In early September, Old Zhou, who runs a Taobao store, suddenly received a text message from the tax authorities: ’There is a significant discrepancy between the income you reported and the income reported by the platform. Please verify and correct this.’ He was baffled—he had always filed his taxes based on his net withdrawal amount and had never thought there was anything wrong with that.

He is unaware that State Council Order No. 810 of 2026, the “Regulations on the Reporting of Tax-Related Information by Internet Platform Enterprises,” has been fully implemented. Combined with the new “Value-Added Tax Law,” this marks the end of the era of “tax non-compliance” for e-commerce businesses. This article clearly explains the logic behind platform reporting and how to avoid pitfalls.

As of the end of June 2026, the platform’s tax information reporting system had been in operation for one year. The data collection and comparison mechanisms have become increasingly refined, and the discrepancy between ’reported income and platform-reported income” is emerging as the primary focus of tax audits.

01

What Changes Did Order No. 810 Bring?

State Council Order No. 810, “Regulations on the Reporting of Tax-Related Information by Internet Platform Enterprises,” signed into effect on June 20, 2025, requires internet platform enterprises to report the identity information of business operators and employees on their platforms, as well as revenue data for the previous quarter, to the competent tax authorities within the month following the end of each quarter; Overseas platforms must also report information on their domestic business operators.

Cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, TikTok Shop, AliExpress, and Temu will report sellers’ business data on a quarterly basis starting in the third quarter of 2025. The reporting criteria are based on the full amount actually paid by buyers; platform fees such as commissions and advertising fees are classified as operating costs, and reported revenue will not be reduced due to these deductions.

This means that whatever amount you report and whatever amount the platform reports, the tax authorities will know as soon as they compare the figures. The difference (total GMV vs. the net proceeds you reported) is the key basis for identifying risks; if the difference exceeds 30%, you will be placed on the list for priority audit.

02

Why did I receive a warning?

Most common cause: It is common practice to report based on the “net proceeds after platform withdrawals,” but the platform reports the full order amount (including refunds, commissions, advertising fees, and GMV prior to cross-period settlement). These two metrics are inherently different, resulting in a discrepancy.

Other causes: Reporting only revenue from invoices; failing to account for uninvoiced revenue received via personal bank accounts, WeChat, or Alipay; reporting only a portion of revenue from multiple platforms; inconsistent reporting periods across platforms; and failure to retain complete transaction records and payment receipts.

On September 3, 2026, there was a case in Hainan: individual e-commerce operators in Haikou, Sanya, and other locations received big data risk alerts because their “platform transaction volumes far exceeded their reported income.” The alert is merely a preliminary reminder to conduct a self-inspection and does not constitute the initiation of an audit or investigation; however, ignoring it will result in escalated measures, such as formal interviews and on-site inspections.

If you’re facing a similar situation—receiving a tax notice, finding discrepancies between your platform transaction history and reported income, and unsure how to resolve the discrepancy or whether you need to pay additional taxes—feel free to scan the QR code to contact Qicaiying’s online customer service (WeChat/Phone: 18620388671). We’ll help you reconcile your records and conduct a self-audit. Feel free to scan the QR code to contact Qicaiying’s online customer service (WeChat/Phone: 18620388671), and we’ll help you sort out this entire process from start to finish.

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03

A discrepancy does not equal tax evasion

Tax experts have clarified that discrepancies between income reported by platforms and income self-reported by taxpayers do not necessarily indicate intentional tax evasion. Many business owners are accustomed to reporting based on the amount invoiced, do not place enough emphasis on uninvoiced income, or fail to fully consolidate income from multiple platforms—these are common blind spots, not necessarily intentional acts.

However, “not necessarily” does not mean you can ignore it. Upon receiving a notification, you should actively cooperate and conduct a self-inspection: Log in to the backends of all platforms to export income details (including all forms such as transaction records, service fees, commissions, and rewards), and verify each payment account one by one (corporate accounts, personal bank cards, WeChat Pay, and Alipay) to ensure that the actual amounts received match the platform’s export data.

Those who voluntarily pay back taxes and late payment penalties may receive a reduced or waived administrative penalty; those who refuse to correct their filings will be referred to the tax audit department, and upon verification, will face back taxes, late payment penalties, fines, and even credit sanctions. Under current tax incentives, the vast majority of small, medium, and micro enterprises, as well as sole proprietors, pay very little or no tax at all; the key is to file accurate and complete tax returns.

04

Two Factors Overlapping in 2026

First, the “Golden Tax Phase IV” initiative has comprehensively deepened the approach of “data-driven tax administration”: Data from multiple departments—including tax authorities, customs, foreign exchange regulators, banks, market supervision agencies, and e-commerce platforms—is now interconnected. Tax return data is no longer considered in isolation; instead, it is cross-checked against records of exports, foreign exchange receipts, and platform transactions, with any discrepancies triggering an early warning.

Second, the implementation of the new Value-Added Tax Law: Starting January 1, 2026, e-commerce platforms will automatically cross-check orders, payment records, and tax returns among the three parties. Entities that exceed 5 million for 12 consecutive months will be reclassified as general taxpayers that month; the combined cost of retroactive tax payments and late payment penalties may exceed 25%.

With these two factors combined, the old methods of ’receiving payments through personal accounts, reporting taxes on net amounts, and inflating sales figures through fake orders” are essentially no longer viable. Fake orders are particularly problematic: the system treats the fake transaction volume as taxable income, requiring you to pay taxes on the inflated GMV—and it also violates platform rules.

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05

Three-Step Closed-Loop Compliance Process

First, establish a transaction reconciliation ledger. Each quarter, export the platform-wide GMV, refunds, commissions, and withdrawal transaction data; consolidate all receiving accounts; distinguish between business and personal transfers; and ensure that no orders are overlooked.

Second, identify the causes of the discrepancies before taking action. For discrepancies resulting from differences in accounting methods (refunds, commissions, inter-period adjustments), prepare a chain of evidence and submit an explanation of the discrepancies; for omissions in prior periods, proactively correct and file the missing reports. Do not issue fictitious invoices at the last minute to cover up the discrepancies—that would create even more serious risks.

Third, align your reporting criteria with the platform’s standards. Reported revenue should include all platform transaction revenue—both invoiced and uninvoiced. Fees paid to the platform should be deducted as costs based on valid invoices, rather than being subtracted directly from revenue. Compliance with reporting requirements is not an option; it is the minimum requirement for e-commerce businesses to survive in 2026.

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