Seller utility
Seller profit & break-even calculator
Enter cost, shipping, packaging, commission and price — profit per order, margin, markup and break-even price update live. Add a target margin to reverse-solve the price you should charge.
Profit per order
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How the numbers relate
Total cost = purchase cost + shipping + packaging + other fixed fees. Platform fee = sale price × commission %. Profit = price − cost − fee. Margin measures profit against the price (profit ÷ price), markup measures it against the cost (profit ÷ cost) — a 50% markup on cost is only a 33% margin on price. Break-even price = cost ÷ (1 − commission); selling below it loses money on every order. The target-margin price works the same formula backwards: cost ÷ (1 − commission − target margin).
Bring your own rates
Commission and other rates are whatever you type — the tool does not pull live marketplace fee schedules, so check your platform's current rate card (category commission, payment fee, ad spend) before trusting the number for a real listing.
Frequently asked
Margin vs markup — what's the difference?
Margin = profit ÷ price (what share of the sale is profit); markup = profit ÷ cost (how much you added on top of cost). Cost 50 sold at 100 is a 100% markup but only a 50% margin. Negotiations usually quote margin; internal pricing often thinks in markup.
Why isn't break-even just my cost?
Because commission is charged on the sale price. Break-even = cost ÷ (1 − fee rate): at 5% commission, break-even ≈ cost ÷ 0.95 — selling at cost already loses money after the platform's cut.
What commission should I enter?
Your actual marketplace rate: category commission + payment processing + any per-order service fee (fixed parts go under "other fixed fees"). Rates change and this tool doesn't fetch them — check the platform's current rate card before pricing.
How does the target-margin price work?
Target margin is measured on the price (profit ÷ price): the reverse-solved price = cost ÷ (1 − fee − target margin). If you think in "30% on top of cost", convert markup to margin first or cross-check with the markup figure.
Should returns and shipping insurance count?
Yes — add return rate × per-return cost and insurance to "other fixed fees". Leaving them out makes the margin look better than reality, especially in high-return categories like apparel.
Further reading
Apple says memory costs and Siri AI will weigh on holiday quarter profit margins