Is your antique booth making money? How to figure it out

Updated November 11, 2026

A busy month can still lose money once rent, commission and the cost of your items come out. Here is how to see what your booth really earns.

The formula

Profit = sales − mall commission − card fees − booth rent − what you paid for the items that sold

Your mall statement usually shows the first three. Rent is on your contract. The last one, what you paid for the items, is the one most dealers do not track, and it matters the most.

An example

These numbers are only an example. Use your own from your mall statement.

• Sales for the month: $1,200
• Mall commission at 10 percent: $120
• Card fees charged by the mall: $30
• Booth rent: $150
• What you paid for the items that sold: $450

Profit: $1,200 − $120 − $30 − $150 − $450 = $450 for the month, before gas and supplies.

Write down what you paid

When you buy an item, write the cost somewhere you will find it later: a code on the back of the tag, a notebook or an app. Without it you can only guess at profit.

Watch how long items sit

An item that takes a year to sell ties up your money and your shelf space. Knowing how long items sit helps you decide what to buy again and what to mark down.

Try the numbers yourself

Our free booth profit calculator works this out from your own numbers. No sign-up needed.

How BoothNest helps

BoothNest keeps what you paid for each item, matches it to what sold, and shows your profit after rent and commission every month. Try it free for up to 50 items.