To price sarees online, add up everything a sale costs you (the saree, packaging, shipping, marketplace fees and a returns allowance), then divide by one minus your percentage costs and your target profit. This post gives the formula and a worked example. Every number in the example is illustrative, not market data.
When you price sarees online it is easy to count the purchase price and forget the rest: the packing, the courier, the fee the marketplace takes and the saree that comes back. This guide lists those costs so none is missed, then shows the maths once. You can repeat it in a spreadsheet for every piece.
Costs to include when you price sarees online
| Cost | Type | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price of the saree and blouse piece | Fixed rupees | Your supplier bill |
| Packing (cover, tag, box) | Fixed rupees | Your own purchase of packing material, divided per piece |
| Shipping to the buyer | Fixed rupees or by slab | The courier or marketplace shipping page |
| Marketplace fee or payment fee | Share of the price, or fixed, or both | The current fee page of your channel. We do not quote it |
| Returns allowance | Share of the price | Your own return record. Start with a guess and correct it with real data |
| Photos and listing time | Fixed per catalogue | Spread across the sarees in the batch |
| Tax | Depends on your registration | The official GST portal or a tax professional |
| Your profit | Share of the price | Your own target |
The saree price formula
Let the fixed costs be everything you pay in rupees per saree (purchase, packing, shipping). Let the percentage costs be the marketplace fee, the returns allowance and your target profit, each as a share of the selling price. Then:
Worked example: pricing one saree (illustrative)
| Line (ILLUSTRATIVE) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase price of saree and blouse piece | ₹900 |
| Packing | ₹30 |
| Shipping | ₹80 |
| Fixed costs total | ₹1,010 |
| Marketplace fee, as a share of price | 12% |
| Returns allowance, as a share of price | 5% |
| Target profit, as a share of price | 15% |
| Share of price left for fixed costs | 100% − 12% − 5% − 15% = 68% |
| Selling price | ₹1,010 / 0.68 = about ₹1,485 |
Check the result by taking it apart. On a ₹1,485 sale, the 12% fee is about ₹178, the 5% returns allowance is about ₹74 and the 15% profit is about ₹223. Add the ₹1,010 fixed costs and the pieces come to ₹1,485. If the price you see on competitors is lower, the answer is to look at your costs or your niche, not to drop the price below the sheet.
Pricing choices that are not in the formula
- Free shipping is a pricing choice. If you offer it, the shipping cost goes inside the price, as in the example.
- Discounts and sale prices come out of your profit share. Work out the lowest price you can accept before you start a sale.
- A price that ends in a neat figure is easier to read in a catalogue than one calculated to the rupee. Round up, not down.
- Review prices when your supplier price, courier slab or marketplace fee changes. Keep the sheet and the formula in a spreadsheet so it is quick.
If you make photos with Vastralook, a Create order costs ₹8–₹10 per 1K shot, usually ready in 3–4 minutes, and a shot you generate yourself costs ₹20–₹25 at 1K. Larger sizes cost more, shown on the order button before you pay. Spread the cost over the sarees in the batch and enter it in the cost sheet as one more line.
How do I calculate the selling price of a saree?
Add your fixed costs per saree (purchase, packing, shipping), then divide by one minus your fee share, returns allowance and target profit, each written as a decimal. The worked example in this post shows it with illustrative numbers.
What margin should I keep on sarees?
We do not quote one, because it depends on your costs, your niche and your channel. Choose your own target, put it into the formula and check the price against what buyers accept in your category.
Should I include shipping in the saree price?
If you offer free shipping, yes: the shipping cost is part of your fixed costs. If you charge shipping separately, keep it out of the price but make sure the charge covers the real courier cost.
How do I price sarees on Meesho, Amazon or Flipkart?
Use the same method, with that marketplace's current fees in the fee line. Read the fee and return pages on the marketplace's seller site, because we do not quote them here and they change.
How much should I allow for returns?
Start with a cautious guess of your own and replace it with your real return record after a few weeks. We do not give a standard figure because none was verified for this post.
Is GST included in the selling price of a saree?
That depends on your registration and the channel. This post did not verify current GST rules, so check the official GST portal or ask a tax professional before you finalise prices.
