All guidesPricing · 5 min
Product costs sellers should track from day one
A practical cost list for sellers who want cleaner pricing decisions before the spreadsheet gets complicated.
Track direct product costs
Materials, components, labels, packaging that ships with the product and outsourced production all belong in the cost base.
If a cost is required to create or ship the order, it should not live in your memory.
Track waste and testing
Samples, failed batches and damaged items are part of real production. Ignoring them makes the successful units look cheaper than they are.
You can allocate these costs simply at first. Precision can improve as order volume grows.
Keep costs easy to update
Costs change. Build a habit of reviewing supplier prices, postage and packaging regularly.
A simple monthly cost review can prevent months of underpriced sales.