Business Resources
Case Quantity Calculator
Wholesale products are usually sold by the case, so the quantity you need and the quantity you can buy are rarely the same number.
Minimum cases = required units ÷ units per case, rounded up. The excess units and the shortfall from ordering one case fewer are shown so the trade-off is explicit.
Calculator
Convert Units to Cases.
Results
- Minimum cases
- 9
- Purchasable units
- 45
- Excess units
- 2
- Shortfall if one case less
- 3
Formula
The Rounding Rule.
CEILING(Required units ÷ Units per case)
Always round up when cases cannot be split. Rounding down creates a stockout, not a saving.
Example: 43 units ÷ 5 per case = 8.6 → 9 cases (45 units).
What this tells you
Reading the Results.
Written and reviewed by the InstaMed Wholesale business team. Last reviewed September 2026. This is general business education, not legal, tax or financial advice.
FAQ
Common Questions.
How do you convert units into cases?
Divide the units you need by the number of units in a case and round up to the next whole case. Case-packed products cannot usually be split.
Why does ordering always create excess units?
Because demand rarely lands exactly on a case boundary. The excess is normal; the question is whether it is small enough to sell through before it matters.
Should I round down instead?
Sometimes. The calculator shows the shortfall if you buy one case fewer, so you can weigh a small stockout risk against tying up extra capital.
Does case size affect my cost per unit?
Yes. A larger case usually lowers cost per unit but raises the minimum commitment. Model both with the wholesale margin calculator.
Related resources
Keep Building the Model.
Industry context: Supplement & Wellness Retailers, Distributors & Sales Organizations.
Planning inventory?
See How the Model Could Fit Your Industry.
Model opening quantities and reorder cycles for your business type.