What is the margin stack?

The sequence of margins taken between your factory and the shelf — typically brand, distributor and retailer, plus trade spend and deductions along the way. Modelling it is how you find out whether a price works before a buyer tells you it doesn't.

What is a keystone markup?

A doubling of cost to arrive at shelf price, used as shorthand in some channels. Real category margins vary widely, which is why benchmarking against the actual shelf set beats applying a rule of thumb.

Why does our home-market discounting matter to a U.S. buyer?

Because they can see it. A permanently discounted home price is public evidence that the price you quoted is not the real one, and it comes up more often than brands expect.

When should pricing be set?

Before any buyer sees a number, and before marketplace goes live. Repricing after launch is possible and it is never cheap.

Retail Strategy & Pricing — Topic Hub

The pillar

Start here if you're new to the topic.

Pillar guide · 11 min · Updated Aug 2026

U.S. retail pricing and margin

Landed cost, the full margin stack worked through with an example, channel norms, trade spend and deductions, MAP policy and pack architecture.

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Supporting guides

Deeper on each stage.

Supporting guide
Building a landed cost model

Every component between the factory gate and a U.S. pallet position.
In production
Supporting guide
Trade spend, allowances and deductions

What the retailer takes after the invoice, and how to budget for it.
In production
Supporting guide
Writing and enforcing a MAP policy

What a policy can and cannot do, and what makes one enforceable in practice.
In production
Supporting guide
Pack architecture by channel

Which sizes go where, so your own channels stop competing with each other.
In production

Questions

Frequently asked.

What is the margin stack?: The sequence of margins taken between your factory and the shelf — typically brand, distributor and retailer, plus trade spend and deductions along the way. Modelling it is how you find out whether a price works before a buyer tells you it doesn't.
What is a keystone markup?: A doubling of cost to arrive at shelf price, used as shorthand in some channels. Real category margins vary widely, which is why benchmarking against the actual shelf set beats applying a rule of thumb.
Why does our home-market discounting matter to a U.S. buyer?: Because they can see it. A permanently discounted home price is public evidence that the price you quoted is not the real one, and it comes up more often than brands expect.
When should pricing be set?: Before any buyer sees a number, and before marketplace goes live. Repricing after launch is possible and it is never cheap.

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