How to Use the GTbuy Spreadsheet (2026 Guide)

Written for people who order ten instead of one: minimums, case rates and landed cost.

Updated 2026-09-29

Minimums are the first thing to read

Bulk listings often enforce a purchase quantity — commonly ten pieces or more — because they are priced for a production run. Below that threshold the unit price jumps or the listing refuses the order.

Rows here state their minimum and their case rate up front. Discovering a minimum at checkout wastes everyone's time, so it lives at the top instead.

Always sample before you scale

Order one unit first. It tells you real sizing, real packing quality and the actual defect rate — three things no listing photograph will ever reveal honestly.

Only after that should you commit to quantity. A sample costing a few units prevents a carton of mistakes worth hundreds.

Reading case pricing correctly

Factories price the run, not the piece. Once you cross the quantity threshold, both unit price and per-unit packing usually fall together, which is where bulk economics come from.

Compare against what the same goods cost at single-unit pricing. If the gap is small, the risk of holding inventory may not be worth taking.

Inspection at quantity

Nobody opens a hundred boxes. Agree a spot-check approach: inspect representative units, photograph cartons and seals, and define an acceptable defect rate before shipping begins.

Putting that agreement in writing — even informally — turns a later disagreement into a reference back to what both sides accepted.

Freight, duty and landed cost

Dense and non-urgent stock belongs on slower, cheaper modes; urgent restocks still want air. Compare on cost per kilo and realistic days together.

Then divide everything by sellable units. Landed cost per unit is the only number that tells you whether the purchase was actually profitable.

FAQ

Do rows always show minimum order quantity?

Yes for bulk-capable rows. Minimum and case rate sit in the row itself so you can decide before opening the seller's page.

Should I always ship bulk by sea?

For heavy, non-urgent stock usually yes; for restocks needed within weeks, no. Compare cost per kilo against realistic days.

How much inspection is realistic?

Spot-check representative units, document cartons and seals, and agree an acceptable defect rate before the shipment leaves.

Further reading