Commission & Tax Settings
Sell Services > Settings > Commission & Tax
Direct link: wp-admin/admin.php?page=wpss-settings#commission
Two things live here: what the platform keeps from every sale, and whether tax is added at the standalone checkout. They are separate cards with separate Save buttons.
Settings are hash-routed.
#commissionscrolls to this tab; there is no?tab=parameter.
Commission Settings
| Field | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission Rate (%) | Number, 0-50, step 0.1 | 10 |
The platform's cut of each order |
| Per-Vendor Rates | Checkbox | On | Allows a per-vendor rate to override the default |
| Tip Commission Rate (%) | Number, 0-50, step 0.1 | empty | The cut taken from tips |
Commission Rate
The percentage the platform keeps. On a 20% rate and a $100 order, the platform keeps $20 and the vendor earns $80.
Commission is calculated on the subtotal plus add-ons, before tax, and is recorded on the order when it is created -- so a rate change never retroactively alters an existing order. Change the rate whenever you like; only new orders see it.
Per-Vendor Rates
Leave this on unless you have a reason not to. With it enabled you can set a different rate on an individual vendor's profile (Sell Services > Vendors), which is how most marketplaces reward high performers or run an introductory deal. Turn it off and every vendor pays the global rate, and per-vendor values are ignored.
Pro adds a third layer above both -- see Commission Rules below.
Tip Commission Rate
Tips are optional extra payments from a buyer to a vendor after good work, and you get to decide whether the platform takes a cut of them.
- Leave it empty -- tips use the main commission rate. A vendor nets the same proportion as on any order.
- Set it to
0-- vendors keep 100% of every tip. - Set a number -- that rate applies to tips only.
0 is the common choice: a tip is a gesture between two people, and taking a
cut of it tends to read badly to both.
Tips credit the vendor immediately. The commission is taken at the moment the buyer pays the tip, not when anything completes. See Money Flow.
Commission Rules [PRO]
Pro adds a rules engine above the flat rate. Define rules that match on service category, seller level or sales volume, each with its own rate and priority.
Rules are evaluated in priority order and the first match wins -- they do not stack. Order them so the most specific rule sits highest, or a broad rule will shadow everything under it.
The rules table saves over AJAX, not with the tab's Save button. Use its own Add / Save controls.
See Tiered Commission.
Tax Settings
| Field | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Tax | Checkbox | Off | Adds tax to standalone orders |
| Tax Label | Text | Tax |
What buyers see -- VAT, GST, Sales Tax |
| Tax Rate (%) | Number, 0-50, step 0.01 | 0 |
Applied to all services |
| Prices Include Tax | Checkbox | Off | Whether listed prices already contain tax |
These settings apply to the standalone checkout only
If WooCommerce, EDD or FluentCart runs your checkout, that platform calculates tax using its own tax configuration, and everything in this card is ignored. On WooCommerce, configure tax under WooCommerce > Settings > Tax.
Prices Include Tax
- Off (default) -- listed prices are pre-tax and tax is added at checkout. A $100 service at 20% shows a $120 total.
- On -- listed prices already contain tax, and the checkout shows how much of the price is tax. A $100 service at 20% stays $100, of which $16.67 is tax.
Inclusive pricing is the norm in the UK and EU; exclusive is the norm in the US.
One rate, all services
The plugin applies a single rate to everything. There is no per-category rate, no per-country rate, and no VAT MOSS / digital-services handling. If you owe different rates in different jurisdictions, run checkout on WooCommerce and use its tax tables, or a dedicated tax plugin.