---
title: "74 Marketing Audit Case Studies, $4.5M+ Found | MarginFix"
description: "Marketing margin audit case studies: 74 anonymized audits across 9 industries, $4.5M+ in margin identified. See each finding and result."
url: https://marginfix.ai/case-studies/
lastmod: 2026-10-12
---

Case studies

# The margin was always there. We found it.

A look at what an objective, evidenced audit of your marketing spend and unit economics actually surfaces, a marketing & margin audit. Anonymized to protect our clients; real in every number.

◆ 74 case studies · 9 industries
◆ $61k average recovery
◆ $10k–$50k of findings, or your money back

[Request an audit →](/book/)

MarginFix **Findings ledger**

DTC / Ecommerce Scaling spend was hiding a $134k annual margin leak +$134k

Manufacturing Volume rebates were paid on orders that never hit the tier −$118k

Fintech Incentive spend acquired users who never funded −$96k

B2B SaaS Late quarter discounting was quietly eroding ACV margin +$92k

Retail Online ads were paying for in store demand −$88k

Fintech Acquisition ignored default rate by channel +$88k

Pharma Congress and KOL sponsorship showed no measurable return $88k

74 audits · 9 industries **$4.5M+**

Industry averages $48k to $77k per audit

Why senior teams trust the numbers

## Every figure is evidenced, reviewed, and signed off, before it ever reaches this page.

A senior auditor stakes their name on it

Nothing here is raw model output. Every figure is rebuilt from your own data and personally signed off by a named senior auditor, the person accountable for it.

Named, accountable reviewer

You only pay if it pays off

One fixed fee. No retainer, no hourly meter. If we don’t surface your tier’s guaranteed $10,000 to $50,000 in identified margin, you owe nothing. The risk sits with us.

$10k–$50k or refund guarantee

Real results, protected identities

We withhold client names to guard their commercial edge, the same discretion we’d give you. The findings and figures are real and unaltered.

Confidential by default

Your data never leaves your control

Read only access, anonymized before review, access revoked at readout. We look, we report, we’re gone, working data deleted ≤ 30 days after close.

Read only · never retained

Recovered margin compounds

What we free up isn’t just cut. It’s redeployed into growth. Every dollar recovered works for you again next year, and the next.

Recovered / yr, recurring

Across **74 audits** in **9 industries**, every finding real, every client confidential.

DTC / Ecommerce

B2B SaaS

Marketplace

Subscription

Retail

Services

Fintech

Pharma

Manufacturing

The full library

## 74 marketing & margin audit case studies. One highlight finding each.

Browse all 74 and open any one to see the finding, the redacted working paper behind it, and the result. Filter by industry to watch the same objective method surface a different leak in every business.

Showing 74 of 74 audits across every industry

[Scaling spend was hiding a $134k annual margin leak](/cases/scaling-spend-was-hiding-a-134k-annual-margin-leak/)

★ Top result
DTC · Beauty & personal care

### Scaling spend was hiding a $134k annual margin leak.

Two prospecting campaigns were buying revenue below break even after shipping and returns.

Lever Paid social mix

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2025

+$134k

margin recovered / yr

23×

annual figure / audit fee

+16pts

contribution margin swing

6 days

to findings

[Late quarter discounting was quietly eroding ACV margin](/cases/late-quarter-discounting-was-quietly-eroding-acv-margin/)

★ Top result
B2B SaaS · Enterprise

### Late quarter discounting was quietly eroding ACV margin.

Reps escalated discounts to close on time, and the pattern compounded every quarter unchecked.

Lever Deal discounting

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2025

+$92k

margin recovered / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

ACV margin

7 days

to findings

[Incentive spend acquired users who never funded](/cases/incentive-spend-acquired-users-who-never-funded/)

★ Top result
Fintech · Consumer

### Incentive spend acquired users who never funded.

Signup bonuses optimized installs, not activated, funded accounts.

Lever Activation

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2024

−$96k

wasted spend cut / yr

16×

annual figure / audit fee

−44%

unfunded sign ups

7 days

to findings

[Volume rebates were paid on orders that never hit the tier](/cases/volume-rebates-were-paid-on-orders-that-never-hit-the-tier/)

★ Top result
Manufacturing · Water pipe producer

### Volume rebates were paid on orders that never hit the tier.

Distributor rebate accruals were calculated on gross POs, not shipped and paid volume, overcrediting buyers who never reached the threshold.

Lever Rebate leakage

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2025

−$118k

wasted spend cut / yr

20×

annual figure / audit fee

−19%

overpaid rebates

7 days

to findings

[CAC looked fine, until we split it by cohort](/cases/cac-looked-fine-until-we-split-it-by-cohort/)

★ Top result
Marketplace · Two sided

### CAC looked fine, until we split it by cohort.

Blended CAC masked a segment acquired far above its lifetime value.

Lever Cohort CAC

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2026

+29%

blended margin

+19%

contribution / order

7 days

to findings

[Congress and KOL sponsorship showed no measurable return](/cases/congress-and-kol-sponsorship-showed-no-measurable-return/)

★ Top result
Pharma · Biopharma

### Congress and KOL sponsorship showed no measurable return.

Six figure congress and KOL spend had no attributable share of voice or prescribing outcome.

Lever Congress ROI

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2024

$88k

budget redirected / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

−26%

unmeasured sponsorship

7 days

to findings

[Online ads were paying for in store demand](/cases/online-ads-were-paying-for-in-store-demand/)

★ Top result
Retail · Omnichannel

### Online ads were paying for in store demand.

Geo lift analysis showed much of paid social was non incremental to stores.

Lever Incrementality

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2026

−$88k

wasted spend cut / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

−37%

non incremental social

7 days

to findings

[Intake was dropping a third of qualified calls](/cases/intake-was-dropping-a-third-of-qualified-calls/)

★ Top result
Services · Legal

### Intake was dropping a third of qualified calls.

Marketing filled the top of funnel while operations leaked the bottom.

Lever Funnel & intake

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published May 2025

+$62k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+33%

qualified calls booked

6 days

to findings

[Seat true ups were underbilled as accounts grew](/cases/seat-true-ups-were-under-billed-as-accounts-grew/)

★ Top result
Subscription · B2B software

### Seat true ups were underbilled as accounts grew.

Expanding teams added users faster than contracts were trued up, leaving seats unbilled.

Lever Seat true ups

✓ Senior reviewed · verified & anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2024

+$63k

margin recovered / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

+7%

billed seat accuracy

6 days

to findings

[Volume rebates were paid on orders that never hit the tier](/cases/volume-rebates-were-paid-on-orders-that-never-hit-the-tier/)

Manufacturing · Water pipe producer

### Volume rebates were paid on orders that never hit the tier.

Distributor rebate accruals were calculated on gross POs, not shipped and paid volume, overcrediting buyers who never reached the threshold.

Lever
Rebate leakage

−$118k

wasted spend cut / yr

20×

annual figure / audit fee

−19%

overpaid rebates

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2025

[Incentive spend acquired users who never funded](/cases/incentive-spend-acquired-users-who-never-funded/)

Fintech · Consumer

### Incentive spend acquired users who never funded.

Signup bonuses optimized installs, not activated, funded accounts.

Lever
Activation

−$96k

wasted spend cut / yr

16×

annual figure / audit fee

−44%

unfunded sign ups

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2024

[Late quarter discounting was quietly eroding ACV margin](/cases/late-quarter-discounting-was-quietly-eroding-acv-margin/)

B2B SaaS · Enterprise

### Late quarter discounting was quietly eroding ACV margin.

Reps escalated discounts to close on time, and the pattern compounded every quarter unchecked.

Lever
Deal discounting

+$92k

margin recovered / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

ACV margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2025

[Online ads were paying for in store demand](/cases/online-ads-were-paying-for-in-store-demand/)

Retail · Omnichannel

### Online ads were paying for in store demand.

Geo lift analysis showed much of paid social was non incremental to stores.

