{"id":17000,"date":"2026-04-06T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beup.space\/?p=17000"},"modified":"2026-05-02T16:23:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T09:23:01","slug":"quan-ly-loi-nhuan-ban-hang-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beup.space\/en\/quan-ly-loi-nhuan-ban-hang-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Selling 100 orders per month without knowing the profit \u2014 the most common problem of online sellers"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

This month's revenue is 50 million. Next month's is 70 million. The numbers are increasing steadily, and it feels like we're on the right track. Then comes the 30th \u2014 and the account has less than 2 million left. Nothing's wrong on paper. No one owes us money. There are no unusual expenses. But the money's just not there.<\/p>\n

This is a common situation that most online sellers have experienced at least once \u2014 and many people experience it regularly without finding the cause. This article delves into the mechanism of the problem from the perspective of managing online sales profit<\/strong> which is actually not just about tracking revenue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"I sell 100 orders\/month, but when I calculate, I don't know how much I'm making. I feel like I'm making money, but at the end of the month, the account is empty.\"<\/p>\n

\u2014 A familiar phrase in the Shopee and TikTok Shop seller community<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In this article<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. How do revenue and profit differ?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. What hidden costs are eroding online sales profits?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. The \"scale\" trap \u2014 selling more but earning less<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Cash flow \u2260 profit \u2014 when the money comes in is when it's really yours?<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. How to manage online sales profit with Excel?<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Revenue and profit \u2014 two concepts that are confused with each other every day<\/h2>\n

    Revenue is the amount of money customers pay you. Profit is the amount of money left after deducting all costs to create that order. It sounds simple \u2014 but in the reality of online sales, this boundary is overlooked to a surprising extent.<\/p>\n

    Sellers often look at the revenue figure on the dashboard of the platform \u2014 Shopee, TikTok Shop, or website \u2014 and use it to evaluate whether the month is \"good or bad\". But that figure doesn't account for platform fees, shipping fees, advertising costs, returned goods, or even the capital cost of goods. As a result, sellers are running their business based on systematically distorted data<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    It's not because of a lack of intelligence \u2014 but because the numbers are truly not easy to compile. Platform fees are in the platform's financial reports. Shipping fees are in a separate reconciliation table. Advertising costs are in the Ads account. To know the actual profit, you need to pull data from at least 4-5 different sources and calculate it manually.<\/p>\n

    \n

    5 hidden costs eroding your profit<\/h2>\n

    For an order priced at 200,000\u0111, here's what really happens before the money reaches the seller:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Type of cost<\/th>\nSpecific example<\/th>\nTypical rate<\/th>\nPer 200k order<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Floor discount<\/td>\nShopee 5\u201310%, TikTok 4\u20138%<\/td>\n7%<\/td>\n\u221214,000\u0111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    COD processing fee<\/td>\nReconciliation fee, holding money for 7\u201314 days<\/td>\n1\u20132%<\/td>\n\u22123,000\u0111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Return shipping cost<\/td>\n15\u201325% return rate in the fashion industry<\/td>\n20% of orders<\/td>\n\u22128,000\u0111 on average<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Advertising (Ads)<\/td>\nFlash sale, Shopee Ads, TikTok Ads<\/td>\n8\u201315%<\/td>\n\u221220,000\u0111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Packaging & materials<\/td>\nZipper bags, boxes, tape, labels<\/td>\n3\u20135%<\/td>\n-8,000\u0111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Total hidden costs<\/td>\nNot to mention the cost of goods sold<\/td>\n~27%<\/td>\n-53,000\u0111<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    With a product cost of 120,000\u0111, an order of 200,000\u0111 actually only leaves a profit of around 27,000\u0111 \u2014 that's 13.5%. If the return rate is higher than usual for the month, that number could be 0 or negative, even if the revenue dashboard looks good.<\/p>\n

    \n

    The \"scale\" trap \u2014 selling more but earning less<\/h2>\n

    When revenue increases, the natural instinct is to increase the advertising budget to continue the growth momentum. This logic is correct \u2014 but only if the profit margin per unit is positive and stable. If you don't know that number, \"scaling\" ads is actually replicating losses.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Real-life scenario \u2014 Selling 50 orders vs 200 orders\/month<\/p>\n

    Month 1: 50 orders \u00d7 40,000\u0111 profit per order = 2,000,000\u0111 actual profit<\/strong>. Month 2 increases ads, reaches 200 orders \u2014 but ROAS decreases, return rate increases with quantity, floor fees increase due to participation in Flash Sale programs. Profit per order is now 8,000\u0111. Total profit: 1,600,000\u0111<\/strong> \u2014 selling 4 times more but making 20% less profit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    The reason for this trap is that marginal costs increase with quantity \u2014 especially ads and conversion rates. When scaling, the areas of \"easy-to-close\" customers are depleted, the system has to target a wider range, CPO (cost per order) increases, while the profit margin is not enough to compensate. Sellers look at monthly revenue and see it as beautiful, but actual profits are quietly shrinking.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Cash flow \u2260 profit \u2014 when the money comes in is when it's really yours?<\/h2>\n

    In COD sales, the money doesn't come in immediately after the order is confirmed. The platform holds the money for 7\u201314 days for reconciliation \u2014 during which time the money doesn't belong to the seller, even if the order has been successfully delivered. Not to mention, some orders will be returned during that cycle, and the platform will deduct the amount accordingly.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Profit is an accounting concept. Cash flow is the reality. A shop can have positive profit but still go bankrupt due to negative cash flow \u2014 if the money hasn't come in yet but new stock needs to be ordered for the next campaign.<\/p>\n

    \u2014 Basic financial principle, applicable to both small and large businesses<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    The cash cycle in e-commerce usually lasts 3-4 weeks: importing goods \u2192 packaging \u2192 selling \u2192 delivering \u2192 settling \u2192 receiving money. During those 3-4 weeks, capital is 'stuck' in inventory and accounts receivable from the platform. If growth is rapid without calculating cash flow, sellers will constantly fall into the state of 'high revenue, empty account' \u2014 not because of losses, but because the money hasn't come in yet.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Excel with structure \u2014 a financial solution for online sellers<\/h2>\n

    No need for complex accounting software. Online sellers need a compact but accurate tool to answer 3 core questions: how much profit this month? which costs are abnormally high? what will the cash flow be like next week?<\/p>\n

    \n
    \n

    No tracking system<\/p>\n