How to Track Reseller Profit (Including Fees and Shipping)

If you flip items on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, or Depop, the sale price isn't your profit. Fees, shipping, supplies, and what you paid for the item all come out first. Tracking each item is the only way to know which sourcing trips and categories actually pay.

The basic formula

Profit = sale price + shipping charged to the buyer − item cost − platform fees − payment processing − shipping you paid − supplies

Worked example, a jacket bought at a thrift store:

Fee rates differ by platform and category and change over time, so use the actual fee shown on each sale rather than a guess.

Step 1: Log every item when you buy it

Give each item a short SKU or number and record the date, where you got it, and what you paid. If you buy a bundle or bag lot, split the cost across the items (for example, a $20 lot of 5 shirts is $4 each).

Step 2: Record the sale details when it sells

Date sold, platform, sale price, fees, shipping paid, and supplies. Most platforms show the fee breakdown on the order page. Copy it while it's in front of you.

Step 3: Watch these numbers monthly

• Total profit for the month.
• Profit per item and average days to sell: slow items tie up money and space.
• Profit by platform: the same item can net very different amounts.
• Profit by source: which thrift stores, sales, or lots are worth your time.
• Unsold inventory cost: money already spent that hasn't come back yet.

Step 4: Track business costs that aren't tied to one item

Shipping scale, storage bins, photo lighting, mileage to sourcing trips, and subscription tools. These reduce profit even if no single item shows them.

Taxes

Reselling for profit is generally taxable income, and platforms may send tax forms once you pass certain reporting thresholds. Keeping item cost and fee records makes it much easier to report profit rather than gross sales. Rules vary, so check current guidance or a tax professional. This isn't tax advice.

Common mistakes

• Counting sale price as income and forgetting fees.
• Not recording what you paid, so the cost is lost by the time it sells.
• Ignoring returns and refunds.
• Forgetting supplies and mileage.

If you want a spreadsheet for this: the Reseller Inventory & Profit Tracker ($9, Excel and Google Sheets) logs up to 500 items with cost, sale price, platform and shipping, and works out fees, profit, ROI and days to sell per item. Its platform fees start as 10% placeholders, so type in your platforms' current rates. If reselling is one of several side incomes, the Side Hustle Income & Expense Tracker ($7) shows profit by month and stream with a tax set-aside estimate at a % you choose. A sheet you build yourself works too.

Honest note: I make these templates and sell them under Cedar & Ledger, so I'd earn from a purchase. General information only, not tax or financial advice.

Try the free side hustle tax calculator (how much to set aside) →

Try the free break-even calculator (profit per sale and sales needed) →

Try the free profit and loss calculator →

Try the free markup vs. margin calculator →

Try the free Etsy fee calculator →

Try the free reseller profit calculator →

Related template: Reseller Inventory & Profit Tracker. Also see: Side Hustle Income & Expense Tracker

See all Cedar & Ledger templates