Want New Stockists Faster? Avoid These Rookie Mistakes

In my coaching work with Wholesale In a Box makers, there are certain mistakes I see people make over and over when it comes to growing wholesale. These are the things that, if left unfixed, can dramatically slow down one’s wholesale growth.

I call them “rookie” mistakes not because only beginners make them – but rather because they’re basic, simple mistakes that can be easily fixed at any stage of wholesale growth. Now, the land of business is a diverse place and you’ll always find someone who says they went against the grain and did one of the below things successfully. I don’t dispute that. But I will tell you that 99% of the time, it’s in your interest to avoid these approaches.

So if you’re growing wholesale and want to get more stockists, faster, read on.

3 “Rookie” Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Wholesale:

1. Making wholesale buyers struggle to get key information (either in the line sheet or chasing you down.)

This can come across in different ways, for instance sometimes folks:

• Make buyers create an account before seeing pricing.

• Reach out to store owners via email but wait until they reply before sending their line sheet.

• Forget to include pricing or wholesale terms in their line sheet.

• And sometimes, they unintentionally make it difficult or confusing to place an order.

This one is easy to avoid! Remember, you want to make it as smooth and easy as possible for buyers to make the decision to stock your products and follow through by placing an order. So make sure stockists have easy access to your prices, contact information, details on how to order, and wholesale terms from your first contact with them. If you are looking for more line sheet tips, check out Wholesale Line Sheet 101, where we provide foundational information on line sheets.

2. Being obscure about your line.

It’s common to see people be obscure about what their line is – in emails to stores, in their line sheet, and on their website. They’ll use language and/or photos that confuse what they are actually selling. This can be for a variety of reasons including;

• They see the work as complicated and perhaps mystical.

• They don’t want the line to feel overly “basic.”

• They’re trying to appeal to everyone.

• They haven’t taken the time to refine how they talk about the line.

While it’s true that your first job in growing wholesale is having a great line of products. But your second job is to be crystal clear with your communications to buyers about what your line is and what’s great about it. Particularly in the earlier days of growing wholesale (before you have about 120 stockists), when you don’t yet have the reputation to lean back on – so all you have is your product… and how clearly you represent it.

For instance, this is obscure: “NeoJewel is a luxurious, eco-friendly jewelry line. We exclusively craft our products using recycled and sustainable materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled plastics.”

I understand the points about luxury and eco-friendliness are significant. But here is the issue: to a buyer, the words don’t paint a picture of how the line is different from other lines. “Luxury” and “eco-friendly” are buzzwords, too common and too general to give a real sense of the line.And if the photos of the products themselves are equally vague, general, or ambiguous– it becomes difficult to sell the line.

As a counterpoint, the artist Rani Ban describes her work (in various places) as follows: “Rani Ban is a full time artist living on a small farm in the Hudson Valley. She is known for her loose hand lettering, inclusive nudity & warm palette… and makes art prints, greeting cards & little somethings shipping everywhere.”

This is not obscure. It is specific, clear, says what she sells, and what makes it different from other people’s work.

So, to avoid this mistake, be clear about what you do and make sure you use words that paint a real and vivid picture. If you’re looking for more on crafting your story, check out: What Parts of Your Story People Actually Care About.

3. Getting creative with your wholesale pricing or minimums.

Sometimes makers come to me with “creative” ideas around pricing or minimums. What’s uncreative is that stores pay 50% or less of the retail price across the product line. And there is a firm dollar amount minimum.

Creative is … pretty much anything other than that.

I've found that there are certain expectations that store owners have around minimums and pricing... and that if you go too far outside those expectations, they sort of "shut down." You can certainly experiment with your approach and of course there are always exceptions. But I've seen makers really struggle with approaches where they either have a lower-than-2x markup... or get creative about pricing or minimums in other ways.

Of course, this advice primarily applies to independent brick-and-mortar stores -- selling to a nationwide store like Target requires a different approach. (More on Large Retailers right this way.)

All of the above can impede a wholesale sale. So don’t make it harder than it needs to be – ensure all the information about you and how to order is right at hand for your buyers. Aim for transparency when representing your process and your brand by using language that speaks to what your products are and what sets them apart from other items on the market.

Finally, don’t step too far off the path when it comes to your wholesale minimums and pricing structure. By keeping these “Rookie” or basic pitfalls in mind when creating your materials for wholesale, you’re more likely to experience growth and success in your wholesale journey.

How We Can Help You Grow Wholesale:

More Free Line Sheet Resources:

• 5 Simple Fixes to Wholesale Terms Mistakes

• Simplify Your Wholesale Ordering Process: 15 Do’s and Don’ts

• 7 Things That Predict Wholesale Success or Wholesale Failure

• How to Make Pricing Work for Wholesale: 5 Things to Try

• Wholesale Line Sheet 101

• Wholesale Line Sheet: 5 Must Haves