If you’re working to grow wholesale, your line sheet is one of your most important tools. In this article, we will show you how to create a line sheet for wholesale as a maker or independent brand. You’ll get a a simple example of a wholesale line sheet you can use as a starting point — and avoid common mistakes.

Some makers feel intimidated by store owners -- they seem inaccessible, powerful in the maker world, and ultra-discerning in their preferences. Other makers are a cavalier with how they interact with shop owners, being informal to the point of rudeness or using an approach that just isn’t effective. The remedy for both? Really understanding store owners’ experiences and perspectives -- developing empathy for what they’re up to and what they’re all about.

I get a lot of questions from makers that relate to wholesale terms. So to all of these makers, my answer was simple: stick with the terms you already set. And do so in a friendly, collaborative, and clear way.

The most common piece of advice that we give the makers we work with is this: sound like yourself. Usually we don’t say it like that. But sounding like yourself, telling your story, and expressing your values and personality through your business communications is the subtext to many of the practical pieces of feedback we give, when looking over line sheets or websites or emails to stores.

Having a great product is always Job One for a maker. The beauty, artistry, quality, and branding of the pieces you make are the foundation of everything that happens in a handmade business.

That said, if wholesale is your focus, your primary customer is the creative, hardworking store owner who buys from you. And that means that your job is to help them sell your work -- not simply to hand off your line and hope for the best.

We get a lot of questions about UPC codes since many people think they’re a must-have to jump into wholesale. Often, makers aren’t sure whether UPC codes are needed to start selling to stores – and dread the logistical hassle they imagine is involved.

The good news is that generally, you don’t need UPC codes to sell to independent shops. But, there are some occasions where it may behoove a maker to utilize UPC Codes.

Store owners are busy folks just like you and don’t have too much incentive to sugar coat things. They will tell you no, yes, and maybe next time, even if it is sometimes a little unclear what is what.

So think of this post as a decoder ring for figuring out what that email you got really means -- and what to do about it.

As a maker or indie product line, it can be challenging to know how to use your website for wholesale sales. In this article, we answer key questions like: Should I hire help or DIY my first Shopify site? What wholesale apps are best for a Shopify website? What mistakes am I making on my website that could be hurting sales? Do I need a separate wholesale website?

You can spend A LOT of time, and resources creating and making your website just right. We know most makers tend to get their sites set up and forget about them. But is your brand’s website doing all that it can for you? Is it worth it to invest your time and energy on creating a website for your brand? Is a poor website experience costing you sales?

Sprucing up your website can have a large impact on your business. But where should you start? What are the common mistakes and pitfalls? What changes can have the largest impact? In response to these questions and more, we’ve partnered with Aeolidia in a Wholesale In a Box Maker Exclusive Live Event, to bring a website expert who will;

• Review volunteer’s websites and provide suggestions in real time.

• Walk through everything from navigation to copywriting your website.

• Provide common website mistakes and how to avoid them.

When you’re running a small business, there are hundreds of potential things to do – with limited time. And a big factor in your success is your ability to discern the things that have the highest impact–  and focusing relentlessly on doing those things.

A peek behind the curtain of our unique approach to supporting makers through one-on-one coaching services at Wholesale In a Box.

If you’re working to grow wholesale as a maker or independent brand, you probably have (or will have) some kind of wholesale line sheet. But… having a line sheet is not the same as having an effective line sheet. It's often going to be the only representation of your products that a store owner ever sees before they decide whether to place an order. And if store owners are taking the time to consider your line, it’s a shame to squander that attention with a document that doesn’t represent you well.