Skip to content
MySolute
Menu

Discount Profit Calculator

Before you give 20 % off: find out how many more orders you need to earn the same as without the discount – and from which discount every order loses money. With VAT, fees, advertising and returns.

In short: Sales needed after a discount = contribution per order before ÷ contribution per order with the discount; the price with discount is regular price × (1 − discount), the maximum discount is 1 − break-even price ÷ regular price.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Same cost model as the profit calculator
  • Shareable link

Planning a Black Week sale? Read the guide first.

Discount
%

Optional – shows how many orders you need with the discount.

Result+146%

How to use the discount calculator

  1. Enter the discount. As a percentage or as an amount off the price your customers pay. Optionally add your normal number of orders per month.
  2. Enter price and costs. Regular price, purchase price, shipping, marketplace and payment fees, advertising per order and returns – like in the profit calculator.
  3. Read the result. You see the contribution per order before and after the discount, the sales increase you need, the maximum discount and a table for typical discounts.

How it is calculated

Price with discountregular price × (1 − discount)
Contribution per ordernet revenue − all variable costs (as in the profit calculator)
Sales factorcontribution before ÷ contribution with discount
Sales increase neededsales factor − 1
Maximum discount1 − break-even price ÷ regular price

Percentage fees are charged on the discounted price, so they shrink with the discount. Product cost, shipping, advertising and returns stay the same – that is why the needed sales increase grows much faster than the discount.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Thinking a 20 % discount costs 20 % of the profit

Why it matters: The discount comes off the price, but product cost, shipping and advertising stay the same. With a typical margin, 20 % off can halve the contribution per order or more.

Fix: Compare the contribution per order before and after the discount – the calculator shows both and the sales increase you need.

Discounting products with thin margins

Why it matters: Above the maximum discount every order loses money – more Black Friday orders then only increase the loss.

Fix: Check the maximum discount first and only put products into the sale that stay above it.

Looking at revenue instead of contribution

Why it matters: A sale can double revenue and still leave less money than a normal week, because each order earns much less.

Fix: Plan with the total contribution: orders × contribution per order. The required sales increase is the minimum to break even on that.

Using normal ad costs for the sale period

Why it matters: In peak weeks like Black Friday many shops advertise at the same time, so the cost per order is often higher than usual.

Fix: Enter the advertising cost per order you expect during the sale, not your yearly average.

Forgetting returns

Why it matters: Promotions can bring impulse purchases; every returned order still costs shipping, fees and advertising.

Fix: Use a realistic return rate for sale orders and the cost per return.

Mixing gross and net

Why it matters: The discount is given on the price customers pay (incl. VAT), but only the net part is revenue – and percentage fees fall with the discounted price.

Fix: Enter the regular gross price and set the VAT switches; the calculator handles VAT and fees on the discounted price.

Frequently asked questions

How much more do I need to sell after a discount?

Divide the contribution per order without the discount by the contribution per order with the discount. Example: €12.68 without and €5.16 with 20 % off gives a factor of 2.46 – you need about 146 % more orders just to earn the same.

Why do I need so many more sales for a small discount?

The discount comes entirely out of your margin, while product cost, shipping and advertising stay the same. If your margin is 25 %, a 20 % discount leaves only a small part of it – and every remaining euro has to be earned with more orders.

What is the maximum discount I can give?

The discount at which the price falls to the break-even price. Above it, every discounted order loses money and more sales only increase the loss.

Does the calculator include VAT?

Yes. If you are VAT-registered, VAT is removed from the price before the contribution is calculated; percentage fees are based on the discounted price the customer pays.

Is the result a sales forecast?

No. It is the minimum increase you need to keep your total contribution. Whether a discount brings that many extra orders depends on your customers and your offer.

Related tools and guides

Embed this calculator on your website

Free for blogs, agencies and shops: copy the code into your page. The calculator adapts its height automatically and stays up to date.

<iframe src="https://mysolute.com/embed/en/discount-calculator" title="Discount Profit Calculator – MySolute" width="100%" height="900" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<script>addEventListener("message",function(e){if(e.origin!=="https://mysolute.com"||!e.data||e.data.type!=="mysolute-embed-height")return;document.querySelectorAll('iframe[src^="https://mysolute.com/embed/"]').forEach(function(f){if(f.contentWindow===e.source)f.style.height=e.data.height+"px"})});</script>
<p style="font-size:13px">Calculator by <a href="https://mysolute.com/tools/discount-calculator">MySolute</a></p>

Note for your privacy policy: when the calculator loads, your visitors’ browsers connect to mysolute.com (operator: BEST-XP, Vienna, Austria); this technically transmits their IP address. The calculator sets no cookies, stores nothing on the device, keeps inputs in the browser and only counts usage as aggregated daily totals. Details: mysolute.com/privacy#embed