Shop software for shops in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Shopkeepa is simple software for mini-marts, groceries, hardware and beauty supply shops in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Sell, track stock and see how the shop is doing in EC dollars, with VAT handled as a setting, on the phone or tablet you already have.
Running a shop in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, at a glance
- Currency
- Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD), fixed at EC$2.70 to US$1 since 1976 and issued by the ECCB.
- Sales tax
- Value-added tax (VAT), standard rate 16%. Accommodation is 11%, and some supplies are zero-rated or exempt.
- VAT registration
- Businesses grossing EC$300,000 or more in annual sales should register, along with promoters of public entertainment and hoteliers, including guest houses and apartments.
- Returns
- VAT returns are filed and tax paid on or before the 15th of the month after the tax period.
- Tax authority
- Inland Revenue Department (IRD), which runs an electronic filing service. Interest on unpaid tax is 1.5% a month.
- Islands
- Fast ferries link Kingstown with Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island.
VAT at 16% and a filing date of the 15th
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines charges VAT at a standard rate of 16%, with 11% on room accommodation and 0% on zero-rated supplies. Exempt supplies carry no rate at all. The IRD says businesses grossing EC$300,000 in annual sales should register. An older Ministry of Finance page still mentions EC$120,000, so use the IRD's figure and confirm it before you rely on it.
The filing date is what stands out. VAT returns and payments are due on or before the 15th of the month after the period in which the tax was collected, earlier than the 20th used in Dominica and Grenada. Interest on unpaid tax runs at 1.5% a month. A shop that cannot see last month's taxable sales in a few minutes will feel that deadline.
In Shopkeepa, VAT is a shop setting. Switch it on at 16% if you are registered and mark each product as taxable or not. Prices and reports stay in EC dollars, and your reports by day, week and month show what you sold and when. Shopkeepa does not file the return.
Kingstown, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island
Saint Vincent is the main island, with Kingstown as the commercial centre, and the Grenadines are a chain of smaller islands to the south. Fast ferries run from Kingstown to Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island, and at least one operator describes itself as carrying cargo and vehicles as well as passengers. Services can be taken out of service for maintenance, so schedules change.
For a shop on one of the smaller islands, a restock is a boat trip, not a drive. Buying a little extra of the fast sellers is sensible, and so is knowing which items they are. Shopkeepa's best-sellers and slow-movers reports show which products turn over and which sit. Use the guide to slow-moving and dead stock before you overbuy on a trip.
Shopkeepa keeps a running count as you sell and receive stock and builds a restock list with a suggested order quantity, so the list you take to the dock matches what has actually sold. See how to set reorder points.
EC dollars, cash and card payments
Shops in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines price in EC dollars, fixed at EC$2.70 to US$1, and visitors often pay in US dollars. We did not find a locally dominant wallet app that merchants widely use, so cash, bank cards and bank transfers are the sensible baseline. Ask your own bank what card terminal or phone-based option it offers.
The ECCB's DCash digital currency pilot was shut down across the union in January 2024, so it is not an option. Shopkeepa records how each sale was paid (cash, card, bank transfer, local wallet or other), so the drawer total is clear when you cash up. It does not process payments.
Hurricane season and power cuts
Hurricane season runs from June to November, and a storm or even heavy swell can stop ferries and interrupt power and phone signal. Shopkeepa is built with unreliable connections in mind, so a short outage should not stop you selling. Keep a phone or tablet charged, and count the drawer against the day's sales once things settle. The hurricane season shop checklist lists what to do before a storm.
Common questions
Does Shopkeepa work in Eastern Caribbean dollars?
Yes. Prices, sales and reports are in EC dollars. Currency is a shop setting rather than something fixed in the app.
Does my shop in Saint Vincent need to charge VAT?
Only if you are registered. The IRD says businesses grossing EC$300,000 in annual sales should register. Check with the Inland Revenue Department or an accountant for your own case.
Can Shopkeepa handle the 16% rate and zero-rated items?
VAT can be switched on at the rate you choose and each product marked taxable or not, so zero-rated items stay at 0%. Shopkeepa keeps the records. It does not file returns with the IRD.
Can a shop in Bequia, Canouan or Union Island use Shopkeepa?
Yes, on a phone, tablet or computer. It is built with unreliable connections in mind, and the restock list helps you plan what to bring over on each trip.
Is Shopkeepa available in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines now?
Not yet. Shopkeepa is in development, and shops here can join the early access waitlist to try it first and help shape it.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked on 6 October 2026. Rules, rates and products change, so confirm anything important with the source.
- Inland Revenue Department, St Vincent and the Grenadines: Taxes (VAT rates, threshold, filing date, interest)
- Ministry of Finance, St Vincent and the Grenadines: VAT return and payment process
- Jaden Sun Fast Ferry: Kingstown, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island service
- Bequia Fast Ferries: passengers, cargo and vehicles
- ECCB: EC dollar peg at EC$2.70 to US$1.00 since 1976
Related
A hurricane season checklist for Caribbean shop owners
Plan for the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season: what to stock, how to protect stock and cash, back up your records, and how to write off storm damage properly.
GuideWhat to do about slow-moving and dead stock
How to spot slow-moving and dead stock in a small shop, measure sell-through, see the cash it ties up, clear it sensibly and buy less of it next time.
GuideHow to set reorder points so you never run out
Learn the reorder point formula for a small shop: average daily sales times lead time, plus safety stock. A worked example with plain numbers and a checklist.
CountryShop software for Grenadian shops
Selling, stock and low-stock reminders for shops in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, in EC dollars with 15% VAT as a shop setting. No POS hardware.
FeatureSee what sells and what makes you money
Simple sales and profit reports for small shops: sales by day, week and month, best sellers, slow movers, inventory value and gross profit where cost is known.