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Margin versus markup calculator from Profits Plus

Is it Margin or Markup? Many times you are asked, "What is your markup on that item?" Perhaps this phrase is used because when you lower the price, you take a 'markdown'. This calculator demonstrates the difference in a margin and a markup. To determine your margin, enter information in one of two ways.

You can enter the cost and desired selling price to determine the margin. Or you can enter the cost and desired margin to determine the selling price.

The answer you get for desired selling price is your Gross Margin.While you can use the calculator below to do the math for you. The gross margin states that the cost of the item is a percentage of the selling price of the item. As an example; the item costs $5.00 and is selling for $10,00. The gross margin is 50% because the cost of the item is 50% of what you are selling it for.

 
Cost of Item: $
Desired Selling Price: $
Desired Gross Margin: (%) %

This is where you calculate the markup of an item. Markup shows the relationship between the cost of the selling price. As in the margin example you can enter the cost and desired markup for an item to get the selling price of an item. Or, you can enter the cost and the selling price of an item to determine the markup. Using the same cost, $5.00, and selling price, $10.00 as above, the markup would be 100% because you are marking up the cost of the product by 100%.

Notice that when you enter the cost in both of these examples and the desired margin or markup, the selling price is going to be different. If you are calculating the markup, the selling price will be lower.

Cost of Item: $  
Desired Markup: (%) %
Desired Selling Price: $
      

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MARCH 2026
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Small Business

AdvisoriES


Every time I see the logo for Target stores, I think about small businesses and the need to know which people to target as their customers. Of course, of most importance is the person who has spent any money with your business.

 

I ask businesses if they know how much the average person spends with their business. Most offer a quick response with a dollar amount. That answer is incorrect as they are telling me what the average existing customer is spending. The average person in any community spends no money with that small business.

 

Looking for new customers without any plan of how to do so is just spending money. That is why every small business needs to know how to find and use information. Find ideas in the March Small Business Advisory.

Small Business

NewS

Top Story

Employee retention; is it important? Or is it easier to lose an employee and wait for the next applicant to walk in the door? The Small Business News for March shares some statistics of the expense you incur when you make the change instead of working to retain a current employee.

Article of the Month

It is baseball season and we use the sport as an explanation of the cost of growing your business. In Boston's Fenway Park, left field has a wall that is know as the green monster.

 

And that is what growing your business is - a monster! You can't successfully grow your business without a plan and knowing you will have the cash on hand to pay for the growth.


Book of the Month

Are you selling something or persuading the customer? With your employees are you repeatedly telling that employee or are you persuading them to excel?

 

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Ciaidini is our suggested book for March 2026. Most definitely an appropriate read.

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.
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BOOK US

With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading Small Business Management Expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.

Small Business

Advisories

Every time I see the logo for Target stores, I think about small businesses and the need to know which people to target as their customers. Of course, of most importance is the person who has spent any money with your business.

 

I ask businesses if they know how much the average person spends with their business. Most offer a quick response with a dollar amount. That answer is incorrect as they are telling me what the average existing customer is spending. The average person in any community spends no money with that small business.

 

Looking for new customers without any plan of how to do so is just spending money. That is why every small business needs to know how to find and use information. Find ideas in the March Small Business Advisory.

Small Business

News

 

Top Story

Employee retention; is it important? Or is it easier to lose an employee and wait for the next applicant to walk in the door? The Small Business News for March shares some statistics of the expense you incur when you make the change instead of working to retain a current employee.


Article of the Month

It is baseball season and we use the sport as an explanation of the cost of growing your business. In Boston's Fenway Park, left field has a wall that is know as the green monster.

 

And that is what growing your business is - a monster! You can't successfully grow your business without a plan and knowing you will have the cash on hand to pay for the growth.


Book of the Month

Are you selling something or persuading the customer? With your employees are you repeatedly telling that employee or are you persuading them to excel?

 

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Ciaidini is our suggested book for March 2026. Most definitely an appropriate read.

 

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.