STEP 7 - Calculate Your Weighted Average Product Cost

Two final calculations are required in order to determine a  weighted average product cost.

1.  -  Calculate the weighted average product cost for each product line:
Simply, multiply each product cost by its corresponding sales percentage forecast (Remember the sale percentage forecast is the rate at which you feel customers will buy each product or brand name item (developed in step 4). The resulting figure will be called "The Adjusted Factor". Then total the adjusted factors to arrive at a weighted average product cost for each product line. In John's case, this will reduce the number of product costs from thirteen (13) down to six (6). Here's how John would organize his chart.

The first column lists each of the thirteen products John plans to sell. The second column represents the total cost (including shipping) of each product (determined in step 5). The third column represents the percentages at which John feels customers will buy each product (developed in step 4). The forth column, "The Adjusted Factor", is the result of column 2 multiplied by column 3. The sum of all adjusted factors become the Weighted Average Product Cost for each product line category. Below summarizes John's Weighted Average Product Cost for each Product line category.

Remember John had started out with thirteen (13) costs and now he has six product costs - a weighted average cost for Jeans, Casual Pants, Sweaters, Long-Sleeve Shirts, T-Shirts, and finally Belts.

2.  -  Calculate the  weighted average product cost (one single value):
Now John's task is to reduce these six product costs down to one  product cost. The resulting  product cost will become known as John's "Weighted Average Product Cost". In order to do this, John will need to refer back to the sales percentages in which he allocated to each product line (calculated in Step 3). Recall, John's product line sales percentages were estimated as follow:

John now must multiply these percentages by the weighted average product cost per category (calculated in step 7 above). Once again, we will call the resulting figure "The Adjusted Factor". The adjusted factors will then be added together and the sum will become known as John's "Weighted Average Product Cost". The following chart depicts the final process.

Congratulations!!! You have just calculated John's Weighted Average Product Cost to be $22.55.  In essense, you have reduced the number of product costs from thirteen (13) down to one  product cost. This will save John a great deal of time and frustration when he develops his forecasted financial statements.

Your probably wondering what the weighted average product cost of $22.55 means. Before we reveal the secret, lets calculate the Weighted Average Selling Price for John's retail clothing store (step 8).