Small shops, reselling and stock
Stock, margins and takings, without complicated software. Simple methods, concrete examples, and the details to check before confirming a record.
Guides in this topic · 15
A simple business budget forecast for a small shop or side business
Build a first-year budget forecast for a small shop or side business: sales assumptions, variable and fixed costs, break-even point and a cautious scenario.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Cash float: how much to keep in the till and how to count it
How much cash float to keep in the till, which notes and coins to hold, how to cash up at closing, and what to do when the till is over or short. Examples in $ and £.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Cash flow forecast for small businesses: spot the tight months early
How to build a 12-month cash flow forecast for a small business: cash in, cash out, seasonality and payment terms, with a worked example and fixes for a tight month.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Cost price: how to calculate what a product really costs you
How to calculate cost price for something you make or a service you sell: direct costs, a share of overheads and your own time, with worked examples in $ and £.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
How to avoid running out of stock in a small shop
Why small shops run out of stock, what a stockout really costs, safety stock when your supplier is unreliable, seasonal peaks, and a 20-minute weekly routine.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
How to do a stock take in one day: a method for small shops
Prepare, count, recount, value: a step-by-step method to do a full stock take in a small shop in one day, with a schedule, a count sheet and a worked example.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Markup vs margin: the difference, with examples
Markup vs margin: formulas, a conversion chart, worked examples for a shop, a market stall and an online reseller, and how discounts and fees hit each.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Reselling for profit: how much you really make and how to track it
Reselling for profit, honestly: real margin maths with eBay fees, time and unsold stock, when the IRS or HMRC sees a business, and a simple tracking sheet.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Running a small shop: the complete guide
Cost price, margin, stock control, stock takes, the till float, cash flow, markets and online orders: how to run a small shop, with a guide for each part.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Selling at markets: cash, stock and tracking sales
Selling at markets without losing track: a daily cash-up sheet, counting stock out and back, margin per product, pitch fees and the records HMRC and the IRS expect.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Selling on Instagram and WhatsApp: how to stay organised
How to run orders, stock, payments and delivery when you sell through Instagram DMs and WhatsApp, plus the UK and US rules that apply once it’s a business.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Inventory spreadsheet: a free template with formulas
A free inventory spreadsheet template for Excel or Google Sheets: stock in and out, current stock, reorder alerts in red, stock value and weighted average cost.
Updated 24 Sept 2026
How to calculate profit margin (and markup) with examples
Gross, operating and net profit margin formulas with worked examples, markup vs margin, a conversion table, pricing from a target margin and the mistakes to avoid.
Updated 24 Sept 2026
Small business ideas: 50 low-cost ideas and how to test yours
50 small business and side hustle ideas grouped by skill, with indicative start-up costs, a simple way to test demand, US and UK registration basics and survival data.
Updated 24 Sept 2026
How to manage inventory for a small business, without complex software
Stock cards, reorder points, safety stock, ABC analysis, cycle counts and shrinkage: small business inventory management explained, with worked examples.
Updated 24 Sept 2026
Say it once. Binome360 keeps the record.
A sentence, a voice note or a receipt photo: the assistant prepares the record in the right space, you confirm. 7 days free.