Lever
Incrementality

−$88k

wasted spend cut / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

−37%

non incremental social

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2026

[Congress and KOL sponsorship showed no measurable return](/cases/congress-and-kol-sponsorship-showed-no-measurable-return/)

Pharma · Biopharma

### Congress and KOL sponsorship showed no measurable return.

Six figure congress and KOL spend had no attributable share of voice or prescribing outcome.

Lever
Congress ROI

$88k

budget redirected / yr

15×

annual figure / audit fee

−26%

unmeasured sponsorship

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2024

[Interchange margin varied wildly by acquisition channel](/cases/interchange-margin-varied-wildly-by-acquisition-channel/)

Fintech · Payments

### Interchange margin varied wildly by acquisition channel.

Some channels brought volume at structurally worse economics.

Lever
Channel margin

+$83k

margin recovered / yr

14×

annual figure / audit fee

+2pts

interchange margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2025

[Referral rewards were paid on self referred and gamed volume](/cases/referral-rewards-were-paid-on-self-referred-and-gamed-volume/)

Fintech · Exchange

### Referral rewards were paid on self referred and gamed volume.

A referral program paid out on volume that was largely self dealing or wash activity.

Lever
Referral integrity

−$83k

wasted spend cut / yr

14×

annual figure / audit fee

−33%

gamed rewards

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2025

[A surcharge lag was never passed into customer contracts](/cases/a-surcharge-lag-was-never-passed-into-customer-contracts/)

Manufacturing · Packaging

### A surcharge lag was never passed into customer contracts.

Resin and energy surcharges rose faster than contract pricing captured them.

Lever
Surcharge pass through

+$79k

margin recovered / yr

13×

annual figure / audit fee

+7pts

contract margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jan 2025

[Unbranded search was paying for traffic the brand site already won](/cases/unbranded-search-was-paying-for-traffic-the-brand-site-alrea/)

Pharma · Rx brand (DTC)

### Unbranded search was paying for traffic the brand site already won.

Disease awareness and branded campaigns overlapped, double buying the same high intent visitor.

Lever
Search overlap

−$78k

wasted spend cut / yr

13×

annual figure / audit fee

−29%

duplicate search spend

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2025

[A $1.2M ad budget hid a 40% wasted impression rate](/cases/a-1-2m-ad-budget-hid-a-40-wasted-impression-rate/)

B2B SaaS · Vertical

### A $1.2M ad budget hid a 40% wasted impression rate.

Placements and dayparting were never optimized after launch.

Lever
Media efficiency

−$74k

wasted spend cut / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

40%

wasted impressions (before)

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2025

[Courier incentives overlapped organic supply in dense zones](/cases/courier-incentives-overlapped-organic-supply-in-dense-zones/)

Marketplace · Food delivery

### Courier incentives overlapped organic supply in dense zones.

Peak time courier bonuses paid for coverage the densest zones already had without them.

Lever
Courier incentives

−$74k

wasted spend cut / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

−22%

redundant incentives

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2026

[Rising freight never reached the price list](/cases/rising-freight-never-reached-the-price-list/)

Manufacturing · Kids furniture

### Rising freight never reached the price list.

Landed cost had climbed for two years while list prices held; oversized carton surcharges quietly erased the margin on every flat pack line.

Lever
Freight in pricing

+$72k

margin recovered / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

+7pts

landed margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jul 2026

[Broker commissions were flat across very different loss ratios](/cases/broker-commissions-were-flat-across-very-different-loss-rati/)

Fintech · Insurtech

### Broker commissions were flat across very different loss ratios.

One commission rate applied to products whose underlying margins differed sharply.

Lever
Commission by product

+$72k

margin recovered / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

portfolio margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2024

[Loyalty points cost more than the repeat they drove](/cases/loyalty-points-cost-more-than-the-repeat-they-drove/)

Retail · Grocery

### Loyalty points cost more than the repeat they drove.

Point liability outpaced the incremental margin of loyalty purchases.

Lever
Loyalty economics

−$71k

wasted spend cut / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

−24%

point liability

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2025

[Patient acquisition spend ran above what reimbursement paid](/cases/patient-acquisition-spend-ran-above-what-reimbursement-paid/)

Pharma · Diagnostics

### Patient acquisition spend ran above what reimbursement paid.

Direct to patient test acquisition cost more per patient than reimbursement returned.

Lever
Reimbursement vs CAC

−$71k

wasted spend cut / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

−22%

below reimbursement spend

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jan 2025

[A billing config gap left usage overages uncharged](/cases/a-billing-config-gap-left-usage-overages-uncharged/)

B2B SaaS · Usage based

### A billing config gap left usage overages uncharged.

Metered overages above plan limits were never billed because of a misconfigured usage rule.

Lever
Usage billing

+$70k

margin recovered / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

+8%

captured usage revenue

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2025

[Dealer cooperative funds were subsidizing competitors’ leads](/cases/dealer-co-op-funds-were-subsidising-competitors-leads/)

Manufacturing · HVAC components

### Dealer cooperative funds were subsidizing competitors’ leads.

Cooperative marketing budgets funded distributor campaigns that promoted rival brands alongside their own; tightening the terms cut waste without losing reach.

Lever
Cooperative funds

−$69k

wasted spend cut / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

−28%

wasted cooperative

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2025

[Returns processing cost was missing from channel economics](/cases/returns-processing-cost-was-missing-from-channel-economics/)

Retail · Fashion

### Returns processing cost was missing from channel economics.

High online return rates carried handling cost that channel P&Ls never attributed to them.

Lever
Returns economics

$69k

returns cost reallocated / yr

12×

annual figure / audit fee

−18%

unattributed returns cost

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2025

[A discount habit was training the best customers to wait](/cases/a-discount-habit-was-training-the-best-customers-to-wait/)

D2C · Food & beverage

### A discount habit was training the best customers to wait.

Always on promo codes eroded full price demand; a tiered structure protected margin.

Lever
Promo strategy

+$68k

margin recovered / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

+17pts

full price sell through

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2026

[Paid search was bidding on supply the platform already ranked for](/cases/paid-search-was-bidding-on-supply-the-platform-already-ranke/)

Marketplace · Travel & experiences

### Paid search was bidding on supply the platform already ranked for.

Branded and category search paid for clicks organic listings would have captured for free.

Lever
Search cannibalization

−$66k

wasted spend cut / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

−31%

self cannibalized clicks

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2025

[HCP and patient budgets were optimized in isolation](/cases/hcp-and-patient-budgets-were-optimised-in-isolation/)

Pharma · Medtech / device

### HCP and patient budgets were optimized in isolation.

Two teams bid against each other for the same audiences; a unified plan cut waste without losing reach.

Lever
HCP/patient split

−$64k

wasted spend cut / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

−22%

audience overlap

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jan 2026

[Distributor margin was set once and never revisited](/cases/distributor-margin-was-set-once-and-never-revisited/)

Manufacturing · Water systems

### Distributor margin was set once and never revisited.

A fixed dealer discount applied across the whole catalog subsidized low margin commodity SKUs at the expense of the engineered range.

Lever
Distributor margin

+$64k

margin recovered / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

distributor margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2025

[Detailing and sample spend produced no prescribing lift](/cases/detailing-and-sample-spend-produced-no-prescribing-lift/)

Pharma · Generics

### Detailing and sample spend produced no prescribing lift.

A large share of rep detailing and samples went to HCPs whose prescribing never moved.

Lever
Detailing ROI

−$64k

wasted spend cut / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

−28%

no lift detailing

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jun 2025

[Supply side incentives outlived their purpose](/cases/supply-side-incentives-outlived-their-purpose/)

Marketplace · Services

### Supply side incentives outlived their purpose.

Onboarding bonuses kept paying for supply the platform no longer needed.

Lever
Supply incentives

−$63k

wasted spend cut / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

−22%

supply CAC

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2025

[Seat true ups were underbilled as accounts grew](/cases/seat-true-ups-were-under-billed-as-accounts-grew/)

Subscription · B2B software

### Seat true ups were underbilled as accounts grew.

Expanding teams added users faster than contracts were trued up, leaving seats unbilled.

