1. Price for wholesale before you pitch anyone
Start from your cost, not from your retail price. Add up materials, labor, packaging and any freight to get the product to you. Wholesale price is commonly set at around two times that cost, and retail at around two times wholesale (the "keystone" markup boutiques expect). Some categories run higher retail markups, so check what stores in your niche typically use.
If doubling your cost gives a retail price no one will pay, the fix is the cost or the product, not a smaller wholesale margin. Brands that underprice wholesale usually discover it when they need a rep or a distributor and there is no room left to pay one. Our wholesale price calculator runs these numbers for you.
- Cost of goods: materials, labor, packaging, inbound freight
- Wholesale price: commonly around 2x cost
- Suggested retail (MSRP): commonly around 2x wholesale
- Leave room for a rep commission or distributor discount later
2. Build a line sheet buyers can order from
A line sheet is the wholesale version of your catalog: product photo, style name and number, colors, sizes, wholesale price, suggested retail, minimums and delivery dates. Buyers use it to decide and to write the order, so clarity matters more than design.
A PDF line sheet is fine to start. The limitation shows up later: every price change means a new file, and buyers still have to type the order into an email. A live catalog link does the same job and lets the buyer order directly from it. Either way, put your terms on the last page so nobody has to ask.
3. Write down your terms
Terms answer the questions every buyer asks before the first order. Writing them down once saves dozens of emails and makes you look established.
- Opening order minimum and reorder minimum (often lower)
- Per-style minimums and case packs, if you have them
- Payment: upfront for new accounts, net terms once trust is built
- Lead time: ships in stock, or delivery window for preorders
- Shipping: who pays, and whether there is a free shipping threshold
- Returns and damages policy
- Where you allow online resale, if that matters to your brand
4. Find your first stockists
There is no single channel that works for everyone. Most small brands combine a few.
Direct outreach is the cheapest. Make a list of 30 to 50 stores that already carry brands similar in price and style to yours. Visit their site and Instagram, then send a short, personal message: why your product fits their store, your top three styles, your opening minimum and a link to the catalog. Follow up once or twice; many first orders come from the second message.
Trade shows put you in front of many buyers in a few days, at a real cost in booth fees and travel. Category shows matter: gift and home markets, apparel and accessories shows, and specialist events for jewelry, swim or footwear. Walk a show as a visitor before you pay for a booth.
Independent sales reps carry several complementary lines and already have relationships with stores. They typically work on commission on the orders they bring, so your wholesale price needs room for it.
Wholesale marketplaces help with discovery, in exchange for a commission on the orders that go through them. Many brands use one to find first accounts and then handle reorders directly.
5. Make the first order easy
Once a buyer says yes, remove every obstacle. Send the catalog link with their price list ready, confirm the order quickly, state when it ships and send tracking. A first order that arrives on time, well packed and exactly as ordered does more for the reorder than any discount.
Small extras help the store sell through: a few product cards, a short description of the brand they can use on their own social media, and good photos they are allowed to post.
6. Follow up and earn the reorder
Wholesale is a reorder business. The opening order is a test; the account becomes valuable when it reorders. Check in two to four weeks after delivery and ask what sold. Share which styles are working in other stores. Send new arrivals to existing accounts before anyone else.
Keep an eye on order history. An account that reordered every eight weeks and has gone quiet for twelve deserves a call. A catalog with saved customer history makes this simple: you can see who ordered what and when, and the buyer can repeat an order in minutes.