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This percent off calculator is optimized for one task: converting a single markdown percentage into a concrete sale price and savings amount. Shoppers use it at the moment of purchase — standing in a store aisle or viewing a product page — to confirm the math before buying. It handles any percentage from 1% to 99% and any dollar amount. The reverse mode is particularly useful: input the sale price and the discount percentage to recover the original price. This matters when a price tag only shows the discounted amount, or when you want to verify whether a "60% off" claim on a liquidation rack is accurate. For multi-discount or dollar-off scenarios, the Discount Calculator covers those cases.
1. Enter the original (pre-discount) price of the item.
2. Enter the percentage being taken off (e.g., 30 for 30% off).
3. Click "Calculate" to see the sale price and the dollar amount saved.
4. To find the original price from a known sale price, toggle to "Reverse Mode."
5. In Reverse Mode, enter the sale price and the discount percentage.
6. The calculator returns the original price and confirms the savings amount.
Standard (forward) calculation:
Sale Price = Original Price × (1 − Percent Off ÷ 100)
Savings = Original Price − Sale Price
Reverse calculation (find original from sale price):
Original Price = Sale Price ÷ (1 − Percent Off ÷ 100)
Example: a $97.50 sale price at 35% off → $97.50 ÷ 0.65 = $150 original price. The savings were $52.50.
Both formulas are exact and work for any combination of price and percentage. No approximation is involved.
The sale price tells you what to pay; the savings figure tells you what you're gaining. A useful habit is to also calculate savings as a percentage of your pre-discount budget — a 40% off item at $240 (original $400) still costs $240, which may or may not fit your spending plan regardless of the discount. The reverse calculation is the real differentiator of this tool: it lets you audit advertised discounts and find the anchor price a retailer started from.
The percent off format — a single reduction rate applied to a listed price — is the most common consumer markdown structure in US retail. It differs from dollar-off promotions (where a fixed amount is subtracted regardless of price), tiered/quantity discounts (where the rate depends on how much you buy), and sequential stacked discounts (where one coupon applies after another has already reduced the price).
Percent off is the simplest form because it scales with price: 30% off a $20 item and 30% off a $200 item both represent the same proportional value. This makes it the preferred format for clearance events, seasonal sales, and end-of-life product pricing, where the retailer wants to move inventory without customizing every price tag. Because it's proportional, it's also the fairest basis for comparing deals across categories — something dollar-off promotions don't offer.
The reverse calculation is underused. Retailers are legally required to have a genuine prior selling price when advertising "X% off" — but the reference pricing is not always transparent. If you see "now $62.99 — save 55%," the implied original is $62.99 ÷ 0.45 = $139.98. If you've never seen that item priced above $79.99 at the same retailer, that "55% off" claim may be based on an inflated anchor.
FTC guidelines and state laws in California (the Automatic Price Disclosure law), Illinois, and New York require that advertised "original" prices reflect genuine previous selling prices, typically for a minimum of 28–30 days. The reverse percent off calculation is the fastest way to surface the implied anchor price so you can judge whether a deal is real. It's also useful for accounting: if you receive a vendor invoice showing only the discounted amount, the reverse formula recovers the list price for your records.
Shoppers often ask whether a given percentage off is worth their attention. Some context:
These benchmarks are generalizations — a 10% off discount on a $5,000 appliance ($500 saved) may be more valuable in absolute terms than 50% off a $20 item. Always pair the percentage with the dollar savings to evaluate real-world value.
In most US states, sales tax is applied after discounts are taken — you pay tax on the sale price, not the original price. This is true for manufacturer coupons, store coupons, and advertised markdowns in the majority of states. However, the treatment varies for different coupon types.
In states like California and Texas, coupons issued by the retailer (store coupons) reduce the taxable price. But manufacturer coupons in some states are treated differently — the tax is based on the amount the consumer actually pays, while in others it's based on the pre-coupon price. For a 35% off purchase of $150 bringing the price to $97.50, the difference in sales tax between calculating on $150 vs. $97.50 at 8% state rate is $4.20 — small per transaction, but worth knowing if you're doing high-volume retail accounting or disputing a checkout receipt.
The percent-off savings are only as meaningful as the starting price is legitimate. Inflated anchors produce misleading discount claims.
Percent off applies one rate to one price. If two promotions exist, use the Discount Calculator for sequential results.
Knowing how to work backward from sale price to original price unlocks deal verification at the point of purchase.
Most states calculate sales tax on the discounted price, but manufacturer coupon rules vary by state.
A 20% markdown is excellent in electronics but below average during major clearance events in apparel.
Black Friday, end-of-season, and inventory-clearance events drive higher average markdowns than regular mid-season promotions.
Sofia finds a $849 laptop marked 20% off during a back-to-school sale. Sale Price = $849 × 0.80 = $679.20. She saves $169.80. Colorado sales tax is 2.9% state rate (plus local, averaging around 7.5% combined in Denver). Tax on $679.20 at 7.5% = $50.94. Total out-of-pocket: $730.14.
Derek sees a coat tagged "$79.99 — 65% off." Using reverse mode: $79.99 ÷ (1 − 0.65) = $79.99 ÷ 0.35 = $228.54 implied original. He checks the brand's website and finds the coat's standard retail price is $195. The retailer's claimed original of $228.54 appears inflated by about 17%, making the effective real discount closer to 59%, not 65% — still a solid deal, but not what the tag implies.
1. Verify the original price using the reverse calculator whenever a deal advertises an unusually high percentage off — particularly on liquidation racks.
2. Calculate dollar savings alongside the percentage to make sure the actual amount saved justifies a purchase or a special trip.
3. Don't confuse percent off with percent of — "25% off $200" means you pay $150; "25% of $200" is $50. The framing is different and errors are common under time pressure.
4. Use reverse mode on receipts to double-check that the cashier's discount registered correctly at checkout.
5. For tax purposes: confirm whether your state taxes the original or discounted price for the type of coupon you're using.
6. Bookmark the tool for seasonal sales events — Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and Labor Day sales move quickly, and having the calculator open saves the time spent second-guessing pricing.
A: $75 × 0.70 = $52.50 sale price. You save $22.50. Alternatively, $75 × 0.30 = $22.50 savings, then $75 − $22.50 = $52.50.
A: Percent off is a single-markdown tool — one percentage applied to one price. The Discount Calculator handles more complex scenarios: dollar-off amounts, sequential stacked coupons, bulk pricing tiers, and trade discount structures.
A: Use the reverse formula: Original Price = Sale Price ÷ (1 − Percent Off ÷ 100). For a $70 item at 30% off, the original was $70 ÷ 0.70 = $100.
A: Context matters. In apparel during end-of-season clearance, 40% off is common — not exceptional. For electronics or appliances mid-cycle, it's strong. Always confirm the original price is accurate before assessing the value.
A: In most US states, sales tax is calculated on the discounted (post-markdown) price, not the original. Manufacturer coupon rules vary by state, so check your state's department of revenue guidance if you're reconciling retail accounts.
A: Yes — it works for any whole or decimal percentage from 1% to 99%, and for any dollar amount. You can calculate 12.5% off $374 just as easily as 50% off $100.
A: It's a backward calculation: given the discounted sale price and the percentage taken off, it computes the original pre-discount price. Useful for verifying advertised discounts or recovering list prices from invoices.
A: $340 × 0.15 = $51 saved. Sale price: $340 − $51 = $289.
Brief disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational and planning purposes only. Actual discounts, final prices, and sales tax treatment depend on the retailer's specific policies, coupon terms, and applicable state laws. Results should be treated as planning guidance rather than a guarantee of any specific promotional outcome.