Lever
Seat true ups

+$63k

margin recovered / yr

11×

annual figure / audit fee

+7%

billed seat accuracy

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2024

[Intake was dropping a third of qualified calls](/cases/intake-was-dropping-a-third-of-qualified-calls/)

Services · Legal

### Intake was dropping a third of qualified calls.

Marketing filled the top of funnel while operations leaked the bottom.

Lever
Funnel & intake

+$62k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+33%

qualified calls booked

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2025

[FBA fees and returns had overtaken the margin on the hero ASINs](/cases/fba-fees-and-returns-had-overtaken-the-margin-on-the-hero-as/)

Ecommerce · Amazon seller

### FBA fees and returns had overtaken the margin on the hero ASINs.

Marketplace fee creep and a rising return rate pushed the bestselling ASINs below true contribution.

Lever
Marketplace fees

+$61k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

net ASIN margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2024

[Free planning support cost more than small accounts earned](/cases/free-planning-support-cost-more-than-small-accounts-earned/)

Fintech · Wealth & robo

### Free planning support cost more than small accounts earned.

Human financial planning support was offered to accounts whose AUM fee never covered it.

Lever
Cost to serve

+$61k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+4pts

small account margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2025

[Bestsellers were priced below their true landed cost](/cases/bestsellers-were-priced-below-their-true-landed-cost/)

Ecommerce · Pet

### Bestsellers were priced below their true landed cost.

Freight and packaging inflation had never been passed into unit economics.

Lever
Product pricing

+$59k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+9pts

contribution margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jan 2026

[Promotional fee waivers were never switched off](/cases/promotional-fee-waivers-were-never-switched-off/)

Marketplace · Gig & freelance

### Promotional fee waivers were never switched off.

Launch era fee waivers kept suppressing take rate long after they had served their purpose.

Lever
Fee waivers

+$58k

revenue restored / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+3pts

effective take rate

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2025

[Free assembly and delivery were bundled below cost on big ticket lines](/cases/free-assembly-and-delivery-were-bundled-below-cost-on-big-ti/)

Retail · Furniture

### Free assembly and delivery were bundled below cost on big ticket lines.

Large item orders included delivery and assembly priced under what they actually cost.

Lever
Delivery & assembly

+$58k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

big ticket margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2026

[Media ran outside the eligible population windows](/cases/media-ran-outside-the-eligible-population-windows/)

Pharma · Vaccines

### Media ran outside the eligible population windows.

Campaign flighting and targeting spent heavily outside when and where eligible patients converted.

Lever
Eligibility targeting

−$58k

wasted spend cut / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

−24%

out of window spend

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jul 2025

[Annual plans were discounted below their retention value](/cases/annual-plans-were-discounted-below-their-retention-value/)

Subscription · Fitness

### Annual plans were discounted below their retention value.

The annual discount exceeded the churn it prevented.

Lever
Discounting

+$57k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

annual plan margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jul 2025

[Configurator upsells were discounted below their cost](/cases/configurator-upsells-were-discounted-below-their-cost/)

Manufacturing · Modular kitchens

### Configurator upsells were discounted below their cost.

Default bundle pricing in the online configurator gave away high spec finishes at a negative contribution once fitting was included.

Lever
Configurator pricing

+$57k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+8%

configured order margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jan 2025

[Small order handling cost exceeded the margin on the order](/cases/small-order-handling-cost-exceeded-the-margin-on-the-order/)

Manufacturing · Industrial fasteners

### Small order handling cost exceeded the margin on the order.

A low minimum order value meant many small orders cost more to handle than they earned.

Lever
Minimum order value

+$57k

margin recovered / yr

10×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

small order margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2024

[Retainers were priced below delivery cost](/cases/retainers-were-priced-below-delivery-cost/)

Services · Agency

### Retainers were priced below delivery cost.

Blended rates hid unprofitable accounts inside a healthy looking book.

Lever
Retainer pricing

+$54k

margin recovered / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

+9pts

account margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2025

[Click and collect was subsidizing the delivery it replaced](/cases/click-and-collect-was-subsidising-the-delivery-it-replaced/)

Retail · Home improvement

### Click and collect was subsidizing the delivery it replaced.

Free click and collect still carried picking and handling cost the model assumed it removed.

Lever
Fulfillment mix

+$54k

margin recovered / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

fulfillment margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2026

[The agency’s ‘winning’ campaign was the biggest loser](/cases/the-agency-s-winning-campaign-was-the-biggest-loser/)

Ecommerce · Home & living

### The agency’s ‘winning’ campaign was the biggest loser.

Attribution credited a campaign for sales it didn’t drive; budget reset to incremental channels.

Lever
Attribution

−$53k

wasted spend cut / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

−34%

non incremental spend

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jun 2026

[Free tier support cost more than the plan earned](/cases/free-tier-support-cost-more-than-the-plan-earned/)

B2B SaaS · Dev tools

### Free tier support cost more than the plan earned.

Cost to serve was never modeled against plan pricing.

Lever
Cost to serve

+$52k

margin recovered / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

+7pts

plan margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2025

[Weak payment recovery was leaking revenue as involuntary churn](/cases/weak-payment-recovery-was-leaking-revenue-as-involuntary-chu/)

Subscription · Digital media

### Weak payment recovery was leaking revenue as involuntary churn.

An overly lax failed payment flow let recoverable subscribers lapse instead of being retried.

Lever
Payment recovery

+$52k

revenue recovered / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

−19%

involuntary churn

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2026

[Fixed fee packages were scoped below the hours they consumed](/cases/fixed-fee-packages-were-scoped-below-the-hours-they-consumed/)

Services · Accounting & tax

### Fixed fee packages were scoped below the hours they consumed.

Standard packages had drifted below the real delivery hours as client complexity grew.

Lever
Scope vs hours

+$52k

margin recovered / yr

9×

annual figure / audit fee

+8pts

engagement margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2025

[Markdown timing was leaving margin on the shelf](/cases/markdown-timing-was-leaving-margin-on-the-shelf/)

Retail · Electronics

### Markdown timing was leaving margin on the shelf.

Discounts triggered before demand actually softened.

Lever
Markdown timing

+$49k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+6%

realized margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2025

[Retail vet channel discounts were set below margin](/cases/retail-vet-channel-discounts-were-set-below-margin/)

Pharma · Animal health

### Retail vet channel discounts were set below margin.

A blanket vet channel discount undercut the margin on the products it was applied to.

Lever
Channel discounting

+$49k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

vet channel margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2025

[Dead SKUs tied up the margin in slow catalog lines](/cases/dead-skus-tied-up-the-margin-in-slow-catalogue-lines/)

Manufacturing · LED lighting

### Dead SKUs tied up the margin in slow catalog lines.

A long tail of near zero velocity products carried inventory, listing and marketing cost that dragged the whole catalog’s margin.

Lever
SKU rationalization

+$48k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

catalog margin

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2024

[Free shipping was quietly deleting the margin on every third order](/cases/free-shipping-was-quietly-deleting-the-margin-on-every-third/)

DTC · Apparel

### Free shipping was quietly deleting the margin on every third order.

A threshold set years ago no longer matched basket economics or carrier rates.

Lever
Shipping economics

+$47k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+8%

average order value

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2024

[Partner referral fees were paid on deals sales had sourced directly](/cases/partner-referral-fees-were-paid-on-deals-sales-had-sourced-d/)

B2B SaaS · Channel

### Partner referral fees were paid on deals sales had sourced directly.

Attribution credited partners for opportunities the direct team had actually originated.

Lever
Partner referral fees

−$47k

wasted spend cut / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

−24%

mis paid referrals

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2024

[The pause and skip flow was leaking straight to cancellation](/cases/the-pause-and-skip-flow-was-leaking-straight-to-cancellation/)

Subscription · Meal kit

### The pause and skip flow was leaking straight to cancellation.

Members who wanted to pause found canceling easier, turning saves into lost subscriptions.

