Guide · English
Marketplace P&L: what belongs in true margin
A marketplace P&L explains contribution margin after platform fees, advertising, returns, and fulfillment—not just GMV. This guide clarifies which cost lines belong in operating margin decisions and how EU sellers should read channel profit without waiting for month-end ERP exports.
Start from contribution, not GMV
GMV growth can hide fee and ad inflation. Contribution per SKU is the decision unit for push, fix, or pause.
- Map commissions and service fees per channel
- Attribute ad spend to the products that drove it
- Include returns and fulfillment where material
Ads without P&L is incomplete
ACoS and ROAS need margin context. Pair Ad Pilot optimization with the marketplace P&L view.
Operating P&L vs statutory books
Marktspan P&L is for operators. Your ERP remains the system of record for statutory accounting.
FAQ
- What costs belong in marketplace contribution margin?
- At minimum: platform fees/commissions, attributable ads, material returns, and fulfillment tied to the channel. Exact mapping depends on your cost model.
- Why not wait for finance month-close?
- Operators need weekly decisions. An operating P&L catches margin drift before the close package.
- How does this relate to Sales Pulse?
- Sales Pulse explains movement; P&L explains whether that movement was profitable.
- Can I get a P&L audit?
- Yes—use Free audit on the contact form and mention marketplace P&L.
- Where is the product page?
- See /features/marketplace-pnl for the product overview.
Get a marketplace margin read
Request a free audit or talk to sales about P&L on Marktspan.