Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
MSRP
$29.33
Wholesale price
$13.33
Your margin $ at wholesale
$5.33
Your margin $ if sold direct at MSRP
$21.33
Direct margin %
72.7%
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How to use this
- 1Enter unit cost ($).
- 2Enter desired wholesale margin (%).
- 3Enter retail markup multiplier.
- 4Read your msrp on the right — it updates as you type.
- 5Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Keystone pricing (doubling wholesale cost to set retail price, a 50% margin) is the traditional retail default, but brands selling both wholesale and direct need to work out wholesale price, suggested MSRP, and their own margin at each tier simultaneously so retailers can hit their expected markup while the brand still protects its margin. This calculator starts from your unit cost, applies your desired wholesale margin to set wholesale price, then applies a keystone or custom retail markup to set MSRP, showing your margin at both the wholesale sale price and if you sold the same unit direct at MSRP. Enter unit cost, desired wholesale margin percentage, and retail markup multiplier (2x for standard keystone, higher for specialty/boutique channels). The output shows wholesale price, MSRP, your margin dollars and percentage at wholesale, and your margin if sold direct at full MSRP, which is the gap DTC channel conflict pricing debates are usually about.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Unit cost: 8 $
- Desired wholesale margin: 40 %
- Retail markup multiplier: 2.2
Results
- MSRP: $29.33
- Wholesale price: $13.33
- Your margin $ at wholesale: $5.33
- Your margin $ if sold direct at MSRP: $21.33
- Direct margin %: 72.7%
What each field means
Inputs
- Unit cost ($)
- The unit cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 8 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Desired wholesale margin (%)
- The desired wholesale margin used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 40 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–95 %.
- Retail markup multiplier
- The retail markup multiplier used in the calculation. Starts at 2.2 so you have a working example on load.
Results
- MSRP
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Wholesale price
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Your margin $ at wholesale
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Your margin $ if sold direct at MSRP
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Direct margin %
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
What is keystone pricing exactly?
Keystone pricing means doubling your wholesale cost to set the retail price, a 2.0x multiplier giving the retailer a 50% margin. It's a traditional default in many categories, though specialty and boutique retail often uses 2.5x-3x (a 'keystone-plus' markup) to cover lower volume and higher service.
How do I avoid channel conflict between wholesale and DTC pricing?
Sell direct at or very close to MSRP, the same price your wholesale retail partners charge. Undercutting MSRP on your own site trains customers to buy direct and skip your retail partners, which damages those wholesale relationships and can get you dropped.
What wholesale margin should I offer retailers?
Retailers typically expect to buy at 50% off MSRP (meaning your wholesale price should support their 2x retail markup) though some categories and boutique specialty retailers negotiate different splits, from 40% off MSRP up to 60% off for larger volume commitments.
Why is my margin so much better selling direct than wholesale?
Because wholesale intentionally leaves markup room for your retail partner; you're trading a chunk of margin for their shelf space, marketing reach, and customer relationship. That's the fundamental tradeoff of the wholesale channel versus DTC, and it's usually worth it for the volume and brand exposure a good retail partner brings.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Wholesale vs MSRP Keystone Pricing Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wholesale-msrp-keystone
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wholesale-msrp-keystone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wholesale vs MSRP Keystone Pricing Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Wholesale vs MSRP Keystone Pricing Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wholesale-msrp-keystone) (2026).