Set a cost ceiling before the purchase

Enter a realistic sale price, choose your marketplace or fee rate, then enter shipping, packaging and other expenses. Choose either a dollar-profit target or an ROI target. You do not need to enter a purchase cost to solve the ceiling.

For a dollar target, maximum item cost is expected revenue minus fees, other expenses and desired profit. For an ROI target, the engine solves the investment ceiling first, then subtracts other expenses. It does not use the current purchase-cost field to decide that ceiling.

Hypothetical sourcing decision

A $50 sale with 10% seller fees leaves $45. If shipping and supplies cost $6 and you want $15 profit, the maximum item cost is $24. For a 100% ROI target, the maximum is $16.50 under the same assumptions. The target changes the answer; neither is a recommended market value.

A negative maximum

A negative result means expected proceeds cannot cover the other expenses and your target, even if the item is free. Recheck the sale estimate and costs. Demand, condition and time to sell still need a separate assessment.

US dollar estimates. Methodology and sourced fee assumptions; sources checked 2026-10-03.