Shop owner Divesh Patel has developed a free margin calculator app to make life easier for independent retailers.

‘Convenient Calculator’ available on the Google Play Store, enables retailers to calculate margin and profit on return per line, inclusive or exclusive of VAT, instantly.

It also stores recent calculations to cut down on repetition.

The co-owner of Nisa Local College Road in Kingstanding, Birmingham, told Better Retailing: “I realised I was spending ages at cash and carries every day doing the same equations, walking up and down to compare margins, and realised I could make my life and the life of other retailers a little bit easier.”

RingGo parking app gives high street indies a boost

One retailer described the app, stating: “This calculator has helped me to speed up my own workflow when at the cash and carry, allowing me to quickly understand the financial implications of my purchases.

“I would highly recommend this to anyone who purchases in bulk. It will save you plenty of time and effort.”

The retailer learned how to build apps from scratch using YouTube tutorials, and said he was planning to add features to the app.

Retailers can find the app on the Google Play store by searching ‘convenient calculator’.

Explore our online archive of RN back issues