Inventory, manufacturing process, business success topics for small DTC manufacturers.
bookkeeping tax
You launched your Shopify store. Now your accountant is asking questions you can't answer. This guide covers Shopify bookkeeping: payout reconciliation, COGS tracking, sales tax, and the tools that actually work for product businesses.
Learn the COGS formula step by step with real-world examples for small manufacturers. We cover what to include, what to exclude, inventory valuation methods, and how to report COGS on your taxes.
WooCommerce doesn't track COGS natively. Learn your options — from plugins to dedicated manufacturing software — and why makers who produce their own products need a different approach.
QuickBooks is excellent accounting software — but it wasn't built for makers who manufacture products. Here's an honest look at what it does well, where it breaks down for small manufacturers, and how to build a system that actually works.
QuickBooks tracks your money. Craftybase calculates your costs. Here's exactly what each tool does for COGS, why they differ, and how makers use both together.
handmade success
Looking for inventory management software that actually works with QuickBooks? Here's our 2026 roundup—plus why most integrations fail makers and what to look for instead.
Learn how to track inventory in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, and what to do when it doesn't fit your workflow. We explain what QuickBooks handles well, where it falls short, and how Craftybase helps makers stay on top of materials, COGS, and production.
QuickBooks Self-Employed is discontinued. Its replacement, QuickBooks Solopreneur, still can't track inventory or calculate COGS. Here's what Etsy makers actually need.
If your handmade business sells physical products, Form 1125-A is how you report your cost of goods sold to the IRS. Here's exactly what each line means — and a worked example for makers.
inventory management
How to track and manage your raw material inventory to increase profits, become more organized and grow your business.
We discuss the difference between COGM and COGS, and show you how to calculate both important manufacturing metrics.
Most cake makers set prices without knowing their real costs and order ingredients without tracking what's on the shelf. Here's how inventory software fixes both, and when it's time to stop using a spreadsheet.
Cash vs accrual accounting: what's the difference, and which one should a maker actually use? Here's what you need to know — including how your choice affects your COGS and inventory tracking.
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Because they don't know what their products actually cost to make.
Every week, one practical tip on pricing, materials, and COGS — the numbers that turn a busy craft business into a profitable one.
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