Ecommerce Profitability Workbench

See the cost stack behind one order before a discount, free-shipping rule, returns policy, or higher CAC turns revenue into a loss.

Need the components separately? Use the Pricing Calculator, Shipping Quote Comparison, and Inventory Reorder Worksheet.

Ecommerce profitability workbench

Model one order using costs and rates you can support. This local worksheet does not connect to a store, ad platform, carrier, payment processor, tax engine, or returns system.

Revenue and promotion

Enter the actual discount you expect this order to receive.

Used only for the displayed price floor; enter 0 if you only need break-even.

Per-order cost stack

How True Profit per Order Works

The workbench starts with list price after the discount you enter, then subtracts payment fees, product, packaging, fulfilment, shipping subsidy, an expected return-cost allowance, and CAC. It makes each assumption visible rather than fabricating a store, carrier, payment, returns, or advertising integration.

Formula

Contribution after CAC = price after entered discount − payment fee − product − packaging − fulfilment − shipping subsidy − expected return cost − CAC.

Key Features

  • ✓Full per-order cost stack from entered inputs
  • ✓Expected return-cost allowance
  • ✓Contribution before and after customer acquisition cost
  • ✓Break-even CAC and price floor for an entered target contribution
  • ✓Copy and CSV workflow handoff

Pro Tip

Use measured data from the same period and channel where possible. A lower shipping quote, different payment method, return policy, discount, or attribution rule can change the decision materially.

A decision model, not a data connection

The workbench deliberately asks for your own values. It cannot know a carrier surcharge, processor pricing tier, return recovery, refund policy, tax treatment, promotion redemption, or attributed CAC unless you enter a supported assumption. That makes the output auditable and useful for comparing like with like.

Worked example

For a $60 item with a 10% discount, $18 product cost, $1 packaging, $3 fulfilment, $4 shipping subsidy, a 3% plus $0.30 payment fee, a 5% return rate with $12 cost per return, and $10 CAC, the workbench shows whether the remaining contribution can support that acquisition. Change only one assumption at a time when comparing a promotion or fulfilment option.

What to do next

If contribution is thin, verify the cost source first. Then test price and discount policy, actual fulfilment quotes, return handling, and CAC separately before committing a customer-facing offer.

Related tools

Continue your workflow with the next useful tool.

These links stay within the same decision path so you can move to the next calculation without starting over.

Pricing CalculatorTest a price from entered costs and margin goalsShipping Quote ComparisonCompare the all-in quotes and shipping costs you enterInventory Reorder WorksheetReview stock and reorder assumptions behind the cost stackCustomer Acquisition Cost CalculatorCheck the acquisition cost that enters the order model

How these links are chosen

We only link to closely related pages so each next step supports the same decision.

Report an issue

Found a wrong result, missing option, or confusing explanation? Send it through and we will review the tool.

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