When I first dreamed up Bean Bodega, I imagined the fun parts: curating amazing coffee beans, connecting roasters with coffee lovers, maybe perfecting my own pour-over technique during "product research." What I didn't imagine? The paperwork. So. Much. Paperwork.
But here we are, almost 3 months in, and I wanted to share what's really happening behind the scenes. If you're thinking about starting your own webshop, grab a coffee (obviously) and settle in—this is the reality check nobody puts in the business plan templates.
The EORI Number Saga
After having a beautiful chat with Gemini, it told me that I needed an EORI number in order to "officially conduct B2B business with companies outside of the EU". After a bit of research, I found the portal from Zollamt to file for an EORI (luckily for free).
Three weeks. It took three weeks of checking my email obsessively and wondering if my application had somehow vanished into a bureaucratic black hole. I even wrote to the Zollamt in Dresden to follow up on my situation.
Turns out, the Zollamt likes to send this type of information per snail mail and there's about a week delay between the processing of the application and me getting my answer. But alas, a beautiful 12-digit EORI number was sent as a PDF to me before my snail mail even arrived (why don't they send me this information digitally in the first place!?) I may have done a little celebration dance in my kitchen. This number means I can finally start thinking seriously about importing beans from roasters outside Germany, which opens up so many exciting possibilities for Bean Bodega's selection.
The lesson? When starting a webshop in Germany (or anywhere in the EU), apply for your EORI number immediately. Like, before you finalize your logo. It's going to take longer than you think.
My First Tax Report: A Nerve-Wracking Milestone
I'll be honest—submitting my first quarterly tax report (Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung, for those keeping score in German) had me staying up a few nights after putting my daughter to bed. It was a pretty steep learning curve, but in some ways, refreshingly fun to learn something completely different (Thanks Gemini!)
The good news? I got it through. The better news? No payments needed this quarter, since I didn't make a dime in sales in Q3 (That's soon to change in Q4).
I spent hours triple-checking every number, making sure my input tax and output tax were calculated correctly, and debating whether that business lunch really counted as deductible. The German tax system is... let's call it "thorough." But there's also something strangely empowering about submitting that form. It feels real now. Bean Bodega isn't just a side project—it's an actual registered business with actual tax obligations.
The lesson? Bookkeeping is tedious and time consuming. But I'm gonna ride the initial excitement wave and enjoy the process while I can.
Coffee Conversations: Talking with Roasters
This is the part I actually love. Over the past month, I've had conversations with several potential roasters who might join Bean Bodega's lineup. So far, most of the roasters I've contacted have been super excited about the endeavor and are patiently waiting for all of the burocratic hurdles to be crossed (*cough* EORI and VAT number). And some... haven't quite gotten back to me yet.
I'm excited to see where this leads Bean Bodega, and more to come really soon!
The Shipping Puzzle I Still Haven't Solved
Let's talk about my current headache: shipping rates for customers outside Germany.
Inside Germany? I've got it sorted. BüWa for anything under 2 kg (let's be honest: I doubt anyone's even ordering more than 1 kg at this point). If tracking is needed, it costs only a little bit more.
But the moment a package crosses a border, the shipping costs are enormous!
Right now, I'm using the default setting from DHL, who seem to have a fixed rate for any country within the EU. I'm not even offering the possibility of shipping outside the EU, which means customers in (for example) Switzerland, Norway and the UK aren't able to get their hands on the goods Bean Bodega has to offer.
The lesson? This is still a work in progress, and I'm learning that sometimes you have to launch with an imperfect solution and iterate. If any of you have experience with this, seriously, email me. I'm all ears.
What This All Means
Starting Bean Bodega has been equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. For every exciting roaster conversation, there's an EORI number waiting period. For every perfectly packed shipment, there's a tax form to fill out. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.
This blog post isn't meant to discourage anyone from starting their own webshop—quite the opposite. But I think it's important to talk about the unglamorous parts, the administrative hurdles, the moments of doubt. Because when you're in month three, waiting for government registration numbers and debugging your shipping calculator at midnight, it helps to know that this is normal. This is what it takes.
Bean Bodega is growing, slowly but surely. Each small victory (hello, EORI number!) is worth celebrating. Each challenge (looking at you, shipping rates) is a chance to learn. And every bag of coffee I send out reminds me that people are trusting me to bring them something special.
So here's to the paperwork, the waiting periods, the spreadsheets, and the small wins. Here's to building something, one cup—and one form—at a time.
Want to follow along on this journey? I'll keep sharing these updates as Bean Bodega grows. And if you have advice on international shipping rates, please, please reach out.