Estimates and actual charges serve different purposes
Estimates help you price and plan before an order happens. Transaction and settlement records show what was charged afterward. Comparing the two reveals wrong size tiers, missing service costs, promotion charges, tax treatment, and assumptions that have gone stale.
Create a standard monthly bridge
- Start with expected fees by SKU and marketplace.
- Aggregate actual charges into the same fee categories.
- Calculate the currency and percentage variance for each category.
- Separate normal timing differences from permanent cost changes.
- Update the calculator assumption only after the cause is identified.
Prioritize material exceptions
Review high-volume SKUs, large percentage variances, and new charge types first. A small per-unit difference can become significant at scale, while a large percentage on a low-volume item may have little financial impact.
Close the loop with pricing and sourcing
Send validated changes back to price models, promotion plans, supplier negotiations, and inventory forecasts. The value of reconciliation comes from correcting future decisions, not merely explaining last month's statement.