Lever
Pause & skip flow

+$47k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+14%

pause saves retained

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jun 2025

[Travel and onboarding time was going unbilled](/cases/travel-and-onboarding-time-was-going-unbilled/)

Services · Implementation

### Travel and onboarding time was going unbilled.

Delivery hours around kickoff and travel were absorbed rather than billed to the engagement.

Lever
Unbilled delivery

+$47k

margin recovered / yr

8×

annual figure / audit fee

+6pts

project margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2025

[Take rate was leaking through unmanaged refunds](/cases/take-rate-was-leaking-through-unmanaged-refunds/)

Marketplace · Rentals

### Take rate was leaking through unmanaged refunds.

A refund policy gap quietly reduced effective take rate every month.

Lever
Refund leakage

+$44k

margin recovered / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

+3pts

effective take rate

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2026

[Affiliate commissions were being paid on sales the brand already owned](/cases/affiliate-commissions-were-being-paid-on-sales-the-brand-alr/)

DTC · Footwear

### Affiliate commissions were being paid on sales the brand already owned.

Influencer and affiliate links claimed organic and branded purchases that needed no incentive.

Lever
Affiliate attribution

−$44k

wasted spend cut / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

−29%

non incremental commissions

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2026

[Quoting ignored callback and warranty cost](/cases/quoting-ignored-callback-and-warranty-cost/)

Services · Field services

### Quoting ignored callback and warranty cost.

Job quotes were built on first visit cost, excluding the callbacks and warranty work that followed.

Lever
Warranty & callbacks

+$44k

margin recovered / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

+5pts

job margin

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2025

[Paid was subsidizing a channel sales already owned](/cases/paid-was-subsidising-a-channel-sales-already-owned/)

B2B SaaS · Series A

### Paid was subsidizing a channel sales already owned.

Brand term and retargeting spend claimed conversions that would have closed anyway.

Lever
Brand/paid overlap

$41k

budget redeployed / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

+54pts

genuinely incremental

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jun 2025

[Shipping tiers didn’t match cohort value](/cases/shipping-tiers-didn-t-match-cohort-value/)

Subscription · Box

### Shipping tiers didn’t match cohort value.

The most loyal cohort subsidized shipping for the least loyal.

Lever
Shipping tiers

+$41k

margin recovered / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

+4pts

cohort margin

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2026

[Trade show spend had no attributable pipeline](/cases/trade-show-spend-had-no-attributable-pipeline/)

Manufacturing · Underfloor heating

### Trade show spend had no attributable pipeline.

Six figure annual exhibition and sponsorship spend was never mapped to booked orders; reallocating to specifier led demand lifted return per dollar.

Lever
Trade show ROI

−$41k

wasted spend cut / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

−33%

unattributed spend

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jul 2025

[Vendor promo funding wasn’t covering the margin given away](/cases/vendor-promo-funding-wasn-t-covering-the-margin-given-away/)

Retail · Beauty

### Vendor promo funding wasn’t covering the margin given away.

Cofunded in store promotions discounted more deeply than the vendor support actually covered.

Lever
Vendor promo funding

+$41k

vendor funding recovered / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

−12%

uncovered promo cost

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2025

[Every location bought the same keywords against each other](/cases/every-location-bought-the-same-keywords-against-each-other/)

Services · Dental group

### Every location bought the same keywords against each other.

Internal auction competition inflated CPCs across the group.

Lever
Keyword overlap

−$39k

wasted spend cut / yr

7×

annual figure / audit fee

−26%

internal CPC

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2025

[Bundles were cannibalizing full price hero SKUs](/cases/bundles-were-cannibalising-full-price-hero-skus/)

Ecommerce · Beauty

### Bundles were cannibalizing full price hero SKUs.

A promo bundle sold well but pulled buyers off higher margin singles.

Lever
Bundling

+$38k

margin recovered / yr

6×

annual figure / audit fee

+11%

hero SKU sales

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2024

[Payment fees varied by tender and went unmanaged](/cases/payment-fees-varied-by-tender-and-went-unmanaged/)

Retail · Convenience

### Payment fees varied by tender and went unmanaged.

Interchange and scheme fees differed sharply by payment type with no steering or review.

Lever
Payment fees

+$38k

margin recovered / yr

6×

annual figure / audit fee

+2pts

tender margin

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Nov 2025

[Content spend had no path to revenue](/cases/content-spend-had-no-path-to-revenue/)

B2B SaaS · Mid market

### Content spend had no path to revenue.

Top of funnel investment never mapped to opportunities; budget moved to demand capture.

Lever
Content ROI

−$36k

wasted spend cut / yr

6×

annual figure / audit fee

+3.4×

demand capture ROI

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2024

[Winback campaigns were rebuying customers who’d have returned free](/cases/win-back-campaigns-were-re-buying-customers-who-d-have-retur/)

Subscription · SaaS

### Winback campaigns were rebuying customers who’d have returned free.

Discounted winbacks targeted naturally returning users.

Lever
Winback spend

−$33k

wasted spend cut / yr

6×

annual figure / audit fee

−31%

winback spend

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Oct 2024

[Retargeting was paid twice for the same customer](/cases/retargeting-was-paid-twice-for-the-same-customer/)

DTC · Beauty

### Retargeting was paid twice for the same customer.

Overlapping audiences double counted conversions across two platforms.

Lever
Audience overlap

−$31k

wasted spend cut / yr

5×

annual figure / audit fee

−37pts

double billed conversions

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2025

[The cheapest leads were the most expensive customers](/cases/the-cheapest-leads-were-the-most-expensive-customers/)

B2B SaaS · PLG

### The cheapest leads were the most expensive customers.

A low intent channel filled the funnel but crushed sales cycle efficiency downstream.

Lever
Lead quality

+31%

pipeline efficiency

+2.1×

SQL conversion

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2025

[CAC looked fine, until we split it by cohort](/cases/cac-looked-fine-until-we-split-it-by-cohort/)

Marketplace · Two sided

### CAC looked fine, until we split it by cohort.

Blended CAC masked a segment acquired far above its lifetime value.

Lever
Cohort CAC

+29%

blended margin

+19%

contribution / order

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2026

[Lead spend ignored close rate by source](/cases/lead-spend-ignored-close-rate-by-source/)

Services · Home

### Lead spend ignored close rate by source.

The cheapest leads converted worst; reallocating lifted booked revenue per dollar.

Lever
Lead routing

+27%

revenue/$ spent

+2.3×

close rate on spend

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Dec 2024

[Acquisition ignored default rate by channel](/cases/acquisition-ignored-default-rate-by-channel/)

Fintech · Lending

### Acquisition ignored default rate by channel.

Channels were judged on approved loan CAC while their default rates varied wildly.

Lever
Default by channel

+27%

risk adjusted CAC

+27%

risk adjusted margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Aug 2026

[Seasonal media weight ignored when the category actually converted](/cases/seasonal-media-weight-ignored-when-the-category-actually-con/)

Pharma · OTC consumer health

### Seasonal media weight ignored when the category actually converted.

Spend peaked with the flighting calendar, not with demand; reallocating to true in market windows lifted efficiency.

Lever
Media flighting

+26%

media efficiency

+18%

in market reach

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2026

[Buyer subsidies outran the repeat GMV they were meant to unlock](/cases/buyer-subsidies-outran-the-repeat-gmv-they-were-meant-to-unl/)

Marketplace · B2B wholesale

### Buyer subsidies outran the repeat GMV they were meant to unlock.

Acquisition subsidies were justified on lifetime GMV that most subsidized buyers never delivered.

Lever
Buyer subsidies

+26%

buyer payback

+26%

repeat GMV payback

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Apr 2025

[Subscription churn was masked by aggressive new trial spend](/cases/subscription-churn-was-masked-by-aggressive-new-trial-spend/)

DTC · Supplements

### Subscription churn was masked by aggressive new trial spend.

Net revenue retention fell below 100% once trial incentives were removed.

