Use the output as a threshold, not a forecast.
Wholesale pricing has to leave enough value for two businesses. A maker needs contribution after product, overhead, freight, commissions and negotiated discounts; the retailer needs an MSRP that supports its own margin and promotions.
The calculator works backwards from those targets. It sets a wholesale list price high enough that the maker margin survives the entered commission and MOQ discount, then derives an MSRP from the retailer-margin target.
Wholesale and MSRP formula
The cost base adds product cost, allocated overhead and per-unit freight. Required net wholesale revenue equals the cost base divided by one minus the target maker margin.
Wholesale list price grosses that net requirement up for sales commission and MOQ discount. Suggested MSRP equals wholesale list price divided by one minus the retailer margin. The result is a starting point for negotiation, not an instruction to coordinate resale prices.
With a 15.00 cost base, a 35% maker margin, a 10% commission and a 5% wholesale discount, a simple two-times-cost rule would not preserve the target economics. The reverse-calculated price does.
What this calculation does—and does not include.
Included in this model
- Unit cost and maker margin
- Wholesale list/invoice price
- Commission/discount effects
- Suggested MSRP from retailer-margin assumptions
Not automatically included
- MAP/legal advice
- Retailer-specific contract terms
- Tax and freight not entered
- Demand or sell-through forecasts
Formula model — commercial terms are user supplied
Reviewed 2026-08-23. Review dates describe the live model, not a guarantee that a third-party fee has not changed since.
Limitations to keep visible
- Do not use the MSRP output to impose unlawful resale-price restrictions. Retail pricing law varies by jurisdiction.
- Chargebacks, samples, payment terms, bad debt and annual rebates should be converted into an expected percentage or per-unit cost.
- Retailers may calculate margin on net realized price after promotions rather than ticket MSRP.
Questions this calculator is designed to answer.
wholesale price calculator
Work from fully loaded unit cost to the wholesale revenue required for your maker margin, then derive MSRP from the retailer margin target.
Build a wholesale price ladder →wholesale calculator
Use commission, MOQ discount and overhead explicitly so a nominal wholesale price is not mistaken for retained margin.
Explore sourcing and wholesale economics →wholesale pricing calculator
Stress-test the invoice price and MSRP before offering order-tier discounts or sales-rep commissions.
See the wholesale price ladder →Frequently asked questions
Why calculate margin after the MOQ discount?+
A discount granted on most orders is part of real unit economics. Protecting margin only at an unused list price gives a misleading result.
Is a 50% retailer margin always required?+
No. Use the target appropriate to the category, retailer and service level. The field is editable because channel economics vary widely.
Where do payment terms belong?+
Convert financing cost, bad-debt risk or early-payment discounts into allocated overhead or commission when material.