Reseller ROI Calculator: Net Profit, Velocity, and Max Buy Price
Calculate reseller ROI after platform fees, buyer shipping, seller shipping, packing, reserve, labor, hourly target, days to sell, and target buy price. See the decision before sourcing.
ROI Signals
Efficiency Tip
A high ROI can still be a weak buy when cleaning, testing, photography, or listing work eats the profit. Enter hours and your own hourly target, then use the decision panel to spot one-off labor traps.
How to Use the Reseller ROI Calculator
Use this tool before sourcing when the real decision is whether the cash, time, and shipping risk are worth tying up inventory. The calculator starts with expected gross revenue, subtracts fees and seller costs, and then compares profit against total cost, labor time, your hourly target, expected days to sell, and your target ROI.
- Enter the conservative sold comp. Use an item in similar condition with similar shipping terms.
- Model the platform fee basis. Buyer shipping and estimated buyer tax can matter when the selected platform fee uses an order-total basis.
- Add seller costs. Include the label you pay, packing supplies, and a return or markdown reserve when the category is risky.
- Check time and velocity. A high ROI item can still be a weak buy if it misses your hourly target or takes too long to turn.
What Each Output Decides
Profit divided by total estimated cost. Use it to compare capital efficiency across buys with different costs.
Profit divided by sale price. Use it to see how much of the sale price remains after fees and costs.
Profit divided by entered labor hours. Use it against your target hourly rate when cleaning, testing, photography, or listing work changes the real value of the flip.
The highest buy price that still reaches your selected ROI target after fees, shipping, packing, and reserve.
Decision Guardrails
| Signal | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Negative profit | Skip, counter, or find a higher comp. The sale price does not cover estimated costs. |
| Low ROI | Only source if sell-through is fast, prep is minimal, or the item completes a bundle. |
| Low hourly return | Batch the workflow, lower the buy ceiling, or pass on one-off cleanup, testing, and listing work that misses your hourly target. |
| Slow cash velocity | Lower the buy ceiling or reserve capital for faster-turning inventory. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate reseller ROI?
Subtract fees, seller-paid shipping, packing, reserve, and buy cost from gross revenue. Divide the profit by total cost and multiply by 100.
Why include expected days to sell?
Days to sell turns profit into a cash-velocity estimate. It helps compare a lower-profit item that sells quickly with a larger item that holds capital for months.
Should buyer-paid shipping be counted as revenue?
It is part of gross revenue when the buyer pays it, but it can also affect marketplace fees. Enter it separately so fee presets can model the order basis.
What reserve percentage should I use?
Use your own return, defect, markdown, or damage history first. If you are unsure, keep a small reserve and stress-test higher values before buying fragile, fit-sensitive, or untested inventory.
Related Reselling Calculators
Compare exact fee presets before trusting the ROI output.
Find the minimum sale price after all costs and target profit.
Use receipt-level COGS when sales tax was paid at sourcing.
Convert target margins into fee-aware list prices.
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