Inventory, manufacturing process, business success topics for small DTC manufacturers.
bookkeeping tax
Your accountant needs three numbers at tax time: opening inventory, closing inventory, and purchases. Craftybase's Material Valuation report gives you all three, if you know where to look.
inventory management
Boxes, labels, tissue paper, poly mailers: they cost real money. Here's how to track packaging materials in Craftybase and get their cost into your COGS.
Yes, Craftybase and QuickBooks are designed to work together, but they serve different purposes. Here's exactly how the integration works and who needs both.
Craftybase and accounting software aren't the same thing, but they work together. Here's exactly what Craftybase does, what it doesn't, and whether you need both.
pricing
Butter costs more. Eggs cost more. Fragrance oils, coconut wax, shea butter: all up. If you haven't updated your prices, you're quietly losing money on every single order.
If you're not accounting for material wastage and spoilage, your product costs are wrong and your margins are lying to you. Here's how to track it and treat it correctly.
Etsy pricing done right means covering every cost before you set a number. Here's the formula Etsy sellers use to price profitably, fees, labor, materials, and all.
Shopify's 'cost per item' field doesn't work for handmade sellers. Here's how to calculate and track COGS accurately when you make what you sell.
Fallen behind on your handmade business bookkeeping? Here's exactly how to catch up, including the inventory step most guides forget to mention.
The best bank account for your Etsy business isn't just good bookkeeping — it's the only way to know what your products actually cost you. Here's what to look for, and which accounts work best for makers.
Shopify's built-in cost field won't give you accurate COGS if you make your own products. Here's how to actually track cost of goods sold as a maker using Shopify.
What does a healthy profit margin actually look like in your niche? Real gross margin benchmarks from 715,000 Craftybase order lines across 11 maker categories — and what the numbers tell you about your pricing.
Etsy doesn't show you your real COGS. Here's how to calculate cost of goods sold as an Etsy seller — materials, labour, overhead — and why it matters more than your revenue.
Weighted average costing is IRS-approved, GAAP-compliant, and the right choice for small-batch makers with fluctuating material costs. Here's why — and how Craftybase automates it.
Selling on Etsy, Shopify, or both? Your COGS doesn't care which platform the order came from — but your tracking system needs to. Here's how to get one consolidated number.
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Because they don't know what their products actually cost to make.
Every week, one practical tip on pricing, materials, and COGS — the numbers that turn a busy craft business into a profitable one.
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