How to calculate skin trading profit
The difference between the purchase price and the sale price is not a profit. Between these two numbers there is a commission, and sometimes also conversion and withdrawal. Let's figure out how to count correctly, because this is where most beginners make mistakes in their favor.
Break-even formula with commission, calculation for Steam and for a third-party site on specific amounts and three places where profit disappears unnoticed.
Calculating profit on Steam
When selling on the Marketplace, you receive approximately 87% of the price the buyer paid. This means that in order to return the investment, the sale price must be 15% higher than the purchase price.
Bought for 1,000 ₽ - break-even point 1,150 ₽. Anything higher is profit. Anything lower is a loss, no matter how beautiful the difference looks in the window.
Let's check the numbers: I sold it for 1,300 ₽, about 1,130 ₽ came to my wallet, 1,000 ₽ were invested. Net - 130 ₽, that is, 13% of the investment, although the price tag has increased by 30%. Exactly half as much as it seems.
Calculating profit on an external market
There are more losses here and they are in different places: the site commission when selling, the withdrawal commission, the conversion rate, and sometimes the replenishment commission at the entrance.
Count along the edges of the chain. How much money was spent on the card for you to get the item, and how much money was returned to the card after the sale. Everything in between is details that should not be included in the profit calculation.
You cannot mix sites in one calculation. I bought it for rubles on the site, sold it for balance in Steam - this is not a profit, but a conversion into a currency with limited use.
- Count from the amount actually credited to the wallet or card.
- Steam balance and rubles do not add up to one total.
- Check the commission on the sales form, not from memory.
Three costs that reduce profit
Time. A profit of 15% in a week and 15% in a year are different results. Always write down the retention period next to the percentage, otherwise it is impossible to compare transactions.
Unliquid. An item that hangs unsold is usually not included in the calculation, and the result looks better than the real thing. Consider the frozen amount as a separate line and subtract it from the result.
A trifle. On items costing a couple of rubles, the minimum commission eats up more than half the price. One hundred such sales give a sum for which it was not worth starting.
Calculating the overall result
The total result is all actual receipts minus all actual expenses, plus the current value of what was not sold at the price for which you can realistically sell it today. Not at the price I would like.
Count once a week or a month, not after every transaction. Over short periods, the result is mostly an accident, and reacting to it is harmful.
And keep this guideline in mind: a margin of 5–15% per trade before commission is a normal working result. Anything that promises significantly more on a regular basis is usually explained either by luck or by the fact that something was not calculated.
Frequently asked questions
How to calculate profit from the sale of skin?
Subtract the full purchase price from the amount actually credited after commission. The difference in price tags is not profit.
How much more expensive do you need to sell to break even?
In Steam - 15% more expensive than the purchase price. The commission takes about 13% of the buyer's price.
Why am I in the red even though I sold for more?
Most likely the difference was less than 15% and it was completely eaten up by the commission. Or the purchase and sale took place on different sites with different currencies.
Should I count unsold items?
Yes, on a separate line and at a real quick sale price. Otherwise, the result always looks better than it is.
What margin is considered normal?
5–15% per transaction before commission. Regular promises of more usually mean incomplete settlement.
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