Shop Economy Calculator

How to use the Shop Economy Calculator

1. Enter one product. Start with the item players sell most on day one: its unit cost (what the shop pays) and sell price.
2. Set the fair price. This is the price customers consider normal. Charging more lowers the chance they buy; charging less raises it.
3. Describe your customers. How many visit per in-game day, how many items they buy, and how likely they are to buy at the fair price.
4. Add daily expenses and the next upgrade cost. Rent, wages and electricity, plus the price of whatever the player saves up for next.
5. Read the results. Check daily profit and days to upgrade, then look at the chart to see which price earns the most.

How the calculator works

Every customer who walks in has a chance to buy. At the fair price that chance equals your buy chance setting. Above the fair price it drops; below it, it rises. Price sensitivity controls how fast it changes.

• Items sold per day = customers × buy chance × items per purchase
• Daily profit = items sold × (sell price − unit cost) − daily expenses
• Days to upgrade = upgrade cost ÷ daily profit
• Break-even customers = daily expenses ÷ profit per customer

The chart tries every price between your unit cost and three times the fair price and marks the one that makes the most money. In your game, that is the price a smart player will find, so make sure it still feels fair.

Reading the chart

• A sharp peak means pricing is a real skill: a little too high or too low costs a lot. Good for games about running a business well.
• A flat top means many prices work. Good for relaxed, cozy games where pricing should not be stressful.
• A peak far above the fair price means customers barely react to price. Raise sensitivity, or players will exploit it.

Balancing tips

• Aim for the first upgrade in about 1–2 in-game days, then 3–5 days in the mid game.
• Keep early margins around 25–50% so progress is visible after every few customers.
• Make sure day one clears break-even comfortably; tension can come later.
• Add a new product or income source just before upgrade times start to feel like a wall.
• Change one number at a time and play-test after each change.

Want the full theory with a worked example? Read How to Balance the Economy in a Shop Simulator Game. Building a shop simulator in Unreal Engine? Follow the Shopping Simulator Kit.

FAQ