WooCommerce: How to Stop Showing Prices Including Sales Tax
Dealing with taxes in WooCommerce can sometimes be tricky. While showing prices including sales tax is often necessary, sometimes you need to display prices *excluding* tax, especially when catering to a B2B audience or operating in regions where net prices are the norm. This article will guide you through various methods to remove the “includes sales tax” display from your WooCommerce store, ensuring your pricing presentation aligns with your target market and legal requirements.
Introduction: Why Adjust Tax Display in WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce platform, but its default tax settings might not always suit every business. Many businesses prefer to show prices excluding tax for several reasons:
- Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales: B2B clients typically expect to see net prices, allowing them to easily calculate their actual costs without including sales tax that they may be able to reclaim.
- Regional Preferences: Certain countries or regions favor displaying prices excluding tax.
- Clarity for Customers: Some customers find it easier to understand and compare prices when the tax is shown as a separate line item.
- Legal Requirements: Depending on your location, you might be legally obligated to show prices excluding tax, particularly for certain customer segments.
Whatever the reason, controlling how your prices are displayed is crucial for a smooth and trustworthy customer experience. Let’s dive into the methods to get rid of the “includes sales tax” display in WooCommerce.
Main Part: Methods to Exclude Sales Tax from WooCommerce Prices
There are several ways to configure WooCommerce to display prices excluding sales tax. We’ll explore the most common and effective methods.
#### 1. WooCommerce Settings: The Simplest Approach
This is the easiest and most direct method, ideal for those starting out or looking for a quick solution.
1. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > General.
2. Scroll down to the “Currency Options” section.
3. Under “Display prices during cart and checkout,” select “Excluding tax.”
4. Under “Display prices in the shop,” select “Excluding tax.”
5. Click “Save changes.”
This change will affect how prices are displayed on your product pages, in the shop catalog, and during the cart and checkout processes. Always test your changes to ensure prices are displayed as intended.
#### 2. Adjusting Tax Display in WooCommerce Tax Settings
This method allows more granular control over tax calculation and display.
1. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Tax.
2. “Prices entered with tax”: Carefully consider whether you enter your product prices including or excluding tax. Changing this will affect your product prices dramatically. Typically, if you want to *display* prices excluding tax, you should *enter* prices including tax.
3. “Calculate tax based on”: Choose the appropriate option based on your business requirements. This determines the customer’s address used for tax calculation (e.g., customer shipping address, customer billing address, shop base address).
4. “Shipping tax class”: Select a tax class for shipping if applicable.
5. “Rounding”: Enable rounding to avoid fractional currency amounts.
6. “Additional tax classes”: You can define custom tax classes for specific product categories.
7. “Display prices in the shop”: Select “Excluding tax”.
8. “Display prices during cart and checkout”: Select “Excluding tax”.
9. “Display tax totals”: This setting controls how tax is displayed in the cart and checkout. Select “As a single total” or “Itemized” depending on your preference.
10. Click “Save changes.”
These settings offer a fine-grained approach to configuring your tax rules.
#### 3. Using a Code Snippet (Advanced)
For more customized control, you can use a code snippet to modify how prices are displayed. This method requires some basic understanding of PHP.
add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_price_including_tax', 'ts_get_price_excluding_tax', 10, 3 ); add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_price_excluding_tax', 'ts_get_price_excluding_tax', 10, 3 );
function ts_get_price_excluding_tax( $price, $qty = 1, $product = null ) {
$price = wc_get_price_excluding_tax( $product, $qty, $price );
return $price;
}
Important:
- This code snippet can be added to your theme’s `functions.php` file or, preferably, using a code snippets plugin like “Code Snippets.”
- Always back up your website before making any changes to your theme files. A mistake in `functions.php` can break your site.
- This snippet uses the `wc_get_price_excluding_tax` function to ensure the price is correctly calculated without tax.
This method provides the most flexibility but also carries the highest risk if not implemented correctly. Test thoroughly!
#### 4. Using a Plugin
Several WooCommerce plugins specialize in managing tax settings. These plugins can offer advanced features and simplified interfaces for complex tax scenarios. Some popular options include:
- TaxJar: Automates sales tax calculation, reporting, and filing.
- Avalara AvaTax: Another comprehensive tax automation solution.
- Quaderno: Focuses on global VAT and sales tax compliance.
While these plugins often come with a cost, they can save significant time and effort, especially if you operate in multiple jurisdictions with complex tax rules. Research and choose a plugin that fits your specific needs.
#### 5. Checking Your Theme Settings
Some WooCommerce Discover insights on How To Combine Login And Billing In Woocommerce themes have built-in options to control tax display. Check your theme’s settings panel for any tax-related configurations. This is often found under “WooCommerce” or “Theme Options” in your WordPress dashboard.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Method and Testing
Choosing the right method to exclude sales tax from your WooCommerce prices depends on your technical expertise and the complexity of your tax requirements.
- Simple needs: Use the WooCommerce settings directly.
- More control: Explore the WooCommerce tax settings or a code snippet (with caution!).
- Complex requirements: Consider using a dedicated tax plugin.
Regardless of the method you choose, thorough testing is crucial. Verify that prices are displayed correctly on product pages, in the cart, during checkout, and in order confirmation emails. Run test orders to ensure that tax is calculated and displayed accurately. Pay special attention to different shipping addresses and product variations.
By carefully configuring your tax settings, you can provide a clear and transparent pricing experience for your customers, ultimately leading to increased trust and sales. Remember to consult with a tax professional to ensure you are compliant with all applicable tax laws and regulations.
