Quantity break

A quantity break is an order quantity at which the price per unit changes. For example, a supplier may quote one price for 10 units and a lower price for 100 units; the quotation should state whether all units receive the lower price.

A price schedule may have several breaks, such as 1–99, 100–499 and 500 or more units. An all-units schedule reprices the entire qualifying order at the new rate; a graduated schedule applies each rate only to units within its band. These arrangements can produce different totals for exactly the same order quantity.

For example, at £10 below 100 units and £9 for all units at 100 or more, 100 units cost £900. Under graduated pricing with the first 99 at £10, the total would instead be £999. Case pack requirements may also determine which order quantities a buyer can actually place.