Start from your full cost
Your price begins with what one unit really costs you to have in hand. That is the product, plus packaging, labels and the freight to bring it to you. If you buy in bulk, divide the whole bill by the units that arrive in good shape. Leave nothing out. Keep a simple sheet with one row per product, so you can update it when a supplier raises prices. A price built on half the cost looks healthy until your bank balance says otherwise.
Add shipping, COD and payment costs
Every order carries costs after it leaves you. There is the courier charge, a COD charge if the buyer pays cash, and the gateway charge on UPI or card payments. Heavier or bulkier products cost more to ship, so check which weight slab each one falls into. Many sellers add a small COD fee at checkout to cover part of this. Whatever you do, count these costs per order, not per month.
Leave room for ads and returns
Most online orders cost money to win. Work out roughly what you spend on ads for each order, and add it in. If you do not run ads yet, add the line anyway, because you will. Then add an allowance for returns. A COD parcel that comes back costs you shipping both ways and earns nothing. Skip these two lines, and your best seller can quietly lose money.
An example price build-up
| Line (made-up example) | Per unit | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| Product, packaging and labels | ₹200 | ₹200 |
| Shipping, COD and payment charges | ₹80 | ₹280 |
| Ad spend per order | ₹100 | ₹380 |
| Allowance for returns | ₹40 | ₹420 |
| Your profit | ₹130 | ₹550 |
| GST at your product's rate | Depends on the rate | ₹550 plus GST |
Read the example, then use your numbers
The table uses round, made-up figures to show the method. They are not real costs or benchmarks. Put your own numbers in each line. Notice how little of the ₹550 is profit once ads and returns are counted. If your version leaves almost nothing, change a line - cheaper sourcing, lighter packing, or a higher price.
MRP and GST on the label
If you sell a packaged product, the pack must show a maximum retail price, the MRP. It is declared inclusive of all taxes, so GST sits inside it. You may sell below the MRP but never above it, and the rules bar changing a price once it is printed. Online, your product page must show the same mandatory details as the pack. If you are not sure how the rules apply to your product, ask the Legal Metrology office in your state.
Check against the market
Now look outward. Search for your product on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and a few brand stores. Compare the full amount the buyer pays, including shipping and any COD fee, not just the product price. If you sit far above them, your page must show why - better material, a guarantee, faster delivery. If you sit far below, ask whether you are leaving money behind. The market does not set your floor. Your costs do.
Test and adjust
A price is a guess until buyers answer it. Change one thing at a time, and watch orders and margin for a couple of weeks. Try a bundle before you try a discount. On The Storemate your orders and reports sit in one admin, with GST applied at checkout, so you can see what each price change really earned. Keep what works.