I actually have a degree in business administration and planned to go on to a degree in accounting. Really, really, really glad I didn't (or perhaps I should have)....
First of all, I have 40 products, each with it's own price. Some products sell at a loss, but overall I make money. For example....pork. The last batch of hogs I had done cost $1.63/pound (cost of hogs and processing). I sell pork chops for $3.59, but I sell neckbones for $1.49. It appears I lose money on neckbones, but overall, when that whole hog is sold, I'm ahead of the game. Make sense?
Also, my cost for the products changes all the time. I use sale barn price on the day I haul them in for slaughter (except chickens, they are at cost to raise them).
Second, I sell in various places. One is 3 blocks away. Another is an 80 mile round trip. Each has it's own fees for permits or what have you.
Third, different things sell better in different places. One place buys chickens like crazy, but doesn't care for pork. Another loves pork, but never touches a beef steak. Just different markets I guess.
I have all my sales in a spreadsheet by various weeks. I can tell you exactly how many pounds of what I sold for each week, but not broken down by each venue. I suppose I need to do that. Then I can figure each venues costs and the actual profit made based on what cuts I sold there. THEN I can see where I make the most money or where I might be losing money. If I drive 80 miles to sell soup bones, I'm going to lose...
The whole reason behind this is to try to plan my sales strategy for next year. I finally got the low-down on requirements in a nearby city and am trying to decide if it's worth a shot. The reason the decision is tough is because they charge $50 a DAY for a "transient merchant permit" since I don't live in that county (not to mention the state). Advertising is also about 5 times what I usually pay. Heck, it might be cheaper to rent a garage or something...but anyways...
How do I use all my data to try to determine if selling there (or elsewhere) will be profitable? I can't even figure up that I have to sell x pounds of meat while there, since each cut has a different profit. Would an average be ok to use? Average what? Cost per pound? Profit per pound? What do I base my average on? Everything I have (including the pig tails that simply won't sell) or an average of what I usually sell in a week? Which way gives the most conservative results? I'd much rather be making more money than I thought I was, then vice versa.
If I can figure out that part, it's a snap to add in the costs of getting there, fees, etc.
Once I get started, I can track it to see if I'm ahead or not, but the whole projection thing is the killer.
Any sane advice would be appreciated and yes...I do have an appointment to see a business counselor dude, but it's a couple weeks off.
I'm going to bed and I am NOT counting any sheep
Jena
First of all, I have 40 products, each with it's own price. Some products sell at a loss, but overall I make money. For example....pork. The last batch of hogs I had done cost $1.63/pound (cost of hogs and processing). I sell pork chops for $3.59, but I sell neckbones for $1.49. It appears I lose money on neckbones, but overall, when that whole hog is sold, I'm ahead of the game. Make sense?
Also, my cost for the products changes all the time. I use sale barn price on the day I haul them in for slaughter (except chickens, they are at cost to raise them).
Second, I sell in various places. One is 3 blocks away. Another is an 80 mile round trip. Each has it's own fees for permits or what have you.
Third, different things sell better in different places. One place buys chickens like crazy, but doesn't care for pork. Another loves pork, but never touches a beef steak. Just different markets I guess.
I have all my sales in a spreadsheet by various weeks. I can tell you exactly how many pounds of what I sold for each week, but not broken down by each venue. I suppose I need to do that. Then I can figure each venues costs and the actual profit made based on what cuts I sold there. THEN I can see where I make the most money or where I might be losing money. If I drive 80 miles to sell soup bones, I'm going to lose...
The whole reason behind this is to try to plan my sales strategy for next year. I finally got the low-down on requirements in a nearby city and am trying to decide if it's worth a shot. The reason the decision is tough is because they charge $50 a DAY for a "transient merchant permit" since I don't live in that county (not to mention the state). Advertising is also about 5 times what I usually pay. Heck, it might be cheaper to rent a garage or something...but anyways...
How do I use all my data to try to determine if selling there (or elsewhere) will be profitable? I can't even figure up that I have to sell x pounds of meat while there, since each cut has a different profit. Would an average be ok to use? Average what? Cost per pound? Profit per pound? What do I base my average on? Everything I have (including the pig tails that simply won't sell) or an average of what I usually sell in a week? Which way gives the most conservative results? I'd much rather be making more money than I thought I was, then vice versa.
If I can figure out that part, it's a snap to add in the costs of getting there, fees, etc.
Once I get started, I can track it to see if I'm ahead or not, but the whole projection thing is the killer.
Any sane advice would be appreciated and yes...I do have an appointment to see a business counselor dude, but it's a couple weeks off.
I'm going to bed and I am NOT counting any sheep
Jena