# Wholesale step 2: cartons, units and price groups

> Buy and sell in cartons and bales while counting stock in pieces, and give key accounts and sub-distributors their own price lists.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/wholesale/step-2-cartons-units-and-price-groups/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Distributors buy from manufacturers by the carton and sell to shops by the carton, sometimes by the piece. Prices differ by customer type: supermarket key accounts, sub-distributors and small retailers. This page sets up both.

## Before you start

- **Enable Sub Units** is on ([step 1](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/wholesale/step-1-warehouses-and-locations/)).

## Cartons and bales

1. Open **Products › Units**. Keep **Pieces** as the base unit.
2. Click **Add** for each pack size: **Carton (6)**, **Carton (12)**, **Carton (24)**, **Carton (48)**, **Bale (20)**. Tick **Add as multiple of other unit**, enter the size in **times base unit** and choose **Pieces**.
3. On each product, set **Unit** to **Pieces** and **Related Sub Units** to its carton. Enter the price of one piece.

![Units list with Bale (20), Carton (12), Carton (24), Carton (4), Carton (48), Carton (6) as multiples of pieces, and Pieces](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/units.B2T7PnSh.png) (web app page: `/units`)
*Carton and bale sub-units of Pieces.*

## Price lists per customer type

1. Open **Products › Selling Price Group** and add one group per customer type, for example **Key Account (Supermarkets)** (1.5 % below retail) and **Sub-Distributor** (3 % below retail).
2. Fill in the prices with **Products › Update Price** (export, edit the group columns, import) or per product with **Actions › Add or edit Group Prices**.
3. Open **Customers › Customer Groups**, add groups with **Price calculation type** **Selling Price Group** and link them. Keep a **Retailer** group at 0 for the default price.

![Selling Price Group list with Key Account (Supermarkets) 1.5% below retail and Sub-Distributor 3% below retail](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/price-groups.4i1jaJrY.png) (web app page: `/selling-price-group`)
*Two wholesale price lists.*

![Customer Groups with Key Account (Supermarkets) and Sub-Distributor linked to price groups and Retailer at 0 percent](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/customer-groups.BJV_UQke.png) (web app page: `/customer-group`)
*Customer groups link each customer type to its price list.*

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Enter opening stock in pieces, never cartons.
- Keep carton sizes exact per product; a 24-pack sold as Carton (12) gives wrong stock.
- Margins are thin in distribution. Check **Reports › Profit / Loss Report** after setting group prices.

Next: [step 3: credit customers, limits and terms](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/wholesale/step-3-credit-customers-limits-and-terms/).

  - [Categories, brands and units](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/categories-brands-units/)
  - [Selling price groups](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/price-groups/)
  - [Prices and discounts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/prices-and-discounts/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I set up a carton of 12?

In Products › Units add Carton (12) with Add as multiple of other unit, 12 times base unit Pieces. On products sold in that carton, choose it in Related Sub Units.

### Can a product be sold only in cartons?

Yes. Choose only the carton in Related Sub Units. The sale line then offers only the carton and stock goes down by 12 pieces per carton.

### How are price groups priced?

Each product can have a Fixed price or a Percentage of the default price in each group. Products › Update Price fills them for the whole catalog from a spreadsheet.

### Do customers without a group pay the default price?

Yes. The default selling price is your retailer price. Only customers in a group linked to a price group get that group's price.

### Can I stop selling below cost?

Turn on Sales price is minimum selling price in the Sale settings, so staff cannot sell below the product's selling price.