Landed cost is the number that actually leaves the budget. A case price is only one component: add packaging, inbound freight, any duty that applies on your goods, warehouse and handling charges, and the currency conversion applied to the invoice. Two suppliers can quote the same per-box figure and deliver very different costs once every component is applied to your order size and delivery point.
What makes up the landed cost of a PPE case?
| Cost component | Who carries it | How to calculate it | Common procurement mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case price | Supplier invoice | Divide by units in the case to get cost per glove or item | Comparing case prices when case counts differ |
| Packaging and palletising | Usually included, sometimes separate | Check whether inner box counts are stated or assumed | Assuming a case means the same quantity across suppliers |
| Freight and delivery | Buyer, unless quoted delivered | Model the full order weight and destination, not one box | Quoting freight on a single case for a multi-case order |
| Duty and clearance | Buyer where applicable | Confirm origin and classification before the order ships | Treating a quote as final without naming the delivery term |
| Warehouse and handling | Buyer | Cost the space and labour a large order consumes on arrival | Ignoring storage and cash tied up in slow-moving stock |
| Payment and currency | Buyer | Apply the actual conversion and any payment fees to the invoice | Comparing quotes issued in different currencies at face value |
Why is the lowest case price rarely the lowest landed cost?
Because the cheap line is often cheap on the one component that is easiest to quote. A supplier can publish an attractive case figure and leave freight, minimum order quantity and delivery terms unstated, which shifts real cost to your side of the transaction. The same effect appears when case counts differ: a larger case at a lower headline number can work out more expensive per glove. The discipline is to convert every quote to a single unit cost and then add the components you will genuinely pay, for the order size you will genuinely place.
How do you compare two quotes on unit cost?
Pick one unit and stay with it. For gloves that is cost per glove; for gowns it is cost per gown. Multiply the case price by the cases you expect to buy in a year, add the freight and handling you will pay, apply the currency conversion if a quote is issued in another currency, then divide by the units in that annual volume. Run the same exercise for each supplier and the ranking often reverses, because case counts, freight and payment terms are rarely identical.
How do MOQ and warehouse space interact?
Minimum order quantities lower the unit cost and raise the cash and space you tie up. A very large MOQ on examination gloves is a good deal only if you will turn that stock before it becomes a storage problem. Work out how many boxes you consume a month, then set your order size so stock turns within a reasonable window and the pallet does not occupy the area you use for everything else. The B2B wholesale collection groups the lines stocked for institutional buyers, and wholesale and multi-site ordering explains how case quantities are structured for facilities that buy across several sites.
Why does shipping from a Canadian warehouse change lead time?
Domestic stock removes the variable that most often breaks a procurement plan. When goods ship from within Canada, transit is measured in days rather than in weeks, there is no clearance step in the middle of the order, and a restock does not need to be planned around an ocean shipment. That predictability has a cost of its own in the operating budget: fewer emergency buys at retail prices, fewer substitutions when the container is delayed, and less staff time chasing an order. The nitrile glove case and the 5.0 mil examination glove both illustrate the point: case count and delivery point matter as much as the figure on the label.
Related reading
- Exam glove case pricing: cost per glove in Canada
- Nitrile gloves wholesale in Canada: bulk pricing and supplier guide 2026
- PPE supplier Canada: price, MOQ and lead time benchmarks
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers.
Buying for a facility rather than a single practice? Request a B2B quote and we will price your volume with Canadian warehouse delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in landed cost?
Case price, packaging, freight, any duty and clearance that applies, warehouse and handling charges, and payment or currency conversion costs. Add every component you will actually pay for your order size and delivery point, then divide by units to get a true unit cost.
Why do suppliers quote such different case prices?
Quotes are often partial. One may include delivery and the other may not, case counts can differ, and minimum order quantities change the economics. Converting each quote to a single unit cost on the same annual volume is the only fair comparison.
Does a larger case always mean a lower unit cost?
Not automatically. A bigger case can carry a higher unit cost if the count or the packaging is different. Compare cost per glove or per item, and weigh the storage and cash implications of holding the larger quantity.
How does a Canadian warehouse reduce delivered cost?
Goods ship domestically, so transit is shorter, there is no clearance step mid-order, and restocking is easier to plan. That reduces emergency retail purchases, substitutions and the staff time spent chasing delayed shipments.
Should duty be assumed on every PPE order?
No. Whether it applies depends on the goods and their origin, so confirm the classification and delivery terms on the quote before the order ships rather than treating a case price as the final cost.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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