Ask HN: What happens when you start selling internationally

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1737394

by cme • 16 years ago

3 4 16 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

So I am thinking about marketing my simple web app to the canadian market. We are in a very niche industry and feel professionals in Canada could benefit from our service so why not help them out right?

Well my question for you all is do I need to do anything on the business end of things? We are an LLC in NH, do we need to set anything up in addition to this to make it legal to do business in Canada?

I'm not sure what the process is because all of our business is done through the internet. Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks.

lsc2• 16 years ago

Now, I don't specifically target the international market, but a large portion of my customers (less than 50%, but, I think, more than 20%) are from outside of the country. To the best of my knowledge (and I do pay someone for tax advice) being as I'm providing a service and not leaving the country I don't need to do anything special because these customers are outside the country.

I've still gotta pay US taxes on my profits, of course, just like if my customers were all within the US, but to my knowledge the US government is happy if I pay my US taxes, and none of the other governments have any authority over me, so I as long as I'm square with the IRS here in the US, I don't need to worry about the laws of every country where a customer might come from.

This may be different if you have employees in other countries (all my employees and current contractors are US citizens working here in the US. I have had foreign contractors in the past, and I'm much less sure of what the law is in that case.)

This may also be different if you have infrastructure outside the country. All my stuff is currently in the US.

cme2• 16 years ago

Thanks for the reply..

I'm in the US..and am a single founder. I figured since I was in the US and since my service is offered over the internet I shouldn't have to do anything special. I just see an opportunity in going beyond the US.

If anyone else knows some solid facts on this I would appreciate it!

lsc2• 16 years ago

You need a tax professional if you want anything like solid facts.

I mean, really the US tax system is so complex that there really isn't any such thing as a "solid fact" - It's law. Complex law. there is precedent, sure, but it's never 100%.

Advice from HN won't cover your ass when the IRS comes knocking. Now, a tax professional doesn't absolutely cover your ass, either, but aside from the fact that they are probably right more often than random people on the Internet, it does go towards the "I was trying to follow the law" bit, and will probably result in lighter penalties even if you are still at fault.

Ask HN: What happens when you start selling internationally

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