The importance of user-friendly tax platforms for online retailers

The e-portal will support business households and individuals engaging in e-commerce activities. Photo: Provided by enterprise

Modern and transparent tax management

With the rise of the digital economy, household and individual business activities have expanded rapidly beyond traditional models such as operating physical stores or fixed business locations within local residential areas. New forms of business are emerging, driven by technological advancements.

This context necessitates modernized tax management methods that align with economic developments. The objective is to assist tax authorities in performing their duties effectively while supporting taxpayers in fulfilling their rights and obligations with ease, speed, and convenience.

According to Mai Son, Deputy Director General of Taxation, recognizing the importance of modern tax management, the department sought approval from the Ministry of Finance to develop an e-portal for individual and business households engaging in e-commerce activities. This platform is designed for household businesses and individuals to register, declare, and pay taxes related to e-commerce activities. The goal is to provide a convenient, user-friendly system for taxpayers while meeting the requirements of modern, transparent tax administration.

The E-Portal has now been largely completed. Trial runs of the interface, operational solutions, and system functionalities have been successfully conducted, and preparations are underway to bring the portal into practical application.

Recently, the General Department of Taxation organized an online meeting to review and evaluate the portal’s application for household businesses and individuals involved in e-commerce.

Deputy Director General Mai Son emphasized that the official implementation of the portal is critical, given the rapid growth of household and individual e-commerce businesses.

Before officially launching the portal, the General Department of Taxation has requested local tax departments and functional units to provide feedback on the system based on their tax management experiences. The aim is to refine and enhance the portal’s features to support household businesses and individual e-commerce operators effectively.

“Local tax authorities are encouraged to take a proactive approach in contributing feedback on each component of the portal to ensure it is finalized promptly by the Information Technology Department. This will allow the portal to be effectively implemented, supporting household and individual e-commerce businesses in meeting their tax obligations with ease,” said Mai Son.

Key functionalities of the E-Portal

Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Director of Tax Administration Department on small and medium enterprises and business households, individuals, highlighted that the e-portal provides a dedicated platform to support e-commerce businesses with tax registration, declaration, and payment.

The portal offers five main functions: Login; tax Registration; tax declaration; tax payment; information lookup. Additionally, the portal includes features such as user guidance and a feedback mechanism to facilitate taxpayer interactions.

“The portal is designed to maximize support for household and individual e-commerce businesses. It simplifies the tax registration, declaration, and payment processes, making them easy and accessible. Moreover, it provides comprehensive information about tax policies, legal obligations, and necessary guidance to help users navigate the system seamlessly,” Lan Anh stated.

In addition to the anticipation that the E-Portal will provide household and individual e-commerce businesses with a convenient tool for tax registration, declaration, and payment, some concerns have been raised. Critics point out that e-commerce is a relatively new and rapidly evolving field. As a result, during the practical implementation of the portal, there will likely be a need for ongoing research and the integration of additional features to guide users in declaring and paying taxes through the portal.

In line with its broader efforts to modernize tax management and support taxpayers, the General Department of Taxation recently launched a virtual assistant to provide assistance. The department is also working on developing new tools and products to enhance tax administration efficiency.

The E-commerce Tax Portal, with its finalized core functionalities, is expected to launch shortly, providing an essential platform for managing tax obligations in the rapidly growing e-commerce sector.