How to sell wholesale to retailers: a step-by-step guide for small brands

Selling wholesale means selling your products in bulk to shops, who then sell them on to their customers. For a small brand it is one of the fastest ways to grow: one good stockist can sell more in a month than your own website does, and every shelf is a place new customers discover you. It also changes your business. You earn less per unit, you take on larger orders, and you need prices, terms and paperwork that buyers trust. This guide walks through the steps, from checking you are ready to turning first orders into regular reorders.

Step 1: Check that you are ready for wholesale

Before you contact a single store, make sure wholesale will actually work for your business.

• Your margins can take it. Stores usually expect to buy at about half the retail price. If you sell a product for $30 on your website, a store will expect to pay around $15 for it, and that price still has to cover your costs and leave you a profit.
• You can make enough. A store may order 6 or 12 of each product, and several stores may order in the same week. Check that you can produce and ship that volume on time without letting down your direct customers.
• Your product is shelf-ready. Packaging should protect the product, show what it is, and look good on a shelf next to established brands. Include any labeling your category legally requires.
• You can be identified on the shelf. Many stores scan products at the till, so they will ask for a barcode on each item. Some also ask for product liability insurance before they stock you, especially for food, cosmetics and children's products.

Step 2: Set wholesale prices that work

Wholesale pricing has three numbers: your cost per unit, your wholesale price and the suggested retail price (MSRP). Work them out in that order.

1. Add up everything it costs to make one sellable unit, including packaging and your own time.
2. Set your wholesale price high enough to cover that cost and your target margin.
3. Multiply the wholesale price to get the retail price. The common rule, called keystone, is retail = 2 × wholesale, which gives the store a 50% margin.

Keep your own retail price at the MSRP. If you sell the same product cheaper on your website than a store can, stores will stop stocking you. Our guide to pricing products for wholesale covers this in detail, and the wholesale price calculator does the math for you. If you import your stock, start from the landed cost rather than the supplier price.

Step 3: Decide your wholesale terms

Terms answer the questions every buyer asks before ordering. Decide them once, write them down and use them for every store.

Lower minimums make it easier for a new store to try you. Credit terms such as net 30 help stores but cost you cash flow, so many small brands ask for the first order to be paid upfront. Wholesale terms explained defines each term and how to choose your own.

Step 4: Make your wholesale materials

Buyers are busy. Make it easy for them to say yes by sending everything they need in a format they recognize.

• A line sheet is the essential document: every product with a photo, product code, wholesale price, MSRP, minimums and your terms. It is what buyers order from. Read what a line sheet is if you have not made one before.
• An order form lets buyers write quantities next to each product and send it back, which avoids mistakes in emailed orders.
• A lookbook or catalog is optional. It shows your products in use and helps buyers imagine them in their store. Line sheet vs lookbook vs catalog explains when you need each.

Keep the line sheet current. Sending last season's prices is one of the most common ways small brands lose a buyer's trust.

Step 5: Build a list of the right stores

A short list of well-chosen stores beats a long list of random ones. The best stockists already sell to your customer, at your price point, alongside brands like yours.

Ways to find them:

• Shops you already know. Note the independent stores where you would expect to find your product, in your town and in places your customers visit.
• Brands like yours. Look at where similar brands say they are stocked; their stockist pages are a ready-made list.
• Social media and maps. Search for boutiques, gift shops, delis or salons in your category and area, and check what they sell before you contact them.
• Wholesale marketplaces. Platforms such as Faire let stores find and order from brands online. They charge a commission on orders, so compare it with selling direct.
• Trade shows. Buyers attend to discover new brands and place orders. They cost money to exhibit at, so many brands visit one first to see whether it fits.

For each store, record the name, the buyer's name and email if you can find them, why your products fit, and the date you contacted them.

Step 6: Pitch buyers

Keep your first message short, personal and easy to act on. Buyers receive many pitches; the ones that work show the brand has looked at the store. Here is an example, with the subject line Hand-poured candles for [store name]:

Then follow up. A polite second message about a week later is normal and often gets the reply. If a store says no, ask whether you can check back next season; buyers plan purchases in advance and timing is often the reason.

Samples help, especially for products where scent, taste or feel matters. Offer them to stores that have shown interest rather than sending them to everyone.

Step 7: Deliver the first order well

The first order decides whether there is a second one.

• Confirm the order in writing with quantities, prices, the total, payment terms and the ship date.
• Ship on time, and tell the store if anything will be late before the date passes.
• Pack for the shelf. Group items by product, protect fragile goods, and include a packing slip so the store can check the delivery quickly.
• Send a clear invoice with your payment details and due date.
• Help the store sell. A few product cards, a short description of each item and photos for their social media all help your products move.

Step 8: Turn first orders into reorders

Wholesale becomes profitable on reorders, when you are no longer paying to find the customer.

• Check in after a few weeks. Ask which products sold best and whether anything needs restocking.
• Watch sell-through. If a store has sold most of an order, it is a good moment to suggest a reorder of the bestsellers.
• Bring something new each season. New products give buyers a reason to order again and keep your range fresh on their shelves.
• Make reordering easy. Send a link to your current price list or catalog so buyers can order at any time without asking for the latest version.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pricing for retail only. If your wholesale price leaves no profit, more stores means more losses.
• Undercutting your stockists with lower prices on your own website.
• No written terms, which leads to disputes about minimums, payment and shipping.
• Pitching every store at once before you can handle the orders.
• Old documents. Prices and products change; make sure buyers always see the current version.

Wholesale checklist

• Cost per unit worked out, including packaging and labor
• Wholesale price and MSRP set, with a margin for both you and the store
• Barcodes and shelf-ready packaging
• Opening minimum, reorder minimum and payment terms decided
• Line sheet and order form ready
• A list of 20–30 well-matched stores
• A short pitch email and a follow-up plan
• A packing, invoicing and reorder routine

Start with a handful of stores, learn what buyers ask for, and improve your materials as you go. Every store that reorders makes the next pitch easier.