Updated November 30, 2023
Difference Between Margin vs Markup
The relationship between price, margins, and cost and how these are calculated has helped develop the concept of margin vs markup. It all begins when you decide to price your product. The cost will be determined if you buy the products in bulk or individually from vendors at different rates. The cost at which you purchase your products helps determine the price; this is where the concept of markup vs margin is used. A clear understanding of these concepts can greatly impact the underlying.
Head To Head Comparison Between Margin vs Markup (Infographics)
Below is the top 9 difference between Margin vs Markup
Key Differences Between Margin vs Markup
Both Margins vs Markup are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the Margin vs Markup major Differences.
- Margin refers to the profit earned on sales. The margin is calculated as the difference between sales and the cost of production. This is the gross profit margin for that transaction and is expressed as a percentage of the selling price. On the other hand, the markup refers to the amount added to the cost price to cover the expenses and profit. It is mainly the difference between the cost price and the selling price.
- Gross margin is when you know both the selling price and the cost price and calculate the exact amount of profit.
It can be calculated by using the below’s formula below.
Gross Profit Margin = (Selling Price – Cost of goods sold)/ Selling Price.
The amount added to cover the expenses and the overheads like labor costs, taxes, and materials to earn a profit is called markup.
Markup can be calculated using the formula below.
Markup = (Selling Price / Cost) – 1
- As the business grows older, the user of margins increases. Margins help in determining the actual profits made on the sale. The company uses markup to ensure that it earns revenue on each sale.
Markup is good for understanding business and makes the user aware of the costs. - The margin is given as a percentage of sales; conversely, markup is a cost multiplier. The base for margin is the selling price, whereas the base for markup is cost.
- Consider this example for the calculation of Margin vs Markup. You are selling books; each book costs Rs 150, and you sell your books at Rs 200.
Gross Profit Margin Calculation
To find the gross profit, we must deduct the cost from the price.
- Gross Profit = Rs 200 – Rs 150
- Gross Profit = Rs 50.
To calculate margin, we will divide gross profit by revenue
- Margin = Gross Profit/Revenue
- Margin = 50/200
- Margin = 0.25
- Margin = 25%
A 25% margin means keeping 25% as revenue and spending 75% as cost. The higher the margin, the higher the profit you are making.
Markup Calculation
Using the above calculated gross profit in the numerator, the markup is calculated as
- Markup = 50/150
- Markup = 0.33
- Markup = 33%
A markup of 33% means that you have sold the books at a 33% price than the cost.
- The margin is important from a seller’s point of view, while markup is important from the buyer’s perspective. For a successful business, the markup should always be higher than the margin.
- The following equations can explain the relation between the margin and markup.
Margin = 1 – (1/ markup)
Markup = 1/(1- gross margin)
- Many are mistaken that a 25% markup means a 25% margin on the income statement. However, a 25% markup means a 205 margin. Margins and markups go hand in hand and interact predictably. Each markup corresponds to a margin. Below is a calculated sample chart
|
Markup |
Margin |
| 15% | 13% |
| 20% | 16.7% |
| 25% | 20% |
| 30% | 23% |
| 33.3% | 25% |
| 40% | 28.6% |
| 100% | 50% |
Margin vs Markup Comparison Table
Below is the 9 topmost comparison between Margin vs Markup
| The Basis Of Comparison |
Margin |
Markup |
| Meaning | The margin is the percentage of profit earned on total sales. It is calculated as sales minus the cost of goods sold and is the proportion of income earned over sales. | Markup is the amount the product cost increases to derive a selling price. |
| Formula | (Selling Price – Cost of goods sold) / Cost of goods sold | (Selling Price – Cost of goods sold)/ Selling Price |
| Formula Meaning | The margin is the difference between the selling price and profit. Margin can be gross profit margin or net profit margin. | Markup is the percentage difference between the cost and selling price of the product. |
| Use | As the business grows older, the user of margins increases. Margins help in determining the actual profits made on the sale. | Markup is used to ensure that revenue is earned on each sale. Markup is good for understanding business and makes the user aware of the costs. |
| Basis for calculation | The basis for margin calculation is revenue or price. | The basis for calculating markup is the cost. |
| Calculation | The margin should always be lower than the markup. | Markup should always be higher than the margin. |
| Definition | Percentage of the selling price | Cost Multiplier |
| Perspective | The margin is from the perspective of a seller. | Markup is from the perspective of a buyer. |
| Relation | Margin = 1 – (1/ markup) | Markup = 1/(1- gross margin) |
Conclusion
Knowing the difference between Margin vs Markup helps set goals for the company. If you know the profit you want to achieve in a particular month, you can set prices according to the formulas for margin and markup. If one is not aware of the margins and markup formula, they can’t estimate the prices and cost of goods sold correctly, which will lead to losing out on profits.
It is important to understand which function to use when. Markup is necessary to ensure that your business is making profits and covering all the costs. Markup is necessary for the beginning stage to closely understand the performance and costs. When sales develop, and volume increases, it is necessary to look deep into the figures and understand if the margins are increasing.
Even as the business grows, you can continue to use both these ratios in parallel to understand the impact of cost and price. It should also be noted that it is necessary for a successful business that the markup is always greater than the margin.
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