Warehouse & Pallet Guide

Ti-Hi Explained: What It Means, How to Calculate It, and Why Retailers Care

Ti-Hi is printed on every retail pallet label. Most shippers don't know what it means until a chargeback shows up on their remittance. This guide explains exactly what Ti and Hi are, how to calculate both from scratch, and what retailers actually check when your pallet arrives at their DC.

Updated April 27, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Definition

Ti (Tier) = number of cases in one floor layer of a pallet.
Hi (High) = number of layers stacked on that pallet.
Ti × Hi = total cases per pallet. A pallet marked Ti 6 × Hi 8 holds exactly 48 cases.

What Ti and Hi Actually Mean

Ti-Hi is a two-number shorthand used across retail, CPG, and grocery supply chains to describe a pallet configuration. The notation is always written Ti first, Hi second — either as 8/6, Ti-8 Hi-6, or simply 8×6 depending on the retailer's system.

Tier — cases per floor layer

The number of cases that fit in a single horizontal layer on the pallet. Every layer in the stack must have the same Ti count.

High — layers per pallet

The number of layers stacked vertically. Multiply Ti × Hi to get the total case count for that pallet configuration.

Worked Example — Ti 6 × Hi 8

Cases per layer (Ti)

Layers high (Hi)

= 48 cases per pallet

Every pallet in this shipment must have exactly 6 cases per layer, stacked 8 layers high.

In retail purchase orders, you'll see Ti-Hi written into the item setup. Your buyer may specify it as a condition of the order — ship 48-case pallets configured Ti 6 Hi 8 — and the DC receiving system expects that exact configuration when your freight arrives.

How to Calculate Ti

Ti is a floor area problem. You're fitting as many cases as possible into one layer on top of a 48×40-inch GMA pallet without any case overhanging the edge. The formula is:

Ti = ⌊48 ÷ case length⌋ × ⌊40 ÷ case width⌋

⌊ ⌋ means round down. No partial cases, no overhang.

Always test both orientations — place the case with its length along the 48" side, then flip it and try length along the 40" side. Take whichever gives you more cases per layer.

Worked Example — 12×10×8" case on a 48×40" pallet

Orientation A (default)

Step	Math	Result
Along 48"	48 ÷ 12 = 4.0	4
Along 40"	40 ÷ 10 = 4.0	4
Ti	4 × 4	16

Orientation B (rotated 90°)

Step	Math	Result
Along 48"	48 ÷ 10 = 4.8 → 4	4
Along 40"	40 ÷ 12 = 3.3 → 3	3
Ti	4 × 3	12

Result

Orientation A gives Ti 16. Orientation B gives Ti 12. Use Orientation A — 4 cases along the 48" side, 4 cases along the 40" side.

Note: This example tiles perfectly with no wasted floor space. When your case dimensions don't divide evenly into the pallet footprint, the unused space stays empty — never overhang the pallet edge to recover it.

How to Calculate Hi

Hi is a height problem. You're stacking as many layers as possible without exceeding the retailer's or carrier's load height limit. The formula is:

Hi = ⌊(height limit − pallet deck height) ÷ case height⌋

Round down. A standard GMA pallet deck adds ~5.5" of height below your load.

Continuing the 12×10×8" case example, with a 60" load height limit:

Step	Math	Result
Height limit	60" (Walmart standard)	60"
Minus pallet deck	60 − 5.5	54.5" usable
Divide by case height	54.5 ÷ 8 = 6.8 → 6	6 layers
Hi	—	6

Final result for this case

Ti 16 × Hi 6 = 96 cases per pallet. Total pallet height = 5.5" deck + (6 × 8") = 53.5" — within the 60" limit.

Height limits vary significantly by retailer and environment:

Retailer / Environment	Typical Height Limit	Notes
Walmart	60"	Standard grocery and GM; verify in Supplier Center
Amazon FBA (LTL)	72" total (floor)	≈66" above pallet deck; some FCs allow 98"
Costco	60–65"	Category-specific; confirm with buyer
Target	60"	Standard; refer to Target Vendor Guide
General warehouse	60"	Conservative safe default
53-ft dry van	88–96"	Interior height ~110"; pallet + load ≤96" typical

Retailer Ti-Hi Requirements — and What Happens When You're Wrong

Every major retailer stores your Ti-Hi in their item setup system. When your pallet arrives at the DC, the receiving process checks the physical configuration against what's on file. A mismatch is not a warning — it's a chargeback.

Walmart

Ti-Hi is set per item in Supplier Center. Common configurations include Ti 8 Hi 6 (48 cases) and Ti 6 Hi 8 (48 cases) for mid-size CPG items. Load height cap is typically 60".

Wrong Ti-Hi → non-compliant receipt chargeback + potential OTIF penalty (3% of cost of goods).

