Should my price on Instagram and WhatsApp be lower than on marketplaces?
It does not have to be, but it can be without touching your margin. A product costing 70 with shipping of 20 and a 25% margin needs 150 on a marketplace charging 15%, only 120 on a direct order paid by bank transfer, and 123.29 if the customer pays through a payment link with a 2% fee.
Where the gap comes from
On a marketplace you pay a commission taken from the price. On a direct order through Instagram or WhatsApp that commission does not exist, and you may pay only the payment method's fee. Cost, shipping and margin stay the same, but the price that delivers them is lower.
Solve both channels
- In the Selling-price calculator, enter cost, shipping and margin, with the marketplace commission as the percentage fee. Note the price.
- Clear the commission and enter the rate of the payment method you use for direct orders instead, or zero for a fee-free transfer.
- The gap between the two prices is what you can give up on a direct order while keeping the same margin percentage.
Marketplace at 15% commission: price 150, commission 22.50, profit 37.50.
Direct order by bank transfer: price 120, profit 30.
Direct order via a payment link at 2%: price 123.29.
The room exists; the decision is yours
Having the gap does not mean you must use all of it. Some sellers keep one price across every channel and bank the difference as extra profit on direct orders. Others trim the direct price a little to nudge customers to order from them. Some keep the price and offer free shipping or a small gift instead. These are business decisions the calculator does not make, but it shows you the limits of each.
Note too that some marketplaces have terms about pricing elsewhere. Check your agreement before advertising a lower price on another channel.
Direct-channel costs people forget
- Time spent answering messages and confirming orders: not a fee, but a real cost when orders pile up.
- Instagram ads, if they are where the orders come from: add their average per order to fixed fees.
- Cash on delivery, if you offer it, and its fixed fee.
To make direct ordering easy, create a WhatsApp link with a ready message naming the product using the WhatsApp link generator and put it in your bio.
Common questions
Should I hide my Instagram price and ask customers to message me?
That is a marketing choice. The calculator only helps you know the price that delivers your margin on each channel.
Is the same margin on both channels right?
Not necessarily. You can enter a different margin for each channel and compare the prices.