Copy the prompt below into a new Claude Code session after you have the answers from your boss.
I'm building an internal tool called "amazon-taxes" to replace TaxJar for our company (NCL).
## Background
We've already done deep research — it's all saved in docs/research/ (read the README.md first for the full index). Key facts from our research:
- We're on TaxJar Basic 5K plan: $528/yr subscription + $600/yr in flex fees = $1,128/yr total
- Price increasing to $1,599/yr in October 2026
- We are NOT using TaxJar's AutoFile — zero filings through TaxJar
- Only Amazon is linked to TaxJar (no other channels connected)
- Amazon already handles tax calculation/collection/remittance as marketplace facilitator
- We already have Amazon SP-API access (sunk cost)
- Boss does accounting with help from a freelance accountant
- They file manually, not through TaxJar
- Our Amazon volume is 6,000-9,000 transactions/month
## Answers to Clarifying Questions (Answered April 2026)
1. **Other sales channels we use:** Shopify, eBay, Walmart, TikTok. Only Amazon is linked to TaxJar. All other marketplace channels (eBay, Walmart, TikTok) collect and remit sales tax as marketplace facilitators. Shopify does NOT collect tax, but volume is too small to be "worth it."
2. **Number of states we're registered/filing in, and frequency:**
- Washington – Quarterly
- North Carolina – Quarterly
- Georgia – Annual
- Ohio – Semi-Annual
- Minnesota – Annual
- Other states have been closed or are too small to bother.
3. **How tax is handled on non-Amazon channels:** All marketplace channels collect and remit. Shopify doesn't but volume is negligible. Boss doesn't bother with it.
4. **What the boss actually uses from TaxJar:** "I use it, it's simply to calculate the info needed to file state taxes." The freelancer helps with the actual filing.
5. **Biggest pain point:**
- "The cost does not justify the info we're getting"
- "Filing is relatively simple, since we file $0 returns for all states now"
## What I Need You To Do
The scope is much simpler than originally expected. We file $0 returns in 5 states. TaxJar is a $1,128/yr report viewer. Here's what to build:
1. **Create a product spec** at docs/product-spec.md — keep it lean:
- Pull Amazon SP-API tax data (we already have access)
- Aggregate marketplace-facilitated tax by state/jurisdiction for the 5 filing states
- Generate filing-ready worksheets showing: total sales, tax collected by marketplace, tax owed ($0), by state
- Output as CSV or simple report the boss can hand to the freelancer
- Stretch: pull eBay/Walmart data too (also marketplace facilitators)
2. **Build it** — this is a Python project (see pyproject.toml). The tool should be:
- A CLI the boss can run (not a web app)
- Dead simple: `python main.py --quarter Q1-2026` → generates reports for 5 states
- Read docs/research/09-python-ecosystem.md for the recommended tech stack
3. **Verify** by comparing output against what TaxJar currently shows for a recent period
Important context:
- Keep it simple — we're cheap and resourceful
- The primary users are the boss and a freelance accountant, not engineers
- We file $0 returns — all tax is collected/remitted by marketplace facilitators
- We already have Amazon SP-API credentials
- Only 5 states matter: WA (quarterly), NC (quarterly), GA (annual), OH (semi-annual), MN (annual)
- Send the email to your boss (the one from our conversation)
- Fill in the 5 answers in the prompt above
- Start a new Claude Code session in this same project directory
- Paste the filled-in prompt
- Claude will pick up from the research and move into product spec + implementation