Case Study: How SellAnalytix Helped a Six-Figure Amazon Brand Gain Financial Clarity
Background
John, an experienced Amazon seller, had built a successful six-figure business using a combination of retail arbitrage and private label products. His revenue had grown steadily, but his financial management system hadn’t evolved alongside his business.
- Sales Channels: 85% Amazon FBA & 15% FBM
- Business Model: Mix of retail arbitrage (purchasing discounted products in-store) and private label (manufacturing and branding his own products).
- Revenue: $220,000 per year
- Accounting Method: Cash-based tracking with messy paper receipts and spreadsheets
- Tools Used: Google Sheets, Amazon Seller Central reports, bank statements
The Problem: A Disorganized Accounting System
John’s financial workflow was time-consuming and error-prone. He relied on manual data entry to track purchases and profits, which created major issues:
Messy Receipts from Retail Arbitrage
- Manually storing and scanning physical receipts made it difficult to categorize and track expenses accurately.
- Lost receipts meant missing deductions and incorrect financial reports.
- He got behind on inputting accurate COGS leading to him being always behind.
Delayed Inventory and Profitability Insights
- Since he used spreadsheets, his inventory and profit tracking were always weeks behind.
- He couldn’t easily see real-time SKU profitability or cash flow trends.
End-of-Year Tax Chaos
- Without an automated accounting system, tax season was a nightmare.
- He spent weeks organizing expenses, matching receipts, and estimating COGS for his tax filings.
No Live Data for Decision Making
- His method only showed past performance, making it hard to plan future purchases or see real-time business health.
The Workflow Before SellAnalytix
- Purchase Tracking: Manually recorded each retail arbitrage purchase in Google Sheets.
- Sales & Revenue: Downloaded Amazon reports monthly and entered figures manually.
- Profit Calculation: Used a mix of spreadsheets and bank statements, often with discrepancies.
- Taxes & Reporting: Waited until the end of the year to categorize expenses, leading to unexpected tax bills.
The Solution: Switching to SellAnalytix
John needed an automated accounting solution tailored to eCommerce businesses. SellAnalytix provided the perfect combination of software and bookkeeping services to streamline his workflow.
Automated Receipt & Expense Tracking
- Instead of manually logging purchases, SellAnalytix synced his Amazon transactions and bank statements in real time.
- Retail arbitrage purchases were automatically categorized, and receipts could be uploaded digitally for our team to categorize on his behalf.
Real-Time Profit & Loss Tracking
- SellAnalytix’s dashboard automatically calculated SKU-level profitability.
- Instead of waiting weeks to analyze spreadsheets, John could see real-time profit margins.
Inventory & COGS Automation
- John’s inventory purchases were recorded as assets and expensed only when sold, following accrual accounting.
- This gave him accurate Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) data without manually tracking every sale.
Seamless Tax Prep & Compliance
- All transactions were automatically categorized for tax purposes, reducing end-of-year stress.
- SellAnalytix’s bookkeeping service ensured clean records, making tax season a breeze.
- They were also completed every month, so there was zero extra catch up work. Just login, download the reports, and send to his CPA.
Improved Cash Flow & Business Planning
- With live financial data, John could now forecast sales, budget inventory, and make smarter purchasing decisions.
The Workflow Before SellAnalytix
After switching to SellAnalytix, John’s business became far more efficient and profitable.
| Metric | Before SellAnalytix | After SellAnalytix |
|---|---|---|
| Time Spent on Accounting | 3-5 hours per week | Less than 20 minutes per week |
| Financial Visibility | Disorganized, delayed insights | Real-time profit & loss tracking |
| Inventory Tracking | Manual spreadsheets, outdated data | Automated, accurate reporting |
| Tax Preparation | Last-minute panic, missed deductions | Seamless, categorized transactions |
| Business Growth | Reactive, limited planning | Proactive, data-driven decisions |
John eliminated manual errors, saved 4+ hours per week, and gained full visibility into his finances, allowing him to scale his business confidently.
Note: Names & figures have been changed slightly for anonymity, but the case study is real with one of our clients.