Start with the decision
An event can cover the booth and still fail to pay for your time. Add a consistent time allowance to event costs or account for it separately. Do not include the same making time in the product cost and event allowance twice.
Worked calculation
If you value ten event hours at 15 each, that is a 150 allowance. Add it to a 250 event cost: at 16.80 contribution per order, covering both needs 24 orders after rounding upward.
Separate event time from inventory cash
Break-even order count is fixed event cost divided by contribution per representative order, rounded upward. If one order contributes zero or less, a finite positive order count cannot cover the fixed cost under those assumptions.
Track cash spent preparing for the event separately from the cost of units that actually sell. Unsold finished stock may still be sellable later, while travel and the booth fee are usually tied to this event. Keeping those categories distinct prevents a cash budget from being mistaken for a profit calculation.
Check the changed-cost scenario
After the event, replace the planned average order, fee rate and sell-through with actual results. Record hours spent before and during the fair as well. That review helps decide whether to repeat the event, adjust the display or bring a different stock mix; one event is not a reliable demand forecast.
| Input or result | Value |
|---|---|
| Booth / travel expense | 250 |
| 10 event hours × 15 | 150 |
| Combined fixed planning cost | 400 |
| Order contribution | 16.80 |
| Required orders to cover 400 | 24 |
At 24 orders, contribution after the combined event allowance is 3.20. Unsold products remain inventory rather than being treated as sold-variable cost. Track cash committed to all prepared stock separately and avoid counting making labor again as event labor.
Use the example with your own inputs
Products you bring but do not sell remain stock. The tool models contribution on sales, not all cash spent before the event. Use a separate inventory and cash plan for preparation purchases.
Craft Fair Break-Even Calculator | PourMarginScope and source checks
These are planning examples, not actual seller results. Keep currency, tax basis and cost allocation consistent. Enter your own figures and reconcile with your records; tax, demand, refunds and unlisted business costs can change the outcome.
See more pricing examples and assumptions.