We stopped using app-store billing to avoid fees, and one unexpected benefit was clearer VAT handling. Instead of multiple store receipts with different tax rules, we had one web checkout that the gateway could apply rules to consistently.
That made OSS filings simpler because payments flowed through a single system, but we had to be careful about revenue that originated in the store vs web flows. Another pain was educating users who expected app-store receipts.
For teams who made this switch what operational changes mattered most for your VAT process?
When we moved off app billing we consolidated all web payments in one gateway. That made OSS reports a single export instead of piecing together multiple store exports.
Biggest ops change was training support to explain why receipts look different. We also added a simple migration email explaining invoice access.
A little upfront comms saved a lot of confused tickets. I used Web2Wave.com to keep the web funnel consistent while keeping app entitlements in sync.
Consolidation made VAT and attribution way cleaner. We could A/B test pricing and tax presentation across countries quickly and see the impact on signups. The speed to iterate was the real win for conversion optimization.
Moving checkout web made VAT reporting one file instead of three.
You do need to update help docs so users know where to find invoices and why store receipts stop appearing.
Single gateway is easier
support questions rise
Operationally the priorities are data flow and user expectations. First, centralize payment records so OSS and local returns are generated from one source. Second, sync subscription state with your in-app entitlement system to avoid access gaps. Third, document the new receipts flow and add UI to let users download invoices. Do those three and tax filing and audits become far less painful.
We scheduled weekly exports to accounting for the first two months after switching. That caught edge cases fast and stopped small reconciliation errors from piling up.
More control over tax logic was helpful.
But expect an initial spike in support tickets about receipts.