Cash flow, income statements, metrics, processes, tools, and team: how to run an online store like a business.
You can sell on Mercado Livre with just a CPF, but you need a Nota Fiscal to use Envios, especially FULL. Mercado Livre’s free invoicing tool requires a CNPJ and an A1 certificate. MEI sellers can sell up to R$ 81 mil per year. Learn when to register a CNPJ, what changes on Shopee and Magalu, and how taxes work for each option.
On Mercado Livre, an invoice is required to use Envios, especially FULL. Mercado Livre offers a free NF-e issuer integrated with sales. It requires a CNPJ registered with Sefaz, an A1 digital certificate, and Simples Nacional or the Normal Tax Regime. By law, MEIs don't need to issue invoices when selling to individuals, but marketplace logistics still require them. See the step-by-step guide.
The MEI limit remains R$ 81 mil per year in 2026 (R$ 6.750 per month in the year you register). Exceeding it by up to 20% (R$ 97.200) means you lose MEI status starting in January of the following year. Exceeding it by more than that means you lose MEI status retroactively from January 1 of the year you went over the limit. Learn the rules, about the bill to raise the limit, and how to work out when to switch to Simples.
In 2026, CBS (0.9%) and IBS (0.1%) are being tested. Businesses that meet their reporting requirements don’t have to pay them, and the test rates don’t apply to Simples Nacional. In 2027, CBS replaces PIS and Cofins. From 2029 to 2033, IBS replaces ICMS and ISS. See the official timeline, the Simples option, split payment, and the marketplaces’ new responsibilities.
Sellers on Mercado Livre and Shopee pay tax on the amount the customer pays, not on the marketplace payout. MEIs pay R$ 82,05 per month on revenue of up to R$ 81 mil per year. Under Simples Nacional (Annex I), the effective tax rate starts at 4% and exceeds 7% at R$ 600 mil in 12 months. See the tax tables, the DIFAL rule, and the tax on each sale.
An income statement for a marketplace store starts with revenue, then subtracts tax, cost of goods sold, commissions, shipping, Ads, and returns to calculate contribution margin. Fixed expenses are then subtracted to get net profit. For a store with R$ 80 mil in monthly revenue, what looks like healthy revenue can end up as just 6,9% profit. See the template, a completed example, and the most common mistakes.
Break-even point = fixed expenses ÷ contribution margin. A store with R$ 7.200 in fixed expenses and a 16.4% contribution margin needs R$ 43.900 in monthly revenue—or 549 sales of R$ 80—just to break even. See the formula, a marketplace example, and how listings, discounts, and shipping change the number.
For marketplace stores, money goes to suppliers first and comes in from sales later. Stock on hand, delivery times, and payout delays can add up to weeks. A store with R$ 40 mil in monthly COGS, 45 days of stock, and 11 days until payout needs about R$ 75 mil in working capital. Learn about the cash cycle, see a weekly cash flow template, and find out how to shorten the cycle.
Mercado Livre charges a category commission and shipping based on weight. Shopee charges by price range, regardless of weight. Heavy products tend to be more profitable on Shopee; light products priced from R$ 80 to R$ 150 tend to do better on Mercado Livre. See the comparison across eight criteria, the numbers for four products, and why the best answer is usually to sell on both at different prices.
A good marketplace supplier provides an invoice, restocks at the same cost, and offers payment terms—not just the lowest price. Learn about the four types of suppliers, where to find each one (including a trick for finding the importer through an Inmetro registration), the 8-point checklist to use before your first purchase, and how payment terms affect your working capital.
ABC curve by revenue shows who sells. By margin, it shows who pays the bills. The names rarely match on both lists, and the difference is where the decisions are.
Losing green reputation on Mercado Livre makes shipping more expensive for all listings above R$ 79 at once. See what counts in the calculation, what doesn’t, and which metric to watch every week.
Milewa pulls your orders from Mercado Livre and Shopee, applies commission, shipping, tax, ADS, and your cost, and shows the margin for each order and each SKU. You can start with the calculator and then connect your store.
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