Sort and Track Your Books

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)? 

As a small business owner, keeping track of your financials is essential, especially when it comes to tax season. One important aspect of your finances that you need to pay attention to is the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). COGS is the direct cost of producing or purchasing the products that you sell, and it is subtracted from your revenue to calculate your gross profit. To be prepared for tax season, it is crucial to keep track of your COGS throughout the year, and one way to do that is by arranging and processing books by price. In this article, we will explore the various methods to track COGS efficiently and predictably.

What is the Cost of Good Sold?

COGS is the direct cost of producing or purchasing the products that you sell. These costs include the cost of materials, labor, and any other direct expenses related to the production or purchase of the goods. For instance, if you sell books, the COGS would include the cost of the books themselves, shipping and handling fees, and any taxes or tariffs you paid to get them. COGS is essential for calculating your gross profit, which is the revenue you earn minus the direct costs of producing the goods. Knowing your COGS allows you to price your products appropriately, and it also helps you keep track of your profits and losses.

Why is Tracking COGS Important?

Tracking COGS is essential for several reasons. First, it helps you understand your business's profitability. By subtracting your COGS from your revenue, you can calculate your gross profit. This metric is crucial because it indicates how much money you have left after paying for the direct costs of producing or purchasing your products. Second, tracking COGS can help you price your products appropriately. By knowing your direct costs, you can set prices that are competitive and profitable. Third, tracking COGS can help you make informed decisions about your business. For instance, if you find that your COGS are too high, you may need to explore ways to reduce your costs or increase your prices.

How to Track COGS Efficiently and Predictably

One way to track COGS efficiently and predictably is by arranging and tracking books by price. You can do this by embedding the price paid in a custom SKU as you list the books. A Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), is a unique identifier that helps you keep track of your inventory. By adding the price paid to the SKU, you can easily calculate your COGS at the end of the year. For instance, if you paid $5 for a book, you can create a custom SKU to indicate that you paid $5 for that particular book. You can create custom SKUs while listing using software like Bulklister.  

Potential Profit/Weight 

In order to minimize shipping costs and maximize profits, it can be beneficial to hold off on sending heavy or low-value books until they can be included in a more suitable shipment. Shipping heavier books can lead to increased costs, which can ultimately reduce profit margins. By waiting until a more opportune time to ship these books to a warehouse closer to your location, you can optimize your shipping strategy and save money in the process. Similarly, books with a low potential for profit can be categorized as heavy or low-profit and set aside to be shipped at a later time.

To make more informed decisions about which books to send and when it can be helpful to sort your inventory by weight or potential profit. This allows you to prioritize which books to send based on their profitability and shipping costs. By adopting this approach, you can work more efficiently with heavy or low-value books and ensure that shipments are only sent to local warehouses where the cost of shipping is more reasonable.