Lever
Subscription churn

+24pts

net revenue retention

−18%

monthly churn

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2026

[Job board spend was spread evenly regardless of fill rate](/cases/job-board-spend-was-spread-evenly-regardless-of-fill-rate/)

Services · Recruitment

### Job board spend was spread evenly regardless of fill rate.

Budget was split flatly across boards while fill and margin varied enormously by source.

Lever
Job board allocation

+24%

cost per placement

+24%

cost per fill

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Jun 2026

[DTC ads were cannibalizing higher margin retail](/cases/dtc-ads-were-cannibalising-higher-margin-retail/)

Manufacturing · Smart home products

### DTC ads were cannibalizing higher margin retail.

Paid social drove direct sales that displaced the same units through retail partners at a better blended margin, net of returns and support.

Lever
Channel conflict

+23%

blended channel margin

+2.2×

blended channel margin

7 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Mar 2026

[Growth spend was outrunning retention](/cases/growth-spend-was-outrunning-retention/)

Subscription · Media

### Growth spend was outrunning retention.

Acquisition was healthy on day one but churn erased it by month three.

Lever
Retention

+22%

LTV:CAC

−15%

month-3 churn

5 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Feb 2025

[Subscription acquisition ignored regulatory driven churn](/cases/subscription-acquisition-ignored-regulatory-driven-churn/)

Pharma · Nutraceutical

### Subscription acquisition ignored regulatory driven churn.

Claims restrictions raised churn on paid cohorts; creative and targeting were reset to compliant, higher retention angles.

Lever
Compliance & retention

+21%

retained LTV

−17%

compliant cohort churn

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published Sep 2024

[CAC payback was twice what the board believed](/cases/cac-payback-was-twice-what-the-board-believed/)

Fintech · SMB

### CAC payback was twice what the board believed.

Fully loaded acquisition cost was understated by excluding onboarding.

Lever
CAC payback

+19%

CAC payback accuracy

+27%

funded account rate

6 days

to findings

✓ Senior reviewed
✓ Verified, anonymized ✓ Published May 2025

In their words · follows the industry filter

## What clients said, one from each industry

**9** statements shown · **60** in total median finding **$58k** · findings in **5 to 7 working days**

Quoted as approved in writing by each client. Identities withheld under NDA. Figures are the audited figures published in the case study, unadjusted.

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Feb 2025

$134k a year found in 6 days

Contribution margin on the two top campaigns: **−7% → +9%**

“Revenue grew and cash didn't. Victoria rebuilt margin per order after shipping, returns and payment fees, and our two biggest prospecting campaigns were losing money on every sale. We stopped scaling them.”

**Founder & CEO · DTC · Beauty & personal care**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/scaling-spend-was-hiding-a-134k-annual-margin-leak/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Feb 2025

$118k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Rebates paid on volume never actually earned: **19% → 1%**

“Rebate expense outran distributor volume and we could not see why. Cristian reconciled rebates paid against volume actually shipped and paid for, tier by tier: accruals had run off gross purchase orders. Quarterly true ups now catch it.”

**VP of Supply Chain · Manufacturing · Water pipe producer**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/volume-rebates-were-paid-on-orders-that-never-hit-the-tier/)

FINTECH Approved Oct 2024

$96k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

App installs that funded a real account: **24% → 63%**

“Installs looked great and funded accounts stagnated. David followed sign ups through to funding, and the bonus was buying registrations from people who claimed it and never transacted. Incentives now pay on activation, not the download.”

**VP of Growth · Fintech · Consumer**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/incentive-spend-acquired-users-who-never-funded/)

B2B SAAS Approved Aug 2025

$92k a year found in 7 days

Enterprise deal margin lost to quarter end: **5 pts lost → 0 pts lost**

“Bookings hit target while margin slipped. Cristian split our discounting by timing and rep: concessions spiked in the last days of every quarter because buyers had learned to wait. Approval thresholds fixed it without losing deals.”

**CRO · B2B SaaS · Enterprise**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/late-quarter-discounting-was-quietly-eroding-acv-margin/)

RETAIL Approved Mar 2026

$88k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Paid social proven to lift store visits: **~1 in 3 → 9 in 10**

“Our CFO doubted that online ads drove store visits. David's matched market geo lift test proved the doubt right: footfall barely changed where the ads were off. The budget moved to markets and channels that passed the test.”

**VP of Marketing · Retail · Omnichannel**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/online-ads-were-paying-for-in-store-demand/)

FINTECH Approved Aug 2026

−27% risk adjusted CAC in 7 days

Risk adjusted acquisition cost per loan on the high default channel: **$540 → $400**

“Our cheapest channel was our worst credit. David split default rates by acquisition source: the low CAC channels brought borrowers who defaulted materially more often. Budget now follows risk adjusted cost per loan, not just CAC.”

**CRO · Fintech · Lending**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/acquisition-ignored-default-rate-by-channel/)

PHARMA Approved Nov 2024

$88k annual budget redirection identified in 7 days

Congress spend with a tracked return: **8% → 88%**

“Six figures a year in congresses and KOL sponsorships, renewed on habit. Leslie tried to connect it to share of voice, engagement or prescribing and found no instrumentation at all. The unmeasurable part now funds engagement we can track.”

**Head of Commercial Strategy · Pharma · Biopharma**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/congress-and-kol-sponsorship-showed-no-measurable-return/)

FINTECH Approved Aug 2025

$83k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Referral rewards on genuine, nongamed volume: **67% → 98%**

“Referral payouts grew faster than real users. David examined the volume behind the rewards: self referrals through second accounts, circular trades, wash volume. Integrity checks now run before any payout; gamed rewards were clawed back.”

**Chief Risk Officer · Fintech · Exchange**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/referral-rewards-were-paid-on-self-referred-and-gamed-volume/)

FINTECH Approved May 2025

$83k a year found in 7 days

Interchange margin on the worst channel: **+0.4% → +2.4%**

“Every channel cost the same per merchant, so we treated them as interchangeable. David split profitability down to the interchange line: some channels brought merchants who earned us a fraction. Budget now follows margin, not just CAC.”

**VP of Risk · Fintech · Payments**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/interchange-margin-varied-wildly-by-acquisition-channel/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Jan 2025

$79k a year found in 7 days

Contract margin vs live input costs: **9% → 16%**

“Volume was stable and contract margin kept eroding. Cristian compared resin, board and energy cost movements against the surcharges we actually passed through, and the lag was costing us every month. An indexed pass through fixed it.”

**VP of Sales · Manufacturing · Packaging**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/a-surcharge-lag-was-never-passed-into-customer-contracts/)

PHARMA Approved Dec 2025

$78k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

High intent visitors paid for twice: **~1 in 3 → ~1 in 30**

“Two teams, two search programs, one visitor bought twice. Leslie looked at branded and disease awareness search together for the first time: about one high intent visitor in three was paid for twice. Shared negatives and one plan ended it.”

**VP of Marketing · Pharma · Rx brand (DTC)**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/unbranded-search-was-paying-for-traffic-the-brand-site-alrea/)

B2B SAAS Approved Dec 2025

$74k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Share of all impressions hitting no convert inventory: **40% → 6%**

“Forty percent of our impressions landed where buyers never convert. Cristian's delivery teardown found placement, dayparting and geo settings untouched since launch on a seven figure budget. We rebuilt them.”

**VP of Demand Generation · B2B SaaS · Vertical**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/a-1-2m-ad-budget-hid-a-40-wasted-impression-rate/)

MARKETPLACE Approved Feb 2026

$74k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Courier bonuses paid into already full zones: **22% → 3%**

“Incentive spend rose while service levels stayed flat. Alex matched bonus payouts against real time courier availability by zone: in dense areas we paid couriers who would have worked anyway. Bonuses now fire only where coverage is short.”

**VP of Supply Growth · Marketplace · Food delivery**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/courier-incentives-overlapped-organic-supply-in-dense-zones/)

FINTECH Approved Sep 2024

$72k a year found in 7 days

Portfolio margin across the product mix: **11% → 17%**

“One flat commission across very different products steered brokers to the wrong mix. David set commission against each product's margin and loss ratio; thin lines were being sold near unprofitable. Commission now follows the margin band.”

