Free import tool
Profit Margin Calculator for Importers
Work out gross and net profit, margin, mark-up, and break-even for imported goods. Factor in shipping, import duty, and other costs to see your real profitability.
Your profitability
Enter a cost and selling price to see your results.
How to use the profit margin calculator
A profit margin calculator for importers helps you understand whether a product is actually worth buying once every cost is included. Enter your unit cost price (what you pay the supplier), your selling price, and then the variable costs that erode margin: shipping per unit, import duty as a percentage, and any other per-unit costs such as packaging, fulfillment, or payment fees.
The calculator returns gross profit and gross margin based on cost and selling price alone, then net profit and net margin after all landed costs are subtracted. Gross margin is useful for a quick screen, but net margin is the number that determines whether your business makes money. It also shows your mark-up — the percentage you add on top of cost — and a reference break-even quantity so you can sanity-check fixed-cost coverage.
Margin and mark-up are often confused. Margin is profit as a percentage of the selling price, while mark-up is profit as a percentage of the cost. A 50% mark-up is only a 33% margin. Importers who price using mark-up but report using margin frequently overestimate profitability, so seeing both figures side by side prevents costly pricing mistakes.
Use this tool while comparing supplier quotes: a cheaper unit price can disappear once higher shipping or duty is included, so always compare on net margin rather than headline cost. Combine it with our tariff calculator to estimate import duty accurately, then feed that percentage back into this calculator for a complete landed-cost picture.
FAQ
Profit margin calculator FAQ
What is the difference between gross and net margin?
Gross margin is profit as a percentage of selling price using only the product cost. Net margin subtracts all additional costs — shipping, import duty, and other per-unit costs — so it reflects what you actually keep after a sale.
How do I calculate profit margin?
Margin = (selling price − total cost) ÷ selling price × 100. This calculator does it automatically and also separates gross from net so you can see the impact of shipping and duty.
What is the difference between margin and mark-up?
Mark-up is profit as a percentage of cost; margin is profit as a percentage of selling price. A 50% mark-up equals a 33.3% margin. Confusing the two is one of the most common pricing errors importers make.
What is a good profit margin for imported products?
It varies by industry, but many importers target a net margin of 20–40% to cover overhead, marketing, returns, and risk. Commodity products run thinner; differentiated or branded products can run higher.
How is break-even quantity calculated here?
The reference break-even shows how many units you would need to sell to cover $1,000 of fixed costs at your current net profit per unit. Replace $1,000 with your own fixed costs to plan order volume.
Can Workus help me improve margins?
Yes. By sourcing verified suppliers, automating RFQs, and comparing quotes side by side, Workus helps you negotiate better unit costs and lower landed cost — directly improving your net margin.
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