The GST line only applies if your ABN is GST-registered, otherwise the pre-GST sell price is the customer price.
Markup is not margin (and the gap is money)
Add 60% to a $55 cost and you sell at $88. That's a 60% markup, but only a 37.5% margin, because margin measures profit against the sell price, not the cost. Promise a supplier's rep "we work on 60%" meaning margin, then calculate markup, and you've underpriced by a wide street. The translation table:
| Markup on cost | Margin on sell price |
|---|---|
| 20% | 16.7% |
| 60% | 37.5% |
| 100% | 50% |
| 200% | 66.7% |
Where the 10% fits
If your ABN carries a GST registration, price in this order: cost (ex GST, because the GST in it comes back to you as a credit) → margin → then the 10% on top for the shelf price. Taking a margin from a GST-inclusive number means taking margin on the tax, money that was never yours. Not GST-registered? Then your costs are truly GST-inclusive (no credits) and no 10% goes on your price, simpler, but the GST inside your costs quietly eats margin, which is worth knowing when you weigh registering.
Quick answers
What's a normal markup for a small business?
It varies wildly by industry, food service often runs 200-300% markups on ingredients while retail might run 50-100%. The useful discipline isn't copying a number, it's knowing your true unit cost and pricing from it deliberately.
Do I price from GST-inclusive or ex-GST cost?
GST-registered: ex-GST, since the GST in your costs returns as credits. Not registered: the GST-inclusive price is your real cost, nothing comes back.
How do I go from margin to markup?
Markup = margin ÷ (100 − margin) × 100. A 37.5% margin is 37.5 ÷ 62.5 = 60% markup. The calculator shows both automatically so you never convert by hand.
Do advertised prices have to include GST?
Prices shown to consumers must be the full amount payable, GST included. Quotes between businesses are customarily ex-GST with the GST itemised on the invoice.
Related: Invoicing and your ABN · GST calculator · All business calculators
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ABN and GST, set up together by Registered Tax Agent 26076969.