In order to achieve the target profit, it is necessary to manage costs and sales revenues as efficiently as possible. With this in mind, this paper focuses on the specifics of operating cost management in trade with special reference to Serbia. Among other things, the analysis of the efficiency of operating cost management in Serbian trade is based on the Super Radial DEA model. Consequently, according to Super Radial CCR-I and Super Radial CCR-O, efficient management of trade operating costs in Serbia was only in 2014, and inefficient in other years. According to Super Radial BCC-I, efficient management of trade operating costs in Serbia was in 2013, 2014 and 2020, and inefficient in other years. According to Super Radial BCC-O, efficient management of trade operating costs in Serbia was efficient in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and inefficient in other years. In order to improve the efficiency of operational cost management, as well as the overall business, in Serbian trade it is necessary, by applying modern concepts of cost management (for example, costing by activities) and new business models. organic products, etc.), more efficiently manage input elements (real growth rate of gross domestic product, number of employees, assets, capital, employees' salaries, purchase value of sold goods and operating costs), as well as output (sales, margin and net profit) .