The short answer: wholesale pricing uses tiers — lower unit prices for larger orders or different customer types — to reward volume while protecting your margin. The art is offering enough of a break to win bigger orders without discounting so deeply that volume doesn’t make up for the thinner margin.
Why tiered pricing
A wholesale customer buying 1,000 units expects a better unit price than one buying 100. Tiers formalise this: clear price breaks at set quantities, so pricing is consistent, fair and defensible — not negotiated from scratch every time.
Common ways to tier
- By quantity — the more they buy, the lower the unit price.
- By customer type — different price lists for retailers, wholesalers, trade.
- By total order value — discounts once an order crosses a threshold.
- Contract pricing — agreed rates for regular, committed customers.
Protect your margin
Every tier must still be profitable. Know your true cost — including landed cost — and check the margin at each tier. A bigger order at a price below cost isn’t a win; it’s a faster loss. The extra volume must genuinely outweigh the lower margin.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Tiers that dip below cost at high volumes.
- Inconsistent, ad-hoc discounts that customers learn to exploit.
- Ignoring cost changes so old tiers quietly become unprofitable.
- One price for very different customers — leaving money on the table.
Set and manage tiers easily
RushFlow supports tiered and per-customer pricing with visibility of margin at each level — so your wholesale prices reward volume without eroding profit. See the live demo.