Days to Sell vs Profit Margin: Which Should You Optimise?
Given a choice between a 50% margin that sells in 90 days and a 25% margin that sells in 15, most beginners take the 50%. The maths says otherwise, and it's not close.
The turnover maths
€100 at 25% margin selling every 15 days recycles roughly 24 times a year. €100 at 50% margin selling every 90 days recycles about 4 times.
The lower margin generates far more annual profit from the same capital, because the money keeps working.
Speed also reduces risk
Fast stock is exposed to less: fewer trend shifts, less seasonal risk, less chance of a price collapse while you hold.
Slow stock quietly ties up the capital you need for the next opportunity.
When margin wins
High-margin slow items make sense when you have spare capital that isn't needed elsewhere, or the item is genuinely scarce. They shouldn't be the core of a small operation.
Track both
Judge every purchase on margin AND expected days to sell. Resale IQ surfaces sell-through alongside the buy-below price for exactly this reason.
Frequently asked questions
Is profit margin or sell-through more important in reselling?
Usually sell-through. €100 at 25% margin turning over every 15 days produces far more annual profit than €100 at 50% margin turning over every 90 days, because the capital keeps working.
What is capital turnover in reselling?
How many times per year you can reinvest the same money. Faster-selling stock means more turns, which compounds profit and reduces exposure to trend and seasonal risk.
Resale IQ turns 30M+ Vinted sales into one answer: BUY, WATCH, or SKIP — with buy-below price and best sizes.
Try Resale IQ →