Costco

Costco requires Ti-Hi to match item setup in their supplier portal. Pallets must be stable enough to double-stack during DC storage. Mixed-Ti pallets are generally not accepted.

Pallet refusal or re-palletizing at supplier cost for non-compliant loads.

Amazon FBA

Amazon doesn't use Ti-Hi notation explicitly, but the boxes-per-pallet figure entered in your Seller Central shipment plan must match your physical pallet. A mismatch creates a receiving discrepancy that holds your inventory.

Full Amazon FBA pallet guide →

Target

Target's Vendor Guide specifies Ti-Hi per item category. 60" load height is standard. Target DCs use conveyor-based automated receiving — an unstable or over-height pallet jams the line.

Compliance violations logged against vendor scorecard; repeat violations lead to delisting reviews.

The core rule

Your physical pallet must match the Ti-Hi on file in the retailer's system — not what you calculated, not what you think is optimal, and not what you shipped last time. Before every shipment, verify your item setup in the retailer's supplier portal. If your case dimensions changed, update the item setup before the truck rolls.

Mixed Ti-Hi vs. Single-SKU Pallets

A single-SKU pallet contains one item number throughout — every case in every layer is the same product. A mixed pallet contains multiple SKUs on the same pallet.

Single-SKU pallets

✓ Preferred by all major retailers

One Ti-Hi on file, one SSCC label, clean receiving scan. Ti-Hi must match item setup exactly. Every layer must have the same Ti count.

Mixed SKU pallets

⚠ Allowed only with explicit buyer approval

Common for promotional or display setups. Requires a mixed-pallet label or an inner-pack manifest detailing each SKU, quantity, and layer position. Each individual SKU still needs its own case label with FNSKU or UPC.

When mixed pallets are allowed, there are two labeling conventions:

Convention	What the pallet label shows	Used by
Mixed SSCC	Single SSCC with "Mixed Pallet" designation; inner manifest on pallet or in EDI	Walmart, Target promotional displays
Layer-by-layer manifest	Pallet label lists each layer: Layer 1 — SKU A × Ti, Layer 2 — SKU B × Ti	Costco club-pack displays, some Amazon FBA

If your retailer has not explicitly approved mixed pallets for your item, ship single-SKU only. Sending a mixed pallet when the item setup shows single-SKU is a compliance violation regardless of how neatly it's built.

Skip the Math

Use the CargoTools Ti-Hi Calculator

Enter your case dimensions, pallet size, and load height limit. Get Ti, Hi, total cases per pallet, estimated pallet weight, and a compliance check against common retailer height limits — in under a minute.

Open Ti-Hi Calculator →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ti-Hi affect freight class?

Ti-Hi itself doesn't determine freight class — class is based on density, stowability, handling, and liability. But Ti-Hi directly affects pallet density: a tighter Ti-Hi configuration increases cases per pallet, which increases pallet weight and density, which can lower your freight class and reduce LTL costs. Optimizing Ti-Hi is one of the fastest ways to improve pallet density without changing your product.

What do you do when a case doesn't tile evenly on the pallet?

Always round down — never overhang the pallet edge. Try rotating the case 90° before settling on a layout; the rotated orientation often fits more cases per layer. If neither orientation tiles cleanly, the remaining floor space stays empty. Don't try to fit partial cases or cut boxes to fill gaps — you'll create an unstable load and a compliance flag.

Can you stack fewer layers than the stated Hi?

Yes — stacking fewer layers than the registered Hi is generally acceptable and doesn't trigger compliance violations, as long as the Ti (cases per layer) is correct on every layer present. Shipping a partial pallet with correct Ti but reduced Hi is treated as a short shipment, not a non-compliant pallet. That said, confirm with your specific retailer's vendor compliance guide — some buyers require full pallets only.

How does Ti-Hi appear on a GS1-128 pallet label?

On a GS1-128 (formerly UCC-128) pallet label, Ti-Hi typically appears in the human-readable section as two numbers separated by a slash or hyphen — for example 8/6 meaning Ti 8, Hi 6. It may also be encoded in Application Identifier (AI) 37. The SSCC barcode identifies the pallet; Ti-Hi is supplementary data that must match the item setup on file with the retailer. If they conflict, the item setup wins at receiving.

What's the difference between Ti-Hi and floor-loaded freight?

Ti-Hi applies to palletized freight — cases stacked in a defined tier-and-layer configuration on a pallet. Floor-loaded freight is loaded directly into a trailer without pallets, cases stacked against the walls and floor. Floor loading maximizes trailer cube but carries no Ti-Hi; it's used for lightweight, stackable cases in high-volume FTL shipments. Most retail DCs require palletized freight with a valid Ti-Hi on file and will not accept floor-loaded deliveries.

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