ROI (Return on Investment) measures how much profit you make relative to your total investment.
What this calculator does
Good eBay ROI benchmarks: <20% poor, 20–50% good, 50%+ excellent.
How it works
Example: Invest $25 total, sell for $58, net $24.91 profit = 99.6% ROI.
When to use this calculator
Use this calculator when preparing for a business decision that depends on this metric. Calculating the figure in advance — rather than estimating — prevents the kind of imprecision that leads to suboptimal choices.
Common mistakes
The most consequential business calculation error is excluding indirect costs from the calculation. Labour, overhead, and opportunity cost are frequently omitted when evaluating profitability, producing overstated margin figures.
Real-world scenarios
A product manager calculates gross margin for a new product line: manufacturing cost £8.50, proposed retail price £24.99. The calculator returns a 66% gross margin — above the company's 60% threshold, confirming the pricing is viable before taking it to the finance team.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good ROI on eBay?
50%+ per item is excellent. Under 20% may not be worth the time and effort.