https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/Pricing, margins and numbers for one-person online shops.enMon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/how-usps-shipping-zones-work-and-when-a-box-adds-a-size-fee/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/how-usps-shipping-zones-work-and-when-a-box-adds-a-size-fee/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTUSPS zones come from the distance between 3-digit ZIP areas (Zone 1 up to 50 miles, Zone 8 beyond about 1,800). A box over 22 inches long adds $4.50.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/gross-profit-vs-net-profit-on-schedule-c-which-margin-to-price-from/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/gross-profit-vs-net-profit-on-schedule-c-which-margin-to-price-from/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTGross profit is sales minus cost of goods sold; net profit also subtracts expenses. A shop with a 25% gross margin can keep under 10% as net profit.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/can-spam-act-for-small-shops-marketing-email-rules/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/can-spam-act-for-small-shops-marketing-email-rules/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTThe FTC says CAN-SPAM covers all commercial email, not just bulk, with penalties up to $53,088 per message. What every marketing email must include.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/business-licenses-and-permits-for-a-home-based-online-shop/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/business-licenses-and-permits-for-a-home-based-online-shop/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTSBA says federal licenses cover only certain activities, while retail permits, zoning and state tax IDs are set locally. How to check what your shop needs.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/business-name-for-an-online-shop-dba-llc-name-trademark-or-domain/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/business-name-for-an-online-shop-dba-llc-name-trademark-or-domain/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTSBA lists four ways to register a business name: state entity name, trademark, DBA and domain. What each protects, and what each does not.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/can-you-label-a-product-made-in-usa/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/can-you-label-a-product-made-in-usa/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTA Made in USA label needs all or virtually all US content, not just US assembly. See the FTC test, qualified claims, and what to check first.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/care-labels-on-clothing-do-you-need-them-if-you-sew-and-sell/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/care-labels-on-clothing-do-you-need-them-if-you-sew-and-sell/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTThe FTC Care Labeling Rule requires makers and importers of apparel to attach care instructions; what the label must say, exemptions, and what needs proof.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/cost-of-goods-sold-what-counts-and-how-to-calculate-it-for-a-small-shop/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/cost-of-goods-sold-what-counts-and-how-to-calculate-it-for-a-small-shop/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTIRS Publication 334 defines cost of goods sold as beginning inventory plus net purchases and freight-in, minus ending inventory; worked example.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/do-you-need-an-ein-for-a-small-online-shop/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/do-you-need-an-ein-for-a-small-online-shop/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTAn Employer Identification Number is free from the IRS, but not every one-person shop needs one. See when it is required, how to apply, what to avoid.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/selling-gift-cards-federal-expiration-and-fee-rules/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/selling-gift-cards-federal-expiration-and-fee-rules/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTStore gift cards cannot expire in under five years, and inactivity fees face strict limits. See what Regulation E requires and how promo cards differ.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/shipping-perfume-nail-polish-and-batteries-by-usps/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/shipping-perfume-nail-polish-and-batteries-by-usps/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMany everyday shop products count as hazardous materials in the mail. See which items USPS bans, which go by ground only, and the fees for mistakes.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/textile-fiber-content-labels-what-clothing-sellers-must-disclose/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/textile-fiber-content-labels-what-clothing-sellers-must-disclose/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTFTC rules require fiber content, country of origin and a company name or RN on most clothing and household textiles; 3% tolerance and exemptions.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/de-minimis-safe-harbor-deducting-small-equipment-purchases/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/de-minimis-safe-harbor-deducting-small-equipment-purchases/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTThe IRS de minimis safe harbor lets many small businesses deduct items up to $2,500 per invoice or item right away. See how it works and how to elect.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/the-ftc-30-day-shipping-rule-for-online-shops/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/the-ftc-30-day-shipping-rule-for-online-shops/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTFederal rules require online sellers to ship when promised, or within 30 days, or offer the buyer a delay notice and refund. Here is how it works.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/ftc-fake-reviews-rule-for-small-shops/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/ftc-fake-reviews-rule-for-small-shops/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTSince October 2024, an FTC rule bans fake reviews, paying for positive ones, and hiding bad ones. See what it means when your shop asks for reviews.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/childrens-product-certificate-when-you-need-one/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/childrens-product-certificate-when-you-need-one/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTProducts made mainly for kids 12 and under that fall under a safety rule need lab testing and a CPC. See the CPSC test and the seven CPC elements.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/do-you-have-to-collect-sales-tax-in-other-states/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/do-you-have-to-collect-sales-tax-in-other-states/Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTSince the 2018 Wayfair decision, states can make remote sellers collect sales tax with no physical presence. See how economic nexus thresholds work.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/how-dimensional-weight-changes-your-shipping-cost/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/how-dimensional-weight-changes-your-shipping-cost/Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTUSPS can price a light parcel as if it were heavy when the box is large. See the dimensional weight rule, the 139 divisor, and how box size moves cost.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/what-card-processing-fees-really-cost-a-small-shop/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/what-card-processing-fees-really-cost-a-small-shop/Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTA percentage plus a fixed fee hits small orders harder than big ones. See the real effective rate on $12, $60, and $250 sales using published pricing.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/fifo-vs-average-cost-how-your-inventory-method-changes-reported-profit/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/fifo-vs-average-cost-how-your-inventory-method-changes-reported-profit/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTHow the IRS-recognized FIFO and average cost inventory methods produce different taxable profit on the same sales, shown with a worked example.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/pricing-a-first-product-step-by-step/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/pricing-a-first-product-step-by-step/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTA step-by-step pricing framework for a first product that accounts for landed cost, selling-platform fees, and a target margin, with the math shown.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/margin-vs-markup-the-mistake-that-costs-money/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/margin-vs-markup-the-mistake-that-costs-money/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTWhy confusing profit margin with markup leads small shop owners to underprice their products, shown with the exact math for both terms.https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/when-a-discount-loses-you-money-the-break-even-math/https://howlane.com/small-shop-notes/when-a-discount-loses-you-money-the-break-even-math/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTHow to use the SBA's own break-even formula to check whether a sale price actually makes a small shop money or quietly erases its margin.