Reseller Ops
Bookkeeping for Resellers: Tracking Income, COGS, and Taxes
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Sales numbers feel good to watch. Cost of goods sold is the number that tells you whether those sales are actually making money.
Why COGS Matters More Than Revenue
Two sellers with identical monthly revenue can have completely different profit if one paid twice as much per item on average. Without tracking cost basis per item, you’re only seeing half the picture.
A Simple Tracking System That Actually Sticks
A single spreadsheet row per item — cost, platform, sale price, fees, shipping — beats an elaborate system you abandon after two weeks. Consistency matters more than sophistication here.
Platform Fees and Shipping Are Expenses Too
Every fee a marketplace deducts and every dollar spent on packaging and postage is a real business expense, not just a smaller payout. Recording gross sale price without these numbers overstates your margin.
Getting Ready for Tax Season Early
Reconciling monthly instead of once a year catches missing receipts while you can still find them. Waiting until tax season turns bookkeeping into an archaeology project.
