The formulas
- Wholesale price = cost per unit × wholesale markup. A 2× markup means you keep half of the wholesale price to cover overhead and profit.
- MSRP = wholesale price × retail markup. A 2× retail markup is called keystone: the shop pays half of retail and keeps a 50% margin.
- Shop's margin = 1 − wholesale ÷ MSRP.
- Consignment payout = MSRP × (100% − shop's share), minus any up-front fee spread over the units you expect to sell.
What do shops expect?
Many shops price at about double wholesale (keystone), so they expect wholesale to be roughly half of MSRP. Some ask for wholesale prices with your very first email: Catbird, Driggs Mercantile and Magpie all do. Put both numbers on your line sheet.
Consignment splits we've seen
Published splits in the Open Shelf directory range from a 15% shop share (Flying Solo: 85% to the brand) to 45% (Vroman's Bookstore: 55% to the author, plus a $298 package fee). Rue Saint Paul pays brands 60%, and South Pas Vintage takes a 30% commission on artist tables. Use the buttons above to load any of them.
Wholesale price calculator FAQ
How do I calculate a wholesale price?
Add up materials, labor, packaging and a share of overhead to get your cost per unit, then multiply by your wholesale markup (2× is a common starting point). Check that the resulting MSRP (usually 2× wholesale) is a price your customers will pay.
What if my retail price is already set?
Choose "A retail price". The calculator divides by the retail markup to get the wholesale price, then shows the most you can spend per unit at your chosen wholesale markup.
Is consignment better than wholesale?
Per unit, consignment often pays more, but only when something sells, and unsold stock comes back to you. Wholesale pays less per unit, up front. The calculator shows both side by side.
Does this tool send my numbers anywhere?
No. It's plain JavaScript that runs on your device. Nothing you type leaves your browser: it isn't stored, sent or logged, and the calculator sets no cookies. Like every page on Open Shelf, this page counts visits with Cloudflare Web Analytics, which is cookieless and only gives us aggregate stats (see our privacy page).