Unit economics of one product or service

What you really make per sale, after everything, and what changes it.

Before scaling anything, raising prices, or spending on ads.unit economicspricingbusiness
ChatGPT Claude
Work out the unit economics of one thing I sell. Be a careful analyst, not a cheerleader.

What I sell and the price: <product/service, price, currency>
Direct costs per unit: <materials, software, subcontractors, payment fees>
My time per unit: <hours> at <the hourly value I want to count my time at>
Cost to acquire a customer: <ad spend, time, commissions; or "I don't know">
How often a customer buys: <once / monthly / N times a year>
How long a customer stays, if recurring: <months, or your best guess>
Refunds or failed deliveries, roughly: <% if known>

Show:
1. Contribution per unit: price minus direct costs minus my time. Show the arithmetic.
2. Contribution per customer over their lifetime, using my retention figure.
3. Acquisition cost versus lifetime contribution, and the ratio. Explain what the ratio means in one sentence.
4. Break-even: how many units per month cover my fixed costs of <fixed costs>.
5. A sensitivity table: change price, direct cost, time, retention and acquisition cost by ±20% one at a time, and show the effect on lifetime contribution. Tell me which single number matters most.
6. Three honest observations, including any that are uncomfortable.

Every number you introduce must be marked [assumption]. Do not tell me what to charge.

Replace every <placeholder> with your own details before you send it.

How to use it

  1. 1Include your own time at a real hourly value, even if you don't pay yourself yet.
  2. 2Ask for the sensitivity table: it shows which one number matters most.
  3. 3This pairs well with the pricing prompt in Business & Strategy.

Reviewed 2026-09-20

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