Wholesale and retail in one view
Wholesale pricing has two businesses in it: yours and the stockist’s. Enter your unit cost and wholesale price, and the calculator shows your profit and margin, then the suggested retail price at the multiple you set (2× by default, called keystone) and the retailer’s margin.
| Unit cost $8 | Fees | Fee rate | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale $16 (2× cost) | $0.00 | 0.00% | $8.00 |
| Wholesale $20 (2.5× cost) | $0.00 | 0.00% | $12.00 |
| Wholesale $24 (3× cost) | $0.00 | 0.00% | $16.00 |
Switch to What to charge and target a margin: it solves the wholesale price for you.
Wholesale Pricing Calculator for Makers and Small Brands
The classic maker formula is cost × 2 = wholesale, × 2 = retail. It’s a starting point, not a rule. If your unit cost includes your own time at a fair wage, 2× wholesale can work; if it doesn’t, 2× usually leaves you underpaid. We’d price wholesale at no less than 2.5× materials-plus-labor for handmade goods.
Wholesale Price vs Retail Price: The 2× Rule and When It Fails
Wholesale price is what a retailer pays you per unit; retail price is what their customer pays. Most stockists use keystone (retail = 2 × wholesale), so they keep half. It fails in three cases:
- Your direct price is lower than the stockist’s retail. Undercutting your own stockists is the fastest way to lose them; keep your direct price at retail.
- Heavy or fragile goods. Shipping to the store can eat the margin; include it in your unit cost.
- Payment fees on invoices. A card-paid wholesale invoice costs around 3%; enter it under Options.
Selling direct online too? Check what your retail price leaves after fees with the product pricing calculator.
Selling direct at retail after fees
If you also sell direct at the retail price, platform fees come off that price, not the wholesale one. A $40 retail item on Etsy pays about $4.25 in Etsy fees (6.5% + 3% + $0.25 + $0.20) under Etsy’s fee policy, while a Shopify store pays card processing plus its plan (Shopify pricing). Your direct margin is therefore lower than retail minus cost, so don’t undercut your stockists to “share” it.