Written by DROPS.ST.
Show the full price the customer pays for the selected item, then add a clearly labelled unit comparison where it helps. A pack price answers “What will I pay?” A per-pod or per-millilitre figure answers a different question: “How does this format compare?” Customers need both to make a clear choice.
DROPS connects displayed products to the cart total. Use that journey to keep the selected pack and its full price visible, while supporting comparison with straightforward product information.
Choose the unit that matches the product
For identical replacement pods sold in packs, price per pod can be useful. For liquid formats, price per millilitre may help compare the quantity supplied, provided the products are otherwise meaningfully comparable. For a mixed kit, dividing the price by the number of objects usually tells customers very little.
Do not compare different products as though unit price were the only relevant fact. Model compatibility, included items and the exact product formulation or format still matter. A cheaper incompatible replacement is not an alternative to the part the customer needs.
The basic calculation is simple: total product price divided by the number of comparable units supplied. State which price you used and keep the basis consistent across the comparison.
Work two examples without mixing the bases
The following prices and products are illustrative and use currency units. They exclude delivery from the product-price comparison and are not tax guidance.
| Sellable item | Full product price | Units supplied | Comparison price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement pods, pack of 2 | 8 | 2 pods | 4.00 per pod |
| Same replacement pods, pack of 4 | 14 | 4 pods | 3.50 per pod |
| Liquid bottle, 10 ml | 6 | 10 ml | 0.60 per ml |
| Comparable liquid bottle, 30 ml | 15 | 30 ml | 0.50 per ml |
Two two-packs cost 16 and contain four pods. One four-pack costs 14 and contains the same number in this example. The difference is 2, while the customer's purchase price for the four-pack remains 14. Showing only “3.50” would obscure that required spend.
For the bottles, use the liquid quantity supplied, not the empty container's maximum capacity. A larger bottle partially filled with liquid needs an accurate contents figure before any calculation is useful.
Keep offers and rounding understandable
A multibuy can change the unit price only when its conditions are met. State the qualifying quantity next to the comparison: for example, “6.00 per bottle when buying three eligible bottles for 18”. Do not display the conditional price as though one bottle could be purchased for 6.
Use consistent rounding for comparison values while preserving the actual full product price. A rounded unit figure multiplied back up may differ slightly from the total; the checkout should charge the stated product or offer total, not a newly invented amount from rounded display text.
If different listings use different tax or charge bases, resolve that before comparing them. Confirm the local display requirements that apply to your products and selling locations separately from the arithmetic.
Follow the price through to the order
Test a single pack, several packs and an eligible offer basket. Check that quantity controls mean packs where the product is sold by the pack, and that the order record retains that basis.
Use consistent product descriptions for the pack and contents wording. Stable product identifiers help prevent two formats from being confused during imports or price updates.
Bring a pair of comparable products to DROPS. Inspect the full price, useful unit information and final basket together. Give customers a fair comparison and a purchase total they can understand before they commit.