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Wholesale vs retail — one cost, two price sheets

Enter unit cost, the retail margin you want as a share of selling price, and how much off retail you offer wholesale. Compare retail price, wholesale price, profit on both, and wholesale margin before you quote a boutique.

Results

Retail price: 40

Wholesale price: 24

Retail profit: 20

Wholesale profit: 4

Wholesale margin: 16.7%

Formula

retail=cost÷(1−margin); wholesale=retail×(1−discount)

How the numbers are calculated

  1. Retail price = 20 ÷ (1−0.5) = 40
  2. Wholesale price = 40 × (1−0.4) = 24

Wholesale quotes that start from “retail minus a round number” often erase the labor you carefully added to retail. Seeing both sheets side by side makes that trade-off visible before a boutique reply sits in your inbox.

Retail is built the same way as many maker pricing sheets: cost ÷ (1 − margin). Wholesale then multiplies that retail by (1 − discount). The page also shows wholesale margin so you can tell whether the account is worth the carton minimums and payment terms.

If wholesale margin turns tiny, either raise the retail anchor, offer a shallower discount, or keep that SKU retail-only. Pair shaky volume goals with break-even units so a wholesale run still clears fixed costs.

How to use

  1. Enter true unit cost (materials, labor share, packaging)
  2. Set retail margin % of price
  3. Set wholesale discount % off that retail
  4. Compare both prices and wholesale margin

Why this calculator

  • Builds retail from cost and margin, not a guess
  • Applies wholesale as a clear percent off retail
  • Surfaces wholesale margin so thin deals are obvious

Good for

  • Boutique and shop quotes
  • Market retail vs wholesale accounts
  • Simple line-sheet drafts

Tips

  • Keep wholesale margin clearly positive after labor.
  • If wholesale collapses, raise retail before you deepen the cut.
  • Do not stack a public discount on top without checking discount impact.

Examples

Input Output Note
Cost $20, retail margin 50%, wholesale 40% off retail Retail $40, wholesale $24 Wholesale margin on $24 vs $20 cost is thin — check before you agree
Cost $18, retail margin 55%, wholesale 30% off retail Retail ≈ $40, wholesale ≈ $28 Shallower wholesale cut leaves more room for labor

Wholesale FAQ

Is the wholesale discount off retail or off cost?
This page discounts off the retail price (common line-sheet style). If a buyer wants cost-plus terms, adjust the % until the wholesale number matches your agreement.
Why can wholesale margin look scary?
A deep cut off a margin-based retail price can leave almost no room for labor. If wholesale margin collapses, raise retail first or shrink the discount — do not silently eat hours.
How does this relate to craft pricing?
Use Craft pricing to lock a healthy retail from cost and labor, then bring that cost (or target retail margin) here for the wholesale sheet.
Need fees on the retail channel?
Check Etsy fee calculator for direct-to-customer sales; wholesale invoices are usually separate.

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