If you’re a reseller, you’ve probably looked at your sales numbers and thought, “Wow, I’m doing great!” And yes, those sales are exciting! But they don’t actually tell you how much you’re keeping.

Real profit for resellers looks very different from your sales totals. Understanding real profit versus payouts is one of the biggest challenges for new and experienced sellers. Many resellers feel confused or frustrated when their bank account doesn’t match their sales… and that’s because the platform is only showing payouts, not their real profit.

I’m here to break this down in a simple way so you can feel confident about your numbers moving forward.

What “Real Profit” Actually Means

Real profit is what you truly made after every cost is taken out, and learning how to calculate profit as a reseller starts with knowing which expenses matter.

A marketplace might show that you sold an item for $50… but after inventory, fees, shipping, and supplies, you might only keep $15.

That $15 is your real profit; the number that actually matters for your business.

The Costs You MUST Include (Most Resellers Forget These)

To figure out your real profit, here are the main costs you need to include:

Cost of Goods (COGS)

• What you paid for inventory
  
• Shipping to you (if you purchased the item online)
  
• Any materials you needed to prep the item
  

Marketplace Fees

• Whatnot seller fees
  
• eBay final value fees
  
• Amazon fees
  
• Payment processor fees
  

Shipping Costs

Even if the buyer pays for shipping, it can still affect your totals if the amount they paid doesn’t fully cover the actual cost of mailing the item (plus some platforms take fees on the shipping amount, too).

Packaging Supplies

Mailers, poly bags, tape, bubble wrap, boxes, labels; these all add up more than most resellers realize.

Refunds, Cancellations & Lost Packages

If you have to replace an item or lose money on a return, that directly reduces your profit.

If keeping track of all these moving pieces feels overwhelming, this guide on whether you need a bookkeeper or an accountant can help you understand what support makes sense for your business.

How to Calculate Real Profit 

Now, you need to know how to calculate your real profit! Here is a simple example formula to use to help you figure this out!

Item sold: $40

Inventory Cost: $8

Shipping Cost: $4

Marketplace fees: $6

Packaging: $1

Real Profit = $21

To make tracking your expenses even easier, get this free guide!

A Simple Way to Track Profit (Without Doing Math for Every Item)

The truth is, most resellers don’t have the time to track profit for every item. Instead of tracking profit per item, use a system that gives you accuracy and simplicity.

One easy method is to group similar items together and calculate an average cost and average profit margin for each category. For example, you might track all clothing together, all mugs together, all books together, or all plushies together. Once you know the average profit for each type of item, you can use those numbers as a guide for everything you sell in that category.

Another simple option is to calculate your profit weekly or monthly, not per sale. Add up your total sales for that period, subtract all inventory purchased, shipping costs, marketplace fees, packaging supplies, and refunds. This gives you a clear picture of what you actually kept during that timeframe, and it’s much easier to maintain long-term.

The goal isn’t to perfectly track every penny from every item; it’s to build a simple system that tells you whether your business is actually profitable each month.

Feeling unsure if your reseller business is actually profitable? Let’s take a look at your numbers together. Schedule a free call with me, and I’ll help you understand your real profit so you can grow with confidence.

Clarity Helps You Grow

When you understand your real profit, you make smarter decisions—what to source more of, what to stop buying, how to price your items, and where your money is actually going.

You don’t need a complicated system to get clarity. You just need consistent, simple tracking that works for you.

Does keeping up with your own bookkeeping feel impossible with everything else on your plate? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to do it by yourself.

💬 Are you struggling to keep up with tracking your transactions?
Schedule a call with me, and we’ll talk through exactly what your business needs so you can feel confident, organized, and profitable.

Disclaimer:

Ever Leslie Bookkeeping provides bookkeeping and financial organization services. We are not CPAs and do not provide tax advice or file taxes. The information shared in this post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as tax, legal, or financial advice. Please consult with a licensed CPA or tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.