How many orders a month until my online store turns a profit?
You find it by dividing your fixed expenses by the contribution margin each order leaves behind; the resulting number is the order count at which you make neither profit nor loss that month. Every order above that number counts as profit.
Break-even orders = Monthly fixed expenses ÷ (Unit selling price − Unit variable expense)
Orders for target profit = (Fixed expenses + Target profit) ÷ Unit contribution margin
Which expenses count as fixed and which as variable in e-commerce?
An expense whose amount does not change when the number of sales changes is fixed; an expense that arises with each order is variable. The most common mistake in e-commerce is to bury shipping and payment commission in fixed expenses and see a larger contribution margin than there really is.
| Fixed (monthly) | Variable (per order) |
|---|---|
| Warehouse or office rent | Product purchase or production cost |
| Staff salaries | Shipping fee (if you don't pass it on to the customer) |
| E-commerce infrastructure subscription | Virtual POS or payment institution commission |
| Accounting service | Box, filler, label |
| Fixed advertising budget | Marketplace commission |
Find the shipping amount with tools like shipping cost calculation and, for marketplace sales, the commission with Trendyol commission calculation, and add them to the variable expense.
How does a discount campaign change the break-even point?
Because a discount directly shrinks the contribution margin, it enlarges the break-even number of orders disproportionately. See what the price does at three different levels for the same candle set:
| Selling price | Contribution margin | Break-even orders |
|---|---|---|
| ₺378 (10% discount) | 118 ₺ | 712 |
| ₺420 (list price) | 160 ₺ | 525 |
| ₺441 (5% increase) | 181 ₺ | 465 |
A 10% discount lowers the price by only ₺42, yet it takes 187 more orders to cover the same expenses. When planning a campaign, ask whether the discount will raise sales by at least that proportion; the discount calculation tool shows the same question from the profit side.
What should I do if the break-even point comes out very high?
First compare the daily break-even order count with your current sales pace; if the gap is large, use one or several of three levers.
- Increase the basket value. Bundle, package or complementary product suggestions reduce the shipping and packaging share per order.
- Lower the variable expense through negotiation. A shipping agreement, bulk purchasing or a payment option with a better commission is reflected in every order.
- Set the price by cost, not by competitor. For pricing methods, see the product pricing guide.
If you sell several products, calculate with the sales-weighted average price and average variable expense; for per-product profitability, use the profit margin calculation tool.
Why does the break-even point rise in marketplace sales?
Because a commission is added to every order on a marketplace, the variable expense grows, the contribution margin shrinks, and more orders are needed to cover the same fixed expenses. That is why a separate break-even calculation per channel answers the question “which channel is really carrying me?”.
In the candle set example, on a marketplace with, say, a 20% commission, ₺84 commission comes off a ₺420 sale. The variable expense rises from ₺260 to ₺344 and the contribution margin falls to ₺76. If all sales came through this channel, break-even would be 84,000 ÷ 76 ≈ 1,106 orders; on your own site it is 525. Find the rate for your own category with the Hepsiburada commission calculation or N11 commission calculation tools.
Updated: · Calculations are for information only; consult your accountant for official transactions.