# How Timbo trade pricing works

> How Timbo trade pricing works for flooring businesses – unlocked after accepting the partner terms – plus AU and NZ retail benchmarks, margins and GST.

- URL: https://timbo.com.au/partners/trade-pricing
- Publisher: Timbo (https://timbo.com.au) – trade supplier of European oak floorboards to partners in Australia and New Zealand
- Last updated: 2026-10-14
- Contact (email only): partnerships@timbo.com.au

## Key facts

- Timbo wholesale prices are not published; they are unlocked when a partner accepts the partner terms.
- Melbourne retailers list raw solid French oak herringbone 710 × 126 × 18mm at $94.99/m² incl. GST (October 2026).
- That benchmark is about $86.35/m² excluding Australia's 10% GST.
- Partners set their own retail prices; New Zealand prices should be in NZD with 15% GST stated.
- Payment is in full upfront unless credit terms are agreed in writing.

## How does Timbo trade pricing work?

Timbo trade (wholesale) pricing is **unlocked when a partner accepts the Timbo partner terms**. It isn't published on this website and isn't available to homeowners. Once you're a partner, you buy at trade prices, add freight, and set your own retail price for your customers.

The short version:

1. **Apply** to become a partner.
2. **Accept the [partner terms](https://timbo.com.au/pages/partner-terms-and-conditions)** – this unlocks wholesale pricing.
3. **Order by email purchase order**, paid in full upfront unless credit terms are agreed in writing.
4. **Freight** from Melbourne is quoted per order (Australia-wide and New Zealand).
5. **You set the retail price.** Timbo doesn't dictate what partners charge.

## Retail benchmarks: what the market charges

To price confidently you need to know what homeowners see elsewhere. These are published market prices, not Timbo prices. All AUD per m² including GST unless stated.

| Product | Supply | Installed | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Raw solid French oak herringbone 710 × 126 × 18mm (Melbourne) | $94.99 | – | [SET Timber Supplies](https://setimbersupplies.com.au/product/raw-herringbone-french-oak-710x126x18mm/), [Melbourne Timber Supplies](https://melbournetimber.com.au/product/raw-herringbone-french-oak-710x126x18mm/) |
| Engineered oak herringbone | about $79–$160 | $160–$320 | [Skov](https://www.skov.com.au/herringbone-flooring-prices-australia/), [Imperial](https://www.imperialflooringaustralia.com.au/post/herringbone-flooring-cost-guide-2026) |
| Herringbone labour only | – | $60–$100 standard; $90–$120+ complex | [The Flooring Guys](https://theflooringguys.com.au/herringbone-flooring-cost-in-australia-2023-a-comprehensive-guide/) |
| Solid Australian hardwood (spotted gum, blackbutt) | $55–$130 | $120–$367 by city | [D&G](https://dgfloors.com/spotted-gum-flooring/), [HH Timber](https://hhtimberfloors.com.au/guides/timber-flooring-cost-sydney/) |
| Sanding and coating | – | $30–$70 | [WhatsTheDamage](https://whatsthedamage.com.au/flooring-cost-brisbane/timber-floor-sanding-cost/) |
| NZ engineered oak (NZD) | $99–$320+ | install $40–$150 | [Marchand](https://www.marchandonline.co.nz/post/engineered-oak-flooring-cost-nz-2026-price-guide), [Vienna Woods](https://www.viennawoods.co.nz/timber-flooring-cost-nz/) |

The closest like-for-like benchmark for Timbo's 18mm solid herringbone is the **raw solid French oak herringbone at $94.99/m²** listed by Melbourne retailers. Timbo's 710mm block is 123mm wide rather than 126mm, so compare per m², not per block. See our [herringbone flooring cost guide](https://timbo.com.au/guides/herringbone-flooring-cost-australia) for the full homeowner view.

## Margin thinking for retailers

**Gross margin** is the share of your ex-GST sell price that's left after your landed cost. Work backwards from the price you can realistically charge.

