Are you ready for your first wholesale conversation?
Build a clear offer before approaching a retailer, with costs and capacity in view.
A wholesale offer needs to work for two businesses: yours and the retailer's. Start by making the product, economics, and ordering process easy to understand.
Define exactly what a buyer gets
Create a product sheet with product names, bag sizes, units per case, case price, minimum order, and lead time. Include clear product photographs and the information a buyer needs to assess the product. Confirm the applicable labeling and selling requirements for your situation with the relevant authorities or a qualified adviser.
Keep the offer consistent. If every first order has a different case size and price, fulfillment and repeat ordering become difficult to manage.
Check the economics at the case level
Multiply your realistic cost per saleable bag by units per case. Add case packaging, order handling, and shipping costs you intend to cover. Consider how rejected output or a smaller-than-usual batch would affect the offer.
A hypothetical $36 case containing 12 bags brings in $3 per bag before your costs. That is arithmetic for planning, not a recommended wholesale price. Use your own costs and the economics of the proposed relationship.
Make capacity a promise you can keep
Estimate reliable weekly output after allowing for existing orders, packaging work, maintenance, and interruptions. Set a lead time based on repeatable performance, not your fastest-ever run. A small first order can reveal operational issues before a larger commitment.
Agree on the details in writing
Clarify payment timing, shipping responsibility, damaged deliveries, returns, and reorder procedure before accepting an order. Do not assume all retailers use the same terms. Review any contract carefully and get suitable advice where needed.
Use a pilot to learn
For a first placement, agree on a small, specific trial and a follow-up point. Ask which products moved, what customers asked, and whether the retailer wants to reorder. Record the time spent servicing the account alongside the revenue.
Wholesale can add volume while reducing revenue per bag. Assess the relationship using contribution, operational demands, and payment timing together.
Examples are illustrative unless stated otherwise. These guides use AI-assisted drafting and do not represent product tests or guaranteed business results. Read our editorial approach.