Where is the margin going between the factory and the shelf?
Free calculators and straight answers on inventory, landed cost, 3PL, EDI, and retail readiness. Written by an operator who has run the P&L, not by a software company.
By Jen Carter, fractional COO. Former COO of Stojo, now running operations for an apparel brand and a CPG candy brand. 18 years from factory floors in Asia to Target end caps.
Run the number before the meeting.
Results show instantly. Email only if you want the fixes behind the number.
The questions brands type, answered in the first paragraph.
Runs inventory and cash, sourcing and production, 3PL and freight, systems, and the operating plan, one to two days a week.
Fixed-fee audits by revenue band, then a monthly retainer for one to two days a week. Real ranges are on the page.
Item setup, GS1 barcodes, case packs, EDI, ASN timing, labels, and an appointment. Miss one and it comes back as a deduction.
Wholesale price minus landed cost, freight to their DC, and allowances. Run your own numbers in the calculator.
Factory price plus inbound freight, duty, tariffs, insurance, drayage, and brokerage, divided by units that arrive sellable.
An ERP or inventory system, a 3PL, EDI for retail, a planning tool, and a freight partner. The stack page lists what each one is for.
What a buyer expects before the first purchase order.
More guides as they are written: Whole Foods, Anthropologie, Faire, Amazon.
The calculators give you the number. I fix what is behind it.
A fixed-fee operations audit, then a fractional COO retainer if it makes sense. Former COO of Stojo, 18 years in consumer products.
Jen took over as COO of Stojo when the prior COO left, and ran every department plus finance: manufacturing partners, international distributors, domestic wholesale, import and trade logistics, and hiring. She led the NetSuite rollout, onboarded Faire, negotiated molds and tooling with factories, and brought the business to a more profitable state after COVID with a smaller team. Today she runs operations for an apparel brand and a CPG candy brand.