Setting Margin Drop Alerts

Margins can erode silently — a supplier price increase, a currency movement, an accidental discount, or a promotional price that was not reverted. By the time you notice in a monthly report, you may have sold hundreds of units at a loss. Margin alerts catch drops in real time so you can investigate and act before the damage accumulates.

Go to Alerts > New Rule. Select Gross Margin as the metric. Choose the scope — overall business, specific product, or category. Set the condition — for example Margin Below 30%. Choose the notification channel. For critical products, set the alert at your break-even margin so you know immediately if you are selling at a loss.

When a margin alert fires, investigate the cause. Ask AskBiz: Why did the margin on category X drop this week? Common causes include: cost price increases not reflected in selling prices, promotional discounts still active, currency movement affecting imported goods costs, or high refund rates on premium items. AskBiz identifies the specific driver.