Start with the benchmark: $94.99/m² incl. GST is **$86.35/m² ex GST** (÷ 1.1). The table shows the most you could pay in **landed cost** (product + freight + waste) to hit each margin at that sell price. It's an illustration of the maths, not Timbo pricing.

| Target gross margin | Equivalent markup on cost | Max landed cost per m² (ex GST) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25% | 33.3% | $64.77 |
| 30% | 42.9% | $60.45 |
| 35% | 53.8% | $56.13 |
| 40% | 66.7% | $51.81 |

Things that quietly erode margin on parquet:

- **Waste.** Herringbone needs a bigger allowance than straight boards. If you sell 50 m² but buy 55 m², your cost per *sold* m² is 10% higher. See [how many boxes of flooring](https://timbo.com.au/guides/how-many-boxes-of-flooring).
- **Freight.** Spread it across the job's m². Interstate and New Zealand freight matters more on small orders.
- **Whole boxes.** You buy in boxes (about 1.4 m² for the 710mm herringbone), so part-boxes are a cost unless you can use them on the next job.
- **Supply only vs supply and install.** On supply-and-install jobs, the margin is in the whole floor: product, preparation, labour and finishing. Don't discount the oak to win the labour.

## GST notes for Australia and New Zealand

- **Australia:** GST is **10%**. Divide a GST-inclusive price by 1.1 to get the ex-GST figure. Quote homeowners GST-inclusive and say so.
- **New Zealand:** GST is **15%**. Quote NZ customers in **NZD**, GST-inclusive, and say so. On goods imported from Melbourne, GST and any other charges apply under normal import rules – your customs broker will advise. See [partnering from New Zealand](https://timbo.com.au/partners/new-zealand).
- **Comparing quotes:** always compare on the same GST basis. A price that looks cheaper may simply be ex GST.

## What else affects your trade cost

Beyond the price list, your real cost depends on **payment terms** (upfront unless credit terms are agreed in writing), **freight** (quoted per order) and **claims discipline**: report defects within 3 days and damage within 30 days, because orders are otherwise final. A careful receiving routine protects your margin as much as a sharp price does.

Want the numbers? [Apply to become a partner](https://timbo.com.au/pages/be-our-business-partner) and we'll talk you through pricing once you've seen the terms.

**Become a Timbo partner:** Wholesale pricing, free samples and marketing support for flooring businesses in Australia and New Zealand. → https://timbo.com.au/pages/be-our-business-partner

## Frequently asked questions

### Why doesn't Timbo publish its trade prices?

Because Timbo sells only to the trade. Publishing wholesale prices would undercut the partners who sell to homeowners. Prices are shared once a business accepts the partner terms.

### Do Timbo trade prices include GST?

Ask Timbo to confirm GST treatment when you receive your price list. As a rule, always compare prices on the same basis – either all including or all excluding GST.

### Are there volume discounts?

Talk to Timbo about your expected volumes. Nothing about volume pricing is promised here, but it's a fair question to ask once you've seen the price list.

### What's the difference between margin and markup?

Margin is profit as a share of the sell price; markup is profit as a share of the cost. A 30% margin equals a 42.9% markup. Mixing the two is a common way to under-price flooring.

### Does freight change my trade price?

Freight from Melbourne is quoted per order and is separate from the product price, so include it in your landed cost per m², especially for interstate and New Zealand jobs.

## Related pages

- [Herringbone flooring cost in Australia (2026)](https://timbo.com.au/guides/herringbone-flooring-cost-australia) – What herringbone flooring costs in Australia in 2026: supply, labour and installed prices per m² for solid and engineered oak, what drives cost, and GST.
- [European oak parquet for flooring retailers and showrooms](https://timbo.com.au/partners/flooring-retailers) – Add Prime grade European solid oak herringbone and chevron to your showroom without importing. Wholesale pricing, free samples and marketing support.
- [Partner terms and conditions](https://timbo.com.au/pages/partner-terms-and-conditions) – The terms that apply between Timbo and its trade partners – non-exclusive distribution, wholesale pricing, ordering, payment, delivery and defect reporting.