**VP of Risk & Growth · Fintech · Insurtech**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/broker-commissions-were-flat-across-very-different-loss-rati/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Jul 2026

$72k a year found in 7 days

Landed margin on the flat pack lines: **−1% → +6%**

“We held prices for two years and freight did not. Cristian rebuilt landed cost from current carrier invoices: oversized carton surcharges had erased the margin on every flat pack line. We repriced and redesigned the worst packaging.”

**Head of Operations · Manufacturing · Kids furniture**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/rising-freight-never-reached-the-price-list/)

RETAIL Approved Apr 2025

$71k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Loyalty program margin vs its liability: **−8% → +6%**

“Loyalty was untouchable, so nobody had priced it. David set our accrued point liability against the incremental margin the program drove, and it was underwater. We restructured earn and burn without gutting the rewards members value.”

**VP of Customer Loyalty · Retail · Grocery**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/loyalty-points-cost-more-than-the-repeat-they-drove/)

PHARMA Approved Jan 2025

$71k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Acquisition cost vs reimbursement per test: **122% → 78%**

“Acquisition and reimbursement sat with different teams, so nobody compared them. Cristian reconciled cost per patient against reimbursement per test: several high volume tests lost money on every patient we marketed in. We capped those.”

**CFO · Pharma · Diagnostics**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/patient-acquisition-spend-ran-above-what-reimbursement-paid/)

B2B SAAS Approved Nov 2025

$70k a year found in 6 days

Billable usage actually invoiced: **92% → 99%**

“I expected a slide deck. Alex reconciled metered usage against invoices and found a whole category of overages recorded for analytics but never billed. A config fix, no price change, and customers expected to pay for it anyway.”

**Head of Growth · B2B SaaS · Usage based**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/a-billing-config-gap-left-usage-overages-uncharged/)

RETAIL Approved Oct 2025

$69k annual returns cost reallocation identified in 7 days

Online margin once its returns are charged in: **2% → 9%**

“Online looked as profitable as our stores, which felt wrong. David charged returns processing to the channel that generated each return, and online's margin fell from flattering to honest. We stopped scaling the wrong channel.”

**Head of Ecommerce Logistics · Retail · Fashion**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/returns-processing-cost-was-missing-from-channel-economics/)

MANUFACTURING Approved May 2025

$69k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Cooperative budget spent promoting rival brands: **28% → 3%**

“Our cooperative money was promoting our competitors. Cristian reviewed what distributors actually spent it on: campaigns featured rival brands next to ours, sometimes more prominently. Reimbursement now needs proof of brand presence.”

**Director of Distribution · Manufacturing · HVAC components**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/dealer-co-op-funds-were-subsidising-competitors-leads/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved May 2026

$68k a year found in 6 days

Full price sell through: **61% → 78%**

“Our best customers had learned to wait for a code. Victoria showed that a large share of discounted orders would have happened at full price anyway. We moved to a tiered structure for new customers and bigger baskets, and volume held.”

**CMO · D2C · Food & beverage**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/a-discount-habit-was-training-the-best-customers-to-wait/)

MARKETPLACE Approved Apr 2025

$66k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Paid clicks the site already won organically: **~1 in 3 → ~1 in 30**

“We were bidding on terms we already ranked for. Alex paused paid search on those terms in a test and bookings barely moved. Roughly one paid click in three we would have won for free. That spend now goes where paid actually adds demand.”

**Head of Performance Marketing · Marketplace · Travel & experiences**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/paid-search-was-bidding-on-supply-the-platform-already-ranke/)

PHARMA Approved Jun 2025

$64k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Detailing spend that moved no prescribing: **28% → 4%**

“Reach and call counts looked healthy. Leslie matched detailing and samples to prescribing change per HCP, and 28% of the effort landed on physicians it never moved. Field time now follows responsiveness, not coverage targets.”

**Head of Commercial Operations · Pharma · Generics**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/detailing-and-sample-spend-produced-no-prescribing-lift/)

PHARMA Approved Jan 2026

$64k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Budget lost to the two teams overbidding: **22% → 3%**

“Our HCP and patient agencies were bidding against each other for the same impressions. Cristian examined both programs together for the first time and merged audience planning. Reach held, and the internal premium was gone.”

**Director of Commercial Operations · Pharma · Medtech / device**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/hcp-and-patient-budgets-were-optimised-in-isolation/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Apr 2025

$64k a year found in 6 days

Dealer margin on the engineered range: **14% → 20%**

“One dealer discount across the whole catalog felt simple. Cristian set it against margin at product level: commodity fittings got a generous cut while our engineered range subsidized them. Discount tiers by margin band fixed it.”

**VP of Global Sales · Manufacturing · Water systems**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/distributor-margin-was-set-once-and-never-revisited/)

MARKETPLACE Approved Sep 2025

$63k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Supply incentives hitting a real shortage: **35% → 94%**

“Our onboarding bonus solved a shortage we no longer had. Alex checked every incentive against current supply by category, and we were still paying to recruit providers in saturated ones. We kept bonuses only where supply is genuinely short.”

**Head of Marketplace Supply · Marketplace · Services**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/supply-side-incentives-outlived-their-purpose/)

SUBSCRIPTION Approved Sep 2024

$63k a year found in 6 days

Active users actually being billed: **93% → 99%**

“Expansion lagged what we saw inside accounts. Victoria reconciled active users against billed seats: many customers used more seats than they paid for. Automated true ups now capture it, and nobody pushed back.”

**VP of Finance · Subscription · B2B software**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/seat-true-ups-were-under-billed-as-accounts-grew/)

SERVICES Approved May 2025

$62k a year found in 6 days

Qualified inbound calls that became bookings: **2 in 3 → 9 in 10**

“Marketing hit every target and revenue stalled. Leslie followed our qualified calls into intake and about a third were dropped at busy times or never followed up. Fixing staffing and call handling converted demand we had already paid for.”

**Managing Partner · Services · Legal**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/intake-was-dropping-a-third-of-qualified-calls/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Nov 2024

$61k a year found in 6 days

Net margin on hero ASINs, fees & returns in: **−2% → +6%**

“ACoS looked efficient while our hero ASINs lost money. Victoria rebuilt contribution per ASIN with FBA fees, storage, referral fees and returns loaded in. We repriced and repacked the affected lines.”

**Head of Marketplace Operations · Ecommerce · Amazon seller**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/fba-fees-and-returns-had-overtaken-the-margin-on-the-hero-as/)

FINTECH Approved Oct 2025

$61k a year found in 6 days

Support cost vs fee on small accounts: **140% → 85%**

“Small accounts used as much planner time as large ones for a fraction of the fee. David modeled cost to serve by tier: below a certain balance the support ran at a loss. Human planning now sits with the tiers whose fee covers it.”

**Head of Product · Fintech · Wealth & robo**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/free-planning-support-cost-more-than-small-accounts-earned/)

PHARMA Approved Feb 2026

+26% media efficiency in 7 days

Media weight landing in real demand windows: **45% → 88%**

“Our flighting calendar was older than our customers' habits. Cristian compared spend timing against when the category actually converts: our heaviest weight landed in weak windows. Same budget, real demand windows, efficiency up 26%.”

**Brand Director · Pharma · OTC consumer health**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/seasonal-media-weight-ignored-when-the-category-actually-con/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Jan 2026

$59k a year found in 6 days

Contribution margin on the three bestsellers: **−2% → +7%**

“The more our bestsellers sold, the flatter profit looked. Victoria rebuilt landed cost from the supplier invoice up, and our three top SKUs were priced below cost after freight and packaging. We repriced in stages and volume held.”

**Founder & CEO · Ecommerce · Pet**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/bestsellers-were-priced-below-their-true-landed-cost/)

MARKETPLACE Approved Feb 2025

$58k a year found in 6 days

Effective take rate after the old waivers: **9.5% → 12.5%**

“Our effective take rate sat below our stated one for years. Alex traced it cohort by cohort to launch era fee waivers that had never been switched off. We retired them on matured cohorts and kept relief only for new participants.”

