Written by DROPS.ST.
A wholesale minimum should address a specific operating constraint. Use a quantity minimum when a product needs a certain order size, a basket-value minimum when the whole order needs to justify its handling cost, and package rules when goods must be ordered in defined packs.
Keep quantity pricing separate. A price tier tells the buyer which unit price applies to a quantity range; it does not automatically establish the minimum acceptable order.
DROPS fits product-led wholesale ordering because it supports product minimum and maximum quantities, named wholesale packages and quantity pricing tiers. Products and stock sit alongside customer-linked order records. That gives your team a practical way to present catalogue choices and review what buyers actually order.
This worksheet is for authorised business transactions. It concerns internal ordering policy, rather than consumer offers or permission to supply a particular product or buyer.
Write down what each rule means
| Rule | Question it answers | Illustrative wording |
|---|---|---|
| Product quantity minimum | How little of this item can be ordered? | Minimum two cases of item A |
| Basket-value minimum | What total must the order reach? | Applies to the defined eligible subtotal |
| Package rule | What quantity does a selection represent? | One case contains twelve units |
| Quantity price tier | Which unit price applies at this quantity? | Defined price for each stated range |
A buyer can meet a basket-value minimum while ordering too little of one product. They can also meet every product minimum without reaching the required basket value.
Decide whether your policy needs one rule or a combination. Avoid introducing several limits simply because another wholesaler uses them.
For named packages, define what the name means. “Case” needs its contents and unit count. A package label should not leave staff guessing whether the entered quantity represents individual units or packs.
Start with the handling task
List the work triggered by one order:
- Reviewing the request and resolving missing details.
- Completing the required records.
- Picking, checking and packing.
- Preparing dispatch.
- Recording and reconciling applicable payment charges.
Separate work that happens once per order from costs that rise with quantity. Packaging can contain both elements: one outer box may be an order-level cost, while protection for each unit varies with the count.
BDC’s pricing guidance distinguishes direct costs from overhead that also needs to be considered. The worksheet below isolates handling effort to inform a minimum; it is not a complete profitability calculation. BDC: setting prices and accounting for costs.
Calculate a candidate quantity minimum
Define two inputs:
H = the order-level handling cost you are evaluating.
A = the maximum handling cost per unit allowed by your internal planning target.
Then calculate:
Candidate minimum units = H ÷ A, rounded up.
If orders must use fixed pack quantities, round that result up again to the next permitted pack size.
Choose the allowance from your own cost structure. It is a planning input, not a universal wholesale benchmark. Product cost, delivery, other transaction costs and the contribution needed toward overhead still matter.
Hypothetical example: finding a workable case quantity
Assume an order has these invented internal costs, in CAD:
- Review and picking: 20 minutes at $30 per hour = $10.
- Order-level packaging: $3.
- Fixed transaction handling charge: $1.
- Dispatch preparation: $4.
The handling total is $18.
If the planning allowance is $0.75 per unit, the candidate quantity is:
$18 ÷ $0.75 = 24 units.
With twelve units per case, that means two cases.
At twelve units, the same handling cost is $1.50 per unit. At twenty-four units, it is $0.75.
These are internal cost allocations, not advertised product prices. The calculation does not prove that two cases is the right commercial minimum. Your buyer’s purchasing capacity, product costs and actual handling process may point to a different policy.
Handle basket value and price tiers deliberately
A basket-value rule needs a definition: currency, included items, treatment of delivery and other charges, and the point at which the threshold is checked.
DROPS’s verified product quantity controls should not be treated as proof of an automatic shop-wide currency minimum.
For quantity pricing, write down the range and unit price for each tier. Clarify whether quantity refers to packages or their contents. Also establish whether a tier applies its price to the entire eligible quantity or only a portion.
Before publishing the rule, test quantities immediately below, at and above each boundary. Check that the displayed price and resulting order record match the intended calculation. A clear wholesale menu gives buyers the information they need to understand those boundaries.
Give small-store exceptions a defined process
An independent store may have limited shelf space or buying capacity. A higher minimum can be difficult to use even when its business relationship is otherwise suitable.
Hypothetical small-store example: an existing authorised buyer can receive only one twelve-unit case. Your normal two-case policy reflects the $18 handling estimate above.
The team reviews the actual work for that order. Suppose a scheduled dispatch and a simpler repeat-order process bring measured handling cost to $9. One case would then meet the same $0.75 allowance.
If handling remains $18, the proposed exception leaves another $9 above that allowance. The responsible person must decide whether to accept that cost for the stated business reason.
Record the reason, authorised quantity, responsible person and review date. Keep required buyer checks and transaction records intact. An exception should not silently become the standard rule.
For requests that need discussion first, use a structured wholesale enquiry.
Put the catalogue rules to work in DROPS
DROPS is a strong choice when wholesale ordering depends on clearly defined products, packages and quantities. Product quantity limits and named packages make the catalogue more specific, while quantity pricing tiers let you express the applicable ranges within the shop.
Connected Telegram shopping uses the same catalogue and order system as the website. Customer-linked orders then give staff a record of the selected items and quantities for subsequent review.
Account-specific approvals and exceptional quotations remain separate processes; the verified catalogue controls do not establish automated buyer approval or independently tracked stock for every package.
Explore DROPS and open the demo shops. Assess the wholesale selections, quantity information and ordering experience against your worksheet. Choose DROPS when you want your product rules to sit in an organised shop with the orders and customer context your team needs.