November 18. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hello,

In the Netherlands the government changed the VAT rules for solar systems for consumers to 0%. Problem is that not all products that are sold on the webshop are eligeble for 0%. For some products like batteries VAT still needs to be charged. Also for business clients VAT needs to be charged for all products.

Is there a way to apply these VAT rules in Shopify?

Best regards,

Ewoud

1 Like
2

Just turn on or off the charge taxes button on each product so you can choose which products need VAT applied. Go to products and bulk edit, open the column for charge taxes and click the check box.

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3

Thanks for your reply. The problem with this solution is that B2B customers still need to pay taxes. When I turn of the taxes like your suggestion, then B2B customers also don’t pay taxes. Any ideas how to solve that?

4

Hi, I would look at using a client login app for your store so B2B customers can login and you can separate their orders from B2C and have different pricing for each type of customers. Im sure there is an app as I made a wholesale store for a client last year that did similar. If I have time I will check the app store and recommend something later today.

5

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. The webshop already has the B2B app Wholesale Pricing Discount installed. With that app indeed you can set different prices for B2B customers. But I can’t figure out how to deal with VAT then.

If the price for a product for a B2B customer is for example 100 Euro including VAT, how can I get the invoice to show 80 Euro without VAT and 20 Euro VAT and a total of 100 Euro?

6

Hi WD-S

I hope you managed the B2B issue . B2C 0 VAT should be handled via an override in your European Union taxation section. Create a separate Collection, place all 0 VAT items in the collection and apply merchandise override in taxes and duties section for the Netherlands only for this Collection. there might be some other issues you need to look at , but they depend on the way how other tax rules are configured.

Yours