**Head of Operations · Marketplace · Gig & freelance**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/promotional-fee-waivers-were-never-switched-off/)

RETAIL Approved Mar 2026

$58k a year found in 6 days

Margin on big ticket orders, delivery in: **−1% → +6%**

“Free delivery and assembly were eating our biggest orders. David rebuilt the true cost with two person crews, vehicle time and failed deliveries, and some lines were near break even. Tiered service pricing on the largest items fixed it.”

**Head of Ecommerce · Retail · Furniture**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/free-assembly-and-delivery-were-bundled-below-cost-on-big-ti/)

PHARMA Approved Jul 2025

$58k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Media spend outside eligible patient windows: **24% → 2%**

“Reach looked healthy, but a quarter of our media reached people who could not act on it. Leslie compared delivery against the eligible population and its windows: 24% of spend fell outside them. Flighting now follows eligibility.”

**Brand Director · Pharma · Vaccines**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/media-ran-outside-the-eligible-population-windows/)

SUBSCRIPTION Approved Jul 2025

$57k a year found in 6 days

Annual discount vs the churn it prevents: **1.8× over → right sized**

“We were discounting loyalty we already had. Victoria compared the annual discount against the churn it actually prevented: a large share of members taking it would have stayed anyway. We right sized it and kept the deep offer for real churn risk.”

**VP of Growth · Subscription · Fitness**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/annual-plans-were-discounted-below-their-retention-value/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Oct 2024

$57k a year found in 6 days

Margin on the smallest orders: **−3% → +6%**

“Our smallest orders cost more to pick, pack and ship than they earned. Cristian rebuilt handling cost per order and set a minimum that covers it. A small order charge and consolidation incentives did the rest.”

**CFO · Manufacturing · Industrial fasteners**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/small-order-handling-cost-exceeded-the-margin-on-the-order/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Jan 2025

$57k a year found in 6 days

Margin on configured upsell orders: **−3% → +8%**

“Configured orders always carried thinner margins than manual quotes. Cristian priced real configurations down to installed cost: default discounts were selling premium finishes at a loss on every order. A margin floor in the tool ended it.”

**VP of Product Strategy · Manufacturing · Modular kitchens**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/configurator-upsells-were-discounted-below-their-cost/)

RETAIL Approved Apr 2026

$54k a year found in 6 days

Fulfillment margin on click and collect orders: **−2% → +5%**

“Click and collect was never free. David rebuilt the cost of a collection order, the picking, staging and handover labor hiding in store payroll, and on many order types it matched the delivery it replaced. We repriced those.”

**VP of Merchandising · Retail · Home improvement**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/click-and-collect-was-subsidising-the-delivery-it-replaced/)

SERVICES Approved Mar 2025

$54k a year found in 7 days

Retainers priced below their delivery cost: **6 of 34 → 0 of 34**

“Our blended margin said every account was fine. Leslie broke it apart account by account: six of thirty four retainers were priced below delivery cost, funded by the profitable ones. We repriced or exited them, our own advice.”

**Managing Director · Services · Agency**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/retainers-were-priced-below-delivery-cost/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Jun 2026

$53k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Incremental ROAS: original campaign vs replacement channels: **0.2× → 2.1×**

“Our agency's hero campaign was the biggest loser. Victoria ran a geo holdout and sales barely moved when it was off. Two years of attributed revenue, almost none of it caused by the ad. The budget now goes to channels that pass that test.”

**CMO · Ecommerce · Home & living**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/the-agency-s-winning-campaign-was-the-biggest-loser/)

B2B SAAS Approved Mar 2025

$52k a year found in 6 days

Free account cost vs the plan revenue it earns: **130% → 78%**

“Free felt cheap until Alex modeled cost to serve. Support tickets, infrastructure and engineering time made a free account cost more than our entry plan earned. We reset free tier limits and repriced the entry plan.”

**VP of Finance · B2B SaaS · Dev tools**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/free-tier-support-cost-more-than-the-plan-earned/)

SUBSCRIPTION Approved Sep 2026

$52k a year found in 5 days

Involuntary churn from failed payments: **4.1% → 1.6%**

“A slice of our churn was never churn. Victoria split voluntary from involuntary and found expired cards getting one token retry before we wrote the subscriber off. Smarter retries and a card updater cut involuntary churn from 4.1% to 1.6%.”

**CFO · Subscription · Digital media**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/weak-payment-recovery-was-leaking-revenue-as-involuntary-chu/)

SERVICES Approved Aug 2025

$52k a year found in 6 days

Margin on the fixed fee engagements: **9% → 17%**

“Busy, revenue holding, and profit per partner hour falling. Leslie reconciled logged hours against every fixed fee package: complexity had pushed many below cost. We repriced and rescoped them, with a scope trigger so it stays fixed.”

**Partner · Services · Accounting & tax**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/fixed-fee-packages-were-scoped-below-the-hours-they-consumed/)

RETAIL Approved Oct 2025

$49k a year found in 6 days

Stock marked down before demand softened: **~40% → ~8%**

“Our markdown calendar was cutting prices on lines still selling at full price. David compared markdown timing against each SKU's real demand curve. Discounts now trigger on live sell through instead of a date, and clearance still clears.”

**Head of Merchandising · Retail · Electronics**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/markdown-timing-was-leaving-margin-on-the-shelf/)

PHARMA Approved Nov 2025

$49k a year found in 6 days

Margin on the thin vet channel lines: **−2% → +5%**

“One discount for the whole range looked competitive. Leslie checked it against margin by product line, and on our thinner lines it pushed them below cost. Discount tiers now follow margin band, and the channel kept its competitive pricing.”

**Director of Commercial Channels · Pharma · Animal health**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/retail-vet-channel-discounts-were-set-below-margin/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Dec 2024

$48k a year found in 5 days

Catalog margin after the dead SKU tail: **11% → 16%**

“A broad catalog felt like an asset. Cristian ranked every SKU by velocity against the cost it carried, and a long tail of dead products was dragging the whole range's margin. We retired them and set a velocity threshold to stay listed.”

**Director of Supply Chain · Manufacturing · LED lighting**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/dead-skus-tied-up-the-margin-in-slow-catalogue-lines/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Oct 2024

$47k a year found in 5 days

Orders shipped free below break even: **1 in 3 → ~1 in 20**

“One order in three shipped free at a loss. Our threshold was set years ago and never revisited, and the cost sat in logistics where nobody looked. Victoria reset it, and average order value went up, not down.”

**Head of Ecommerce · DTC · Apparel**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/free-shipping-was-quietly-deleting-the-margin-on-every-third/)

B2B SAAS Approved Dec 2024

$47k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Referral fees paid on self sourced deals: **~24% → ~2%**

“Partner fees grew faster than partner pipeline. Alex reconciled partner attributed deals against their true origin: many were sourced by our own team with a partner tagged late. Fees now require documented sourcing.”

**VP of Global Channels · B2B SaaS · Channel**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/partner-referral-fees-were-paid-on-deals-sales-had-sourced-d/)

SUBSCRIPTION Approved Jun 2025

$47k a year found in 6 days

Would be pauses lost on the pause to cancel path: **~4 in 10 → ~1 in 10**

“Pause was buried and cancel was one tap away. Victoria mapped the pause, skip and cancel journeys and about four in ten would be pauses ended as full cancellations. We rebuilt the flow and offer pause first inside the cancel journey now.”

**Head of Retention · Subscription · Meal kit**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/the-pause-and-skip-flow-was-leaking-straight-to-cancellation/)

SERVICES Approved Sep 2025

$47k a year found in 6 days

Delivery hours actually billed to clients: **~80% → 98%**

“Every project ran thinner than its day rate. Leslie reconciled real effort against billing and found travel, kickoff and early onboarding absorbed as goodwill. Those hours are written into every scope now.”

