Compare packaging distributor prices by item, pack, and unit
Track what changed in a packaging distributor's re-issued price list, or compare current price lists from several distributors for the same consumables — with pack and unit mismatches flagged, and nothing uploaded to run the comparison.
Why packaging price lists are hard to compare by hand
- Packaging distributors re-price consumables — corrugated boxes, tape, mailers, void fill, labels, stretch film — often enough that an ops or purchasing team re-checks the same items every round.
- The same item can be sold by the case, the bundle, the pack, or the single unit, and that pack size can quietly change between price lists even when the item description stays identical.
- Sourcing the same items from two or three distributors means lining up files with different item codes and different pack structures for what's supposed to be the same purchase.
Try it with a sample packaging price list
A fictional sample covering corrugated boxes, packing tape, bubble and poly mailers, void fill, shipping labels, and stretch film — including the same tape sold by the case in one row and by the single roll in another, and a new item with no previous price. Download it and drop it into a comparison, or use it to see the column structure CostRift expects before mapping your own file.
Download the sample price list (.csv)Old vs. new: what changed in a distributor's price list
When a distributor re-issues its price list, Price Change compares it against the previous version and flags every item that went up, went down, was added, or was dropped. For the decision that follows a real increase, see supplier price increase.
Try Price Change with example dataSeveral distributors, same items: comparing offers
Sourcing the same packaging items from two or three distributors means lining up price lists with different item codes and sometimes different pack structures. Supplier Comparison matches by the identifier column you map and shows the cheapest distributor per item, flagging a pack or unit mismatch instead of guessing the items are comparable. See comparing supplier quotes for the general version of this workflow, or comparing distributor price lists for the large-catalog version.
Try Supplier Comparison with example dataHow each item is classified
- Increased / Decreased
- The item is present in both files at the same pack/unit and its cost moved — with the absolute and percentage change.
- Unchanged
- The item is present in both files at the same cost and the same pack/unit.
- New / Removed
- The item appears in only one of the two files.
- Needs review
- An item with an ambiguous or missing identifier — left flagged rather than matched by a guess at the description.
- Pack, unit, or currency mismatch
- The same-looking item priced by a different pack size, unit, or currency between files — flagged rather than silently compared as if they were the same purchase.
What this isn't
CostRift compares the price rows in the files you provide and flags what it can't resolve safely, including a pack or unit mismatch. It does not provide:
- Custom packaging RFQ management
- Shipping or freight optimization
- Dimensional-weight calculation
- MOQ (minimum order quantity) optimization
- Automatic unit conversion between pack sizes
- Packaging design or configuration
For how the row matching itself works in detail, see supplier price list comparison.
Frequently asked questions
If one distributor sells tape by the case and another by the single roll, does CostRift convert between them?
No. CostRift does not convert units or pack sizes automatically. When it detects a pack or unit mismatch between otherwise-matching rows, it flags that row for review rather than comparing a case price to a single-roll price as if they were the same purchase.
What happens to an item that only appears in one distributor's list?
It's shown as new or removed rather than silently dropped — you still see it, just flagged as single-sided instead of compared against a nonexistent counterpart.
Does CostRift help with custom packaging specs or shipping costs?
No. CostRift has no custom packaging RFQ management, freight or shipping optimization, or dimensional-weight calculation — it compares the price rows in the files you provide, nothing about how an order ships.
Is there a limit on how many items I can compare?
The limit depends on your plan, not a fixed number built into the comparison itself — see pricing for specifics. The downloadable sample is sized to show the file shape, not CostRift's ceiling.
Are my distributor files uploaded anywhere?
No. Files are read and compared in your browser and are not sent to CostRift servers to run the comparison. No account is required to try it.
See it with the sample list, or your own
Try the sample packaging price list above, or add your own distributor files and see every change in one comparison.