The myth, straight from a hundred Facebook groups: “I’m only small, I don’t need an ABN to sell online.”
The short version is: if what you’re doing is a business, you do — and the good news is it’s free and takes minutes.
Business or hobby? That’s the real question
The line isn’t about size; it’s about intent and pattern. Selling your old couch and some outgrown clothes? Hobby territory — carry on. Making or sourcing products to sell regularly, with prices set to profit? That’s a business, however small, and businesses in Australia generally need an ABN. The ATO publishes a business-versus-hobby test worth reading if you’re genuinely on the fence.
And a practical nudge for the fence-sitters: marketplaces and platforms increasingly report seller income to the ATO. The days of side-selling being invisible are behind us — better to be set up properly than explaining later.
An ABN is not GST — don’t let them blur
Here’s where people trip up constantly. The ABN is just your business’s ID number. GST registration is a completely separate step, and it only becomes mandatory once your turnover hits $75,000. You can — most small sellers do — hold an ABN for years before GST is even a conversation.
When you’re approaching that line, or wondering whether registering early makes sense for you, that’s your accountant’s territory, not mine and not a blog post’s. I can implement whichever way you go; advising which way is exactly what they’re for.
The practical bits
Registering is free through the Australian Business Register — if a website wants to charge you, close the tab; you’re paying a middleman for a free form. Once you have it, your ABN belongs on your tax invoices, and quoting it matters in wholesale: businesses paying a supplier who can’t quote an ABN can be required to withhold a painful chunk of the payment — one more reason to sort it before your first wholesale order, not after.
The rest of the boring-but-required setup — the policies, the GST-inclusive pricing, the pages every store needs — is covered in the legal requirements guide.
Starting from scratch and want the whole day-one setup handled in one go — site, store and the foundations done properly? That’s exactly the stage my Business Launch Package exists for. Or book a free 15-minute chat and I’ll point you at what you actually need — which is sometimes less than you think.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to get an ABN?
Yes — registering through the Australian Business Register costs nothing. If a website is charging you for an ABN, you're paying a middleman for a free form.
Is having an ABN the same as registering for GST?
No, and mixing them up is the most common confusion I see. The ABN identifies your business; GST registration is a separate step that becomes mandatory once turnover hits $75,000. Plenty of businesses hold an ABN for years before GST enters the picture.
Can I sell on eBay or Etsy without an ABN?
Casually clearing out the garage, sure. Selling regularly with profit in mind is a business, and marketplaces increasingly report seller income to the ATO — so the 'it's just a side thing' window is smaller than it used to be.
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