This is a labor payback estimate, not a sales forecast. It assumes the saved time can be used productively and does not include financing, tax treatment, downtime, returns, additional inventory or revenue growth.
Measure the complete workflow
Do not compare a phone’s complete listing time with the Ricoh’s published pages-per-minute number. Time a representative batch from the moment you prepare the cards until the images are ready for review. For the automated side, include loading, file handling, identification review, corrections and rescans.
Run at least three batches and use the median. Keep valuable or fragile cards outside the feeder. A faster capture method has no value if it creates damage, bad matches or a storage backlog.
Frequently asked questions
What automated time should I enter?
Use your observed seconds per card for the entire batch. If you do not own the scanner yet, run the calculator with a conservative range instead of the advertised maximum.
What if the net monthly value is negative?
The scanner does not break even under those assumptions. Increase volume only if you truly have that supply and listing capacity, or wait until manual capture becomes the bottleneck.
Does this predict more sales?
No. It values time saved. Sourcing, selection, pricing, demand, seller quality and fulfillment still determine whether the listings generate profit.