GuidesGuides for dispensary buyers
How to compare wholesale cannabis offers
Start with the product your store sells: the same format, the same package size and the full cost of getting it onto the shelf. Then compare the quantity you must buy, the batch information and the delivery terms. A lower case price alone does not tell you which offer fits your store.
- Published
- Revised
- Scope
- Wholesale buying guide
What this page is
A purchasing guide for dispensary owners and wholesale buyers comparing supplier quotes. Use it to put different offers on a common basis before committing your budget.
All prices and quantities in the worked examples are hypothetical. They are arithmetic examples, not Rhode Island market averages or SeedLink customer transactions.
Read our sources and methodology for the distinction between market observations, practical guidance and illustrative examples.
Start with the sellable unit
Write down what a customer receives when buying one unit. Distinguish an individual pre-roll from a retail multipack, and that multipack from the shipping case. A supplier’s word “pack” can refer to either.
| Field | What to establish | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Flower, pre-roll, cartridge or another stated format | Similar names can describe different goods |
| Retail unit | Contents, weight and any multipack count | Sets the denominator for unit cost |
| Case quantity | Retail units in each case | Converts case pricing into unit pricing |
| Minimum | Cases, units or order value; whether products can be mixed | Determines the cash committed |
| Availability | Ready stock or a scheduled delivery | Establishes what can be delivered and when |
Compare infused and non-infused pre-rolls separately. Keep cartridges and all-in-one vapes separate too. A common weight makes the arithmetic comparable; it does not make the products interchangeable.
Calculate unit cost, then price per gram
Cost per retail unit = case price ÷ retail units per case. For products where weight is useful, cost per gram = cost per retail unit ÷ grams per retail unit.
| Offer | Units per case | Weight per unit | Case price | Cost per unit | Cost per gram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12 | 3.5 g | $144 | $12 | $3.43 |
| B | 24 | 3.5 g | $264 | $11 | $3.14 |
| C | 12 | 7 g | $240 | $20 | $2.86 |
B costs less per jar than A, but requires twice as many jars and more cash. C costs less per gram, but puts a different package size and retail price point on the shelf. Compare the whole order commitment alongside the unit price.
Include delivery costs and quote conditions
Confirm delivery charges, other acquisition charges and agreed discounts in writing. Allocate shared costs consistently across the order. Keep conditional credits separate until their conditions are clear.
A hypothetical case of 12 jars costing $144, plus $24 delivery, costs $168 delivered: $14 per jar. Comparing only the product price hides that difference.
Record payment terms, the delivery window and how shortages or damaged goods are handled. Clarify whether a minimum applies to each product or to the whole order.
Separate margin from markup
Use a selling-price assumption that accounts for your customer discounts. Keep customer-collected taxes out of this simple product-revenue comparison and treat acquisition costs consistently.
Gross margin = (selling price − cost) ÷ selling price. Markup = (selling price − cost) ÷ cost. A hypothetical unit costing $12 and selling for $24 has a 50% gross margin and a 100% markup. At a discounted selling price of $20, gross profit is $8 and gross margin is 40%.
This is product-level arithmetic, not net profit. Staffing, rent and other operating expenses still need to be covered. Use your own targets; these examples prescribe no universal margin. BDC explains the pricing distinction.
Use retail benchmarks for context
Match category, size, format and observation period when reviewing a retail benchmark. The Rhode Island CCC publishes retail pricing data for pre-packaged bud. Those figures provide retail context; they do not disclose a particular store’s wholesale cost.
A menu listing shows an offer, not confirmed demand. Use your own sales history to assess quantity, the supplier’s quote to establish cost and the batch documentation to evaluate the goods.
Buy with SeedLink
Buying for a Rhode Island dispensary? Request access to SeedLink.
Questions
- Is the lowest price per gram always the best offer?
- No. Package size, product format, order commitment and your store’s assortment still matter. Compare equivalent retail units first.
- How do I compare pre-roll multipacks?
- Record packs per case, pre-rolls per pack and weight per pre-roll. Calculate cost per retail pack and its total weight. Separate infused and non-infused products.
- Can I halve a retail price to estimate wholesale cost?
- That is an assumption, not a quote. Retail listings do not reveal supplier discounts, acquisition charges or the price customers actually paid.
- What if a discount requires a larger order?
- Compare total cash committed and units purchased as well as unit cost. Use your own sales and replenishment records to judge the quantity.
- What should I confirm before ordering?
- The product and batch, pack contents, units per case, availability, agreed price, total charges, payment terms and delivery window.
Sources and how to cite this page
- Business Development Bank of Canada: setting prices and understanding margin, reviewed September 22, 2026.
- Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission: retail pricing data, reviewed September 22, 2026. Retail context only.
- SeedLink editorial worked examples. Every quoted price and example quantity on this page is hypothetical.
SeedLink, "How to compare wholesale cannabis offers", revised 2026-09-22, https://www.seedlink.net/guides/buying/compare-wholesale-cannabis-offers
Worked examples are labeled and illustrate a decision. They are not customer records or observed market prices.
Machine-readable copy of this page, with the same facts, dates and sources: /guides/buying/compare-wholesale-cannabis-offers/data.json