How to Write a Wholesale Line Sheet That Gets You Orders

What a Wholesale Line Sheet Actually Is

A wholesale line sheet is the one-page (or few-page) document a retail buyer uses to place an order. It is not a lookbook, and it is not your website. It is a clean, scannable catalog of your products with the exact information a store needs to say yes: photos, product names, wholesale prices, minimums, and terms.

If a buyer has to email you to ask a basic question, you have already added friction to the sale. A good line sheet answers every question before it gets asked. Get this document right and you shorten the path from first conversation to first purchase order.

Below is exactly what to include and how to lay it out.

The Header: Make You Easy to Order From

The top of your line sheet should tell a buyer who you are and how to place an order in about three seconds. Include:

• Your brand name and logo
• A one-line description of what you make (for example, "Small-batch soy candles, hand-poured in Ohio")
• Contact name, email, and phone
• Your website and wholesale ordering link if you have one
• The date or season, so buyers know the sheet is current

Keep it tight. This is a working document, not a brand manifesto.

The Product Grid: The Heart of the Sheet

Most of your line sheet is a grid of products. Each product entry needs six things:

1. A clean product photo

Use consistent, well-lit photos on a plain background. Every image should be the same size and style so the grid looks orderly. Buyers scan visually first, so a messy photo set makes your whole brand look unreliable.

2. Product name and short description

Name the product, then add a short line about scent, size, material, or use. "Cedar and Sage Candle, 8 oz, 50-hour burn" tells a buyer everything they need in one glance.

3. Item number or SKU

Give every product a unique SKU. Buyers reference these when they order, and stores need them for their own inventory systems. This is not optional if you want repeat business.

4. Wholesale price

List the price the store pays, not the retail price. Be crystal clear that these are wholesale figures.

5. Suggested retail price (MSRP)

Buyers want to know their margin at a glance. Showing the suggested retail price next to the wholesale price does that math for them. Aim for a standard keystone markup (retail at roughly double wholesale) so the margin looks healthy.

6. Case pack or minimum per item

If a product ships in packs of six, say so. Buyers need to know whether they can order a single unit or must buy in a set.

Pricing and Terms: Remove Every Excuse to Hesitate

After the product grid, add a short terms section. This is where you set expectations and protect yourself. Include:

• Minimum opening order: The smallest first order you accept, often expressed in dollars (for example, "$150 minimum first order")
• Minimum reorder: Often lower than the opening order
• Payment terms: Whether you require payment upfront, offer net 30 to approved accounts, or accept credit cards
• Lead time: How long between order and shipment (for example, "Ships within 7 business days")
• Shipping: Who pays freight, and whether you offer free shipping over a certain amount
• Return and damage policy: How you handle breakage or defects

Clear terms make you look established. Vague terms make buyers nervous, and nervous buyers do not order.

Layout Rules That Keep It Professional

A few practical habits separate a line sheet that gets orders from one that gets ignored:

• Keep it to one to three pages. Buyers review dozens of brands. Respect their time.
• Use white space. A crowded sheet is hard to scan. Let the products breathe.
• Stay on brand but stay readable. Use your colors and fonts, but never at the expense of legibility.
• Export as a PDF. Send a PDF, not an editable file. It looks polished and cannot be accidentally altered.
• Name the file clearly. "YourBrand_Wholesale_LineSheet_Spring.pdf" is easy for a buyer to find later.

Common Line Sheet Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these, because they are the ones that quietly cost you orders:

• Listing only retail prices, which forces the buyer to do math or email you
• Forgetting SKUs, which makes ordering a chore
• Using inconsistent photos that make the brand look amateur
• Burying your minimums so buyers feel misled later
• Sending a giant file that clogs a buyer's inbox
• Leaving off the date, so a buyer cannot tell if pricing is still valid

Update It Every Season

Your line sheet is a living document. Refresh it when prices change, when you launch products, and at the start of each buying season. An outdated sheet with wrong prices creates awkward conversations and can cost you the account. A quick seasonal update keeps you looking sharp and keeps buyers ordering with confidence.

A Quick Checklist Before You Send

Before your line sheet goes out, confirm it has:

• Brand name, logo, and contact info at the top
• Consistent product photos
• Product names, SKUs, wholesale prices, and suggested retail prices
• Case packs or per-item minimums
• Minimum opening order and reorder amounts
• Payment terms, lead time, and shipping details
• A current date and a clear file name
• Export as a clean PDF

If every box is checked, you have a document a buyer can act on without a single follow-up question.

Getting Your Line Sheet in Front of the Right Stores

A great line sheet only works when it lands in the right hands. That is where we come in. We help small product brands find the specific stores that fit their category, price point, and region, then reach the right person with a pitch worth opening. Instead of guessing which shops might carry your candles or jewelry, you get a focused list of retailers who actually stock brands like yours, so the line sheet you just built goes straight to buyers ready to say yes.