A wholesale line sheet can be the most powerful document to have on hand if you’re growing wholesale. Many makers spend a lot of time developing a wholesale line sheet to win the hearts and minds of buyers – but lose the sale because of simple mistakes that they could have avoided. So in this article, we’re putting a big old “WATCH OUT!” sign in front of all the pitfalls before you get to them.

In December, I’m sitting at the kitchen table, working on my laptop, and Etan springs in the doorway with a cardboard box, crusted with packing tape. He hands it to me, and I immediately notice the return address: Gopi Shah Ceramics. When I see this, I’m thrilled -- I’ve wanted a Gopi Shah mug for years but haven’t gotten one, partly because of the tyranny of a small business owner’s budget and partly because we didn’t have a steady home base.

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.

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.

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.

When Faire Wholesale first debuted, many makers were pretty amazed by all that it offered. It felt like a gamechanger to have so many buyers in one place… and to be able to manage your wholesale ordering on their platform. And it’s true – for many independent brands, Faire has proven to be an incredible asset.

As time has gone on, though, not everyone has decided they love Faire. Some makers find the commissions to be punishingly high. Other brands find that it’s hard to build sustainable relationships with store owners through the platform. And still others simply don’t get orders there.

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.