Hard goods, dealers & local stores
Books and taxes for outdoor power equipment dealers.
Mower and chainsaw sales that peak in spring, a repair shop running small engine work all year, warranty labor the manufacturer pays back later, and a snowblower season on the other end of the calendar. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
March came in at $18,700. Repair tickets ran heavy as mowers came out of winter storage, so I kept that income apart from new equipment sales to show what the shop is really earning.
- Showroom sale, zero-turnNew equipment sales
- Shop repair tickets, cashRepair and service income
- Toro warranty paybackWarranty reimbursement
- Toro distributor invoiceInventory purchase
- Small engine parts orderService parts
Why your books are different
Outdoor power equipment dealer books go wrong in the same four places.
A generalist sees deposits and vendor bills. Your business runs a spring mower rush and a fall snowblower season on opposite ends of the calendar, a repair bench doing small engine work every week of the year, warranty labor the manufacturer reimburses later, and trade-ins on used equipment. When the books do not know that, the monthly number lies.
-
1
Repair income disappears into equipment sales
A carburetor cleaning or a blade sharpening gets rung up the same way as a new mower sale, so there is no way to see whether the repair bench is actually worth staffing on its own, especially in the slower months between selling seasons.
What we doKeeps repair and service income in its own line apart from equipment sales, so you can see what the bench is really earning. -
2
A warranty payback lands as one unlabeled deposit
The manufacturer pays the shop back for warranty repairs on several mowers or chainsaws at once, but the check often arrives as a single deposit with nothing noting which repair ticket each part belongs to, so it is easy to misread as a random payment.
What we doSplits a lump warranty reimbursement back across the tickets it covers, so the shop's service earnings show up accurately instead of as one mystery deposit. -
3
A trade-in mower disappears instead of becoming shop stock
A customer trades an old push mower toward a new zero-turn. Logged only as a discount on the new unit's price, the traded mower vanishes from the books even though it is now sitting in the shop as inventory that may get repaired and resold.
What we doLogs the traded mower as inventory coming in at a fair value, so the shop's used stock matches what the books actually show. -
4
Two opposite seasons get read as one uneven year
Mower and trimmer sales peak in spring while snowblower sales peak in fall and winter, and a shop that does not track the two separately can mistake a normal seasonal shift for a real drop in business.
What we doTracks mower and snow equipment sales as their own lines, so each season's real performance stays visible instead of blending into one confusing year.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for an outdoor power equipment dealer.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- New equipment salesMowers, trimmers, chainsaws, and snowblowers sold new.
- Used and trade-in salesSales of reconditioned trade-in equipment, tracked apart from new units.
- Repair and service incomeSmall engine repair and tune-up work, kept apart from equipment sales.
- Warranty reimbursementManufacturer payback for warranty repair work.
Money out
- Inventory purchaseNew units bought from Toro, Scag, Stihl, or Husqvarna.
- Service partsSmall engine parts, blades, and belts for the repair bench.
- Store and shop payrollSales staff and repair technicians.
- Delivery and fleetFuel and repairs for delivery trucks and trailers.
- Rent and utilitiesShowroom and repair shop space.
- Trade-in reconditioningParts and labor to make a trade-in resellable.
- Card and financing feesWhat a financing partner or card processor kept before the sale hit the bank.
What we watch for you
- Repair bench margin
What repair income earns against parts and labor, apart from equipment sales.
- Seasonal split
Mower versus snow equipment sales by season, so a normal seasonal shift is not mistaken for a real drop.
- Gross margin, new versus used
New units and reconditioned trade-ins do not earn the same margin, and blending them hides which side is really paying the bills.
- The set-aside
What the shop will owe, tracked month to month across both selling seasons so April holds no surprises.
Ask Gus
Things outdoor power equipment dealers ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
No, I keep repair income in its own line, so you can see the bench is carrying the shop right now while mower season builds.
I match the deposit back to each repair ticket it covers, so your service earnings show up accurately instead of one unlabeled payment.
No, I log it as used inventory coming in at a fair value, so what is sitting in your shop matches what the books actually show.
The tax side
The tax side of an outdoor power equipment dealer.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing and season. A trade-in booked wrong, a warranty reimbursement missed, and a set-aside nobody started until April.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Inventory and cost of goods soldWhat was actually paid for the mowers, chainsaws, and snowblowers sold during the year, not just what was spent restocking, is what counts against sales. Trade-ins and reconditioned units on hand at year end need a fair value on the books.
- Section 179 on repair bench equipmentSmall engine diagnostic tools, lifts, and a delivery trailer can usually be written off in the year you buy them, up to $2,560,000 under Section 179. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property bought after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026, such as a seasonal repair technician, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps that list all year.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of qualified business income off their taxable income. It only lands right when repair income and trade-ins are booked correctly through both seasons.
Deductions outdoor power equipment dealers miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Small engine repair tools
- Delivery truck fuel and repairs
- Financing and card processing fees
- Local advertising and signage
- Business liability insurance
- Damaged or unrepairable trade-in write-downs
- Uniforms for shop staff
- Point of sale and service scheduling software
- Showroom and shop fixtures
- Manufacturer training and certification
- Trade show and dealer meeting travel
- Warehouse racking and storage
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
An outdoor power equipment dealer year, kept every month.
Mower season and snow season sit on opposite ends of the year, and the repair bench runs steady between them. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the seasonal technician 1099 list is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed as mower season builds, with the set-aside already covering what the shop owes.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how spring mower season changed the number.
- October
Before snow season
Before the snowblower rush and winter storage rush, Gus looks at equipment you might buy and anything worth doing before December.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for outdoor power equipment dealers. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions outdoor power equipment dealer owners ask first.
How does Gus track our repair bench separately from equipment sales?
He keeps repair and service income in its own line, so you can see what the bench is earning against parts and labor, apart from new equipment sales.
A warranty check sometimes covers more than one repair job. Can Gus untangle that?
Yes. He splits a lump warranty reimbursement back across the specific repair tickets it covers, so your shop's real earnings do not get hidden inside one deposit.
Does a trade-in mower just count as a discount?
No. Gus logs the traded mower as used inventory coming in at a fair value, so your shop's used stock matches what the books actually show.
Our sales look completely different in spring versus winter. Is that a problem?
No. Gus tracks mower and snow equipment sales as their own lines, so each season's real performance stays visible instead of one looking like trouble compared to the other.
Our shop books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?
In most cases, yes, within about a week. Hand over the bank statements you have, and Gus sorts through them season by season with the accountant checking his work.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever