Know your profit before you buy.
Thrift flippers lose money when fees, shipping, and repairs eat into the margin. This calculator shows your real net profit and break-even price in seconds.
Profit Estimator
Quick Reference: Platform Fees & Hidden Costs
Print this card or bookmark the page. These numbers change, so double-check your seller dashboard before listing.
eBay
- Final value fee: ~13% for most categories (managed payments)
- Insertion fee: First 250 listings free per month
- Promoted listing fees: Set by seller, 2% to 100%+
- Payment processing included in the ~13%
Poshmark
- Flat 20% commission on sales over $15
- $2.95 fee on sales under $15
- Prepaid shipping label provided (cost deducted from your payout)
- No listing fees
Mercari
- 10% selling fee
- 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee
- Free to list
- Mercari prepaid labels available at discount
Facebook Marketplace
- Local pickup: No seller fees
- Shipped orders: 5% selling fee (min $0.40)
- You arrange your own shipping for local
- Payout processing time: Up to 14 days
Costs People Forget
- Poly mailer: $0.10 to $0.35 each
- Cardboard box (small): $0.50 to $1.50
- Packing tape, labels, bubble wrap: $0.15 to $0.50 per package
- Gas to and from the thrift store
- Listing photos (phone data, lighting supplies)
- Your time photographing, describing, and shipping
Print This Card
Use the print button in the results panel or hit Ctrl+P to save this section as a PDF. Stick it near your packing station.
How to Use This Estimator (With an Example)
Say you find a vintage denim jacket at Goodwill for $8. It has a small tear you can sew up in 20 minutes with thread you already own. You think it will sell for $35 on Mercari. Here is how to fill in the form:
- Category: Pick "Clothing" to load clothing defaults.
- Purchase price: Enter 8.00.
- Repair cost: Enter 0.00 if you already have thread, or add the cost of a new spool if not.
- Selling price: Enter 35.00.
- Platform: Select Mercari (10%).
- Shipping: If you offer free shipping, enter what you expect to pay (say $5.50) in "Your actual shipping cost" and put $0 in "Shipping cost" (what the buyer pays). If you charge the buyer $6 for shipping, put $6 in "Shipping cost" and $5.50 in "Your actual shipping cost." The $0.50 difference goes into your profit.
- Packaging: Add about $0.30 for a poly mailer.
The calculator shows a net profit of about $17.25 with a 49% margin. That is a solid flip. If the jacket were stained and needed $10 in cleaning supplies, the profit drops to $7.25. Now you can decide at the store whether it is worth it.
Common Mistakes That Eat Your Profit
- Forgetting packaging supplies. A $0.30 poly mailer does not sound like much, but it adds up over 50 sales a month ($15).
- Ignoring the difference between what the buyer pays for shipping and what you actually pay. Always check your carrier rates.
- Not accounting for platform fee changes. eBay and Mercari adjust rates at least once a year.
- Overestimizing the selling price. Search completed listings, not active ones, to see what items actually sell for.
- Skipping the time cost. If you spend 30 minutes per item and flip 20 items a month, that is 10 hours. Is your hourly return worth it?
Thrift Store Negotiation Tips
- Ask for a discount on damaged or incomplete items. Most managers will knock 20% to 50% off.
- Shop on discount days. Many Goodwill locations have color-tag sales on a rotating schedule.
- Build a relationship with staff. They may hold items they know you will buy.
- Bring a calculator or use this estimator on your phone while shopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform fee should I use?
Check your seller dashboard. eBay takes about 13% for most categories. Poshmark takes a flat 20% on sales over $15. Mercari takes 10% plus payment processing. Facebook Marketplace has no seller fee for local pickup but charges 5% for shipped orders. The calculator includes presets for each.
Should I include my time as a cost?
That is up to you. The calculator has an optional time cost field. Enter your expected minutes and hourly rate. This gives you a more honest picture, especially if you flip regularly.
What if I sell locally and ship nothing?
Set shipping cost to zero and pick "Facebook Marketplace (local)" as your platform. The calculator skips shipping fields and shows net profit minus just purchase price, repairs, and any local fees.
Can I save my estimates?
Your last 20 estimates are saved in your browser automatically. You can also copy a share link that encodes all your inputs in the URL. Open that link later and the form fills itself in. Nothing is sent to a server.
What is the break-even price?
It is the minimum selling price where your net profit hits zero. Below that number you lose money. The calculator shows this right under the profit result so you know your floor before you list.
How accurate are the platform fee presets?
They reflect common rates as of early 2026. Platforms change fees, offer volume discounts, and sometimes charge extra for promoted listings. Use the presets as a starting point and adjust with the custom fee option if your rate differs.