**VP of Client Success · Services · Implementation**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/travel-and-onboarding-time-was-going-unbilled/)

DTC / ECOMMERCE Approved Aug 2026

$44k a year of wasted spend cut in 5 days

Commissions paid on sales you already owned: **~29% → ~2%**

“Affiliate revenue kept climbing and margin didn't. Victoria tested incrementality and coupon partners were collecting commission on customers who arrived through branded search and direct. We now pay for demand partners actually create.”

**VP of Ecommerce · DTC · Footwear**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/affiliate-commissions-were-being-paid-on-sales-the-brand-alr/)

MARKETPLACE Approved May 2026

$44k a year found in 7 days

Take rate actually kept vs the 15% contracted: **11.1% → 14.0%**

“Finance couldn't explain why we kept less than our contracted take rate. Alex traced every dollar from gross booking to net revenue and found it in refunds nobody owned. Clear rules and one accountable owner closed the gap.”

**Chief Commercial Officer · Marketplace · Rentals**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/take-rate-was-leaking-through-unmanaged-refunds/)

SERVICES Approved Sep 2025

$44k a year found in 5 days

Job margin once callbacks are counted: **−1% → +5%**

“Jobs kept landing below what we quoted. Leslie loaded callbacks and warranty visits back onto the jobs that caused them, and the quoting model had never counted them. Quotes now price the whole job, not the first visit.”

**Owner · Services · Field services**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/quoting-ignored-callback-and-warranty-cost/)

B2B SAAS Approved Jun 2025

$41k annual budget redeployment identified in 5 days

Share of all paid spend that was incremental: **28% → 82%**

“Our safest lines were the least incremental. Alex showed brand term search and retargeting were intercepting demand from sales calls and word of mouth, then invoicing for it. We cut both to a defensive minimum.”

**Head of Marketing · B2B SaaS · Series A**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Alex Pop](/assets/team/alex-pop.jpg) **Alex Pop** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/paid-was-subsidising-a-channel-sales-already-owned/)

SUBSCRIPTION Approved Apr 2026

$41k a year found in 6 days

Shipping margin on the monthly cohort: **−4% → +8%**

“A flat shipping tier felt fair. Victoria mapped shipping cost against cohort value and our most loyal subscribers were subsidizing the least loyal ones. Tiers now follow order frequency, so loyalty stops paying for churn.”

**Head of Subscriber LTV · Subscription · Box**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Victoria Miller](/assets/team/victoria-miller.jpg) **Victoria Miller** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/shipping-tiers-didn-t-match-cohort-value/)

RETAIL Approved Mar 2025

$41k a year found in 5 days

Promo discount covered by vendor funding: **78% → 96%**

“The vendor pays for it, we assumed. David reconciled every cofunded promotion against the support we actually received, and the discounts routinely ran deeper than the funding. Renegotiated terms and promo guardrails closed it.”

**Director of Trade Marketing · Retail · Beauty**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of David Jackson](/assets/team/david-jackson.jpg) **David Jackson** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/vendor-promo-funding-wasn-t-covering-the-margin-given-away/)

MANUFACTURING Approved Jul 2025

$41k a year of wasted spend cut in 6 days

Trade show spend tied to a booked order: **6% → 90%**

“Six figures a year on trade shows because we always had. Cristian traced the spend to booked orders and found no link at all; in our specifier led category the events reached the wrong buyers. The budget now follows traceable pipeline.”

**VP of Marketing & Sales · Manufacturing · Underfloor heating**

Written approval Under NDA 6 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/trade-show-spend-had-no-attributable-pipeline/)

SERVICES Approved Nov 2025

$39k a year of wasted spend cut in 5 days

Search cost per click across the clinics: **$2.40 → $1.78**

“Our cost per click climbed with no new competitor in sight. Leslie found the competitor was us: clinics bidding against each other on the same keywords in the same auctions. One geo partitioned account structure ended it.”

**Operations Director · Services · Dental group**

Written approval Under NDA 5 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Leslie Martin](/assets/team/leslie-martin.jpg) **Leslie Martin** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/every-location-bought-the-same-keywords-against-each-other/)

B2B SAAS Approved Dec 2024

$36k a year of wasted spend cut in 7 days

Content spend with a traceable path to revenue: **9% → 92%**

“Eighteen months of content, not one sourced opportunity. Cristian traced the program forward through the funnel and could not connect it to pipeline. We kept the assets sales actually used and moved the rest of the budget to demand capture.”

**CRO · B2B SaaS · Mid market**

Written approval Under NDA 7 days to findings

![Portrait photograph of Cristian Bragau](/assets/founder/cristian-bragau-2026-10.jpg) **Cristian Bragau** Senior Auditor · signed this audit off

[Read the case →](/cases/content-spend-had-no-path-to-revenue/)

[See all 60 client reviews →](/reviews/)

Your industry at a glance

10

## audits in DTC / Ecommerce, here’s where the margin most often leaks.

Not sure where to start in the 74 above? Choose your industry for the short version: the leaks we surface most, the typical recovery, and how fast we find it. The one draining your margin is often among them.

Whether you sit in the CFO, CEO, CMO or COO seat, the leak shows up in your numbers, thin margin, wasted spend, operational cost, or hidden risk. What we recover gets redeployed into growth, not simply cut.

Published annual range

$31k–$134k / yr

Avg per audit

$59k

Time to findings

~6 days

≈10×

Average annual finding / $5,950 Audit + Sprint fee

The average DTC / Ecommerce audit surfaces $59k in margin identified, found in ~6 days, with findings across paid channels and unit economics that looked healthy until shipping and returns were loaded in.

The leaks we surface most · DTC / Ecommerce

1

Paid social mix

Surfaced in a Beauty & personal care audit

+$134k recovered / yr

2

Promo strategy

Surfaced in a Food & beverage audit

+$68k recovered / yr

3

Marketplace fees

Surfaced in a Amazon seller audit

+$61k recovered / yr

Every one of these hid behind a healthy ROAS, the leak only showed once shipping, returns and true landed cost were loaded in. Most accounts we audit have one.

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$10k–$50k

Why you can trust the numbers

## $10,000 to $50,000 of findings, or your money back.

We stake our fee on the outcome. If the audit doesn’t identify your tier’s guaranteed $10,000 to $50,000 in margin or savings, you don’t pay.

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Before you book

## Still wondering if these results are for real?

### Are these real audits or illustrative examples?

Every case is a real engagement. The numbers are the margin we actually identified, reconciled to the client’s P&L and signed off by a named senior auditor before publication. We anonymize the client, not the finding.

### Why are the clients and logos anonymized?

Because these findings expose exactly where a business was losing money. Information competitors would love. We withhold identity to protect our clients’ commercial position; the working papers, sources and reconciliation behind each result are all shown.

### Will you actually find something in my account?

In every audit we’ve run, yes, and we back it: if we don’t identify your tier’s guaranteed $10,000 to $50,000 in margin or savings, you don’t pay. The leaks on this page were all hidden inside healthy looking accounts until someone looked properly.

### Can I see a result closer to my own business?

Use the industry selector above to see the leaks we surface most in your category, the typical recovery, and how fast we find it. If you want a walkthrough of the closest case, talk to an auditor and we’ll show you one.

Go deeper

## Read on from the case studies

- [All 74 findings, ranked Every case by annual value, $58k median, plus the five leak patterns by prevalence.](/findings/)

- [By industry 9 industries, the leaks found most in each, with the published median outcome.](/industries/)

- [Client reviews 60 statements in the client's approved words, each beside the audited figure it came from.](/reviews/)

- [Compare An audit against a consultant, your agency or your own team, side by side.](/compare/)

- [The checklist 30 checks across paid media, attribution, pricing, retention and reporting.](/marketing-audit-checklist/)

- [Glossary Blended ROAS, MER, incrementality and the other terms behind every audit.](/glossary/)

## See what we’d find in your marketing.

Request an audit today and get a clear, evidenced view of what’s working, what’s wasting budget, and what to do next.

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Fixed fee · Senior review · Findings guaranteed