Meaning & use
factory prices
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Meanings
nounplural
The prices that a manufacturer charges buyers for goods, before shops add their own markup.
Grammar: Almost always plural in this pattern; use the singular "factory price" when talking about one product.
Patterns
- factory prices for something
- at factory prices
- factory prices rise/fall
Retailers buy the shoes at factory prices and sell them for twice as much.
Factory prices for steel have fallen since the new plant opened.
The catalog lists factory prices, so you can see what shops pay before markup.
nounpluralinformal
Prices charged at a factory outlet or direct sale, lower than normal shop prices.
Grammar: Often used in ads to mean cheap direct-from-maker deals; it describes the level of the prices, not one sum.
Patterns
- buy something at factory prices
- factory prices on something
The outlet sells coats at factory prices, sometimes half of what malls charge.
Shoppers came early hoping to get furniture at factory prices.
Word forms
| singular | factory price |
|---|
Common combinations
- factory prices for goods
- Factory prices for goods are set before shipping costs are added.
- at factory prices
- You can buy directly from the maker at factory prices.
- factory prices rise
- Factory prices rise when raw materials get more expensive.
- factory prices fall
- Factory prices fell after the new production line opened.
- compare factory prices
- Buyers compare factory prices before placing a large order.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wholesale prices
- Very close in meaning, but wholesale prices can also come from distributors, not only factories.
- ex-works prices
- A more technical business term for the price at the factory gate, before transport.
- list prices
- The maker's published prices; they may be discounted, while factory prices are what buyers actually pay.
Opposites
Word family
- factory price noun
- The singular form, used for one product or one deal.
- factory noun
- A building where goods are made in large amounts.
- factory outlet noun
- A shop that sells goods directly from the maker, often cheaply.
Commonly confused: factory prices or retail prices? factory prices or price fixing?
factory prices vs retail prices
Retail prices are what customers pay in shops; factory prices are lower and come before the shop's markup.
factory prices vs price fixing
Price fixing means companies illegally agreeing on prices, not simply the prices a factory charges.
Practice
The store buys directly from the maker, so it pays ______.
Choose one answer.
"At factory prices" is the standard phrase for the level you pay. "On factory prices" sounds like a topic, not the amount paid, and "for factory prices" would mean in exchange for the prices themselves.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “factory prices”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.