ATO benchmarks for sporting goods stores

Sporting goods stores sell sports equipment, clothing, footwear, camping gear and fishing tackle, in store and often online, with stock bought from wholesalers and brands, rent and staff costs as their main outgoings.

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General information

These are the Australian Taxation Office's published small business benchmarks for sporting goods stores, shown as the ATO publishes them for each turnover range. They describe the industry as a whole, not any one business, and they are not advice about a particular business. Sources checked 15 October 2026.

Total expenses as a share of turnover

Low and high end of each published range

Total expenses as a share of turnover for sporting goods stores, by turnover range and financial year
Turnover range	Financial year	Low end	High end
$65,000 to $250,000	2023-24	68%	84%
$65,000 to $250,000	2022-23	71%	85%
$250,001 to $750,000	2023-24	78%	88%
$250,001 to $750,000	2022-23	78%	88%
More than $750,000	2023-24	86%	92%
More than $750,000	2022-23	86%	92%

Australian Taxation Office, Small Business Benchmarks, key ratios for 2023-24 and 2022-23 (data.gov.au), licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

Cost of sales as a share of turnover

Low and high end of each published range

Cost of sales as a share of turnover for sporting goods stores, by turnover range and financial year
Turnover range	Financial year	Low end	High end
$65,000 to $250,000	2023-24	45%	62%
$65,000 to $250,000	2022-23	46%	63%
$250,001 to $750,000	2023-24	53%	63%
$250,001 to $750,000	2022-23	53%	64%
More than $750,000	2023-24	58%	66%
More than $750,000	2022-23	59%	66%

Australian Taxation Office, Small Business Benchmarks, key ratios for 2023-24 and 2022-23 (data.gov.au), licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

What sits behind these figures in the books

Cost of sales covers the sporting equipment, apparel, camping gear, bait and tackle bought to sell, adjusted for the stock on the floor and in the storeroom at the end of the period.
Seasonal stock bought ahead of summer or winter is counted at each period end, so a large pre-season order is matched by the unsold stock rather than showing as a single period's cost.
Sales through the store's online shop and marketplaces are recorded at the full sale price, with platform fees and shipping entered as separate expenses.

Sources

Small Business Benchmarks, 2023-24 Benchmarks (key ratios)
Australian Taxation Office. 2023-24 financial year, released 16 March 2026. Checked 15 October 2026.
Based on Australian Taxation Office data, Small Business Benchmarks, 2023-24 Benchmarks, licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU Licence: CC BY 2.5 AU.
Small Business Benchmarks, 2022-23 Benchmarks (key ratios)
Australian Taxation Office. 2022-23 financial year, released 17 March 2025. Checked 15 October 2026.
Based on Australian Taxation Office data, Small Business Benchmarks, 2022-23 Benchmarks, licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU Licence: CC BY 2.5 AU.

Get your books in order

Cost of sales and total expenses are only as reliable as the books behind them. Tell us how your business runs and we will suggest a bookkeeping plan that fits.