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Wholesale Etiquette
HOW TO BUILD LASTING WHOLESALE PARTNERSHIPS
BY EMILY BLISTEIN
The relationship between retailers and wholesale designers is not unlike dating. We woo, we court, we
stumble, we wonder what the other is thinking. Sometimes, we meet each other’s expectations, and
sometimes we don’t. Sometimes, we may even exceed those expectations. My store, Clementine, which is
based in Middlebury, Vermont, sells handmade and vintage items, including goods sourced from Etsy
sellers. It is a place where gorgeous products meet thoughtful shoppers. The better my relationship with my
wholesale vendors, the better the shopping experience for my customers. Based on my years of experience
working with creative entrepreneurs like you, here are my top tips for developing and maintaining positive,
profitable relationship with retailers.
Emily Blistein in front of her store, Clementine in Middlebury, Vermont.
MAKING THE FIRST MOVE
1. Get to Know the Retailer. Learn their first names, visit their websites, find them on social media and
stop into their brick-and-mortar stores if possible. Get a sense of what you like about the shop and be ready
to articulate it. I recently completed my first order with Emma Zwissler, founder of Loft Studios, an Etsy
shop based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that sells handcrafted dinner napkins, beach throws and more. Emma
recommends doing “research, research, research” and making sure that your items will fit nicely into the
shop.
2. Introduce Yourself. A quick, thoughtful email is usually the best way to make first contact. (If you’re
confident and can afford it, sending a note on stationery through traditional mail can be great, but I’d hold
off on going through the effort until after a store owner has expressed interest.) In your message, use the
shop owner’s name and describe why you love her store. By doing so, you’ll show that you’ve done your
research and endear yourself to a retailer who has worked her tail off to curate her shop. Introduce your line,
your background and your process and attach a few enticing photographs of your work. Include a guest pass
to your Etsy Wholesale linesheet. If you’re not on Etsy Wholesale, include links to your Etsy shop or
company website (including a page with information about ordering terms).
3. Be Prepared. Have your wholesale pricing, policies and other terms ready before you reach out to a
retailer. Also, if you’re willing to be flexible on pricing and policies, let retailers know.
4. Follow Up. Just like Etsy shop owners, small retailers are busy (really busy). I get many emails from
designers of lines that I love, but I frequently have a long list of orders to make, so even great emails get lost
in the shuffle. With that in mind, in your first email, include a line that says you’ll follow up in one to two
weeks. Then, do it! Your follow-up email is a great time to let retailers know you’re flexible with your terms,
or ask if they’d like to see a sample. You can also be candid: Ask if they’d like you to continue to reach out
with new offerings, or if you’re simply not a fit for their shop. I almost always want to see new things and
appreciate being asked this question.
5. Don’t Get Discouraged. As Lynsey Phelps Morgan has learned, sometimes, “no” really means “not
right now.” Lynsey is the founder of Enfuse, a Denver-based Etsy shop. I’ve been featuring Lynsey’s
handcrafted enamel jewelry since the early days of Clementine. When I am considering adding a new
vendor, I ask myself three questions: Do I love the products? Will my customers buy them? And, do they fit
at Clementine right now? Sometimes an initial “no,” becomes a “yes” later on. That’s why it’s important to
stay in touch with retailers – even those who have turned you down. With that in mind, consider sending
periodic emails to retailers highlighting a new line or discount.
CRAFTING A SOLID PARTNERSHIP
1. Price for Success. Make sure your wholesale prices and terms make sense for your business, not just
now, but for the long term. Once your prices are set, it’s hard for a retailer (and your customers) to absorb a
significant increase. Lynsey notes that pricing correctly “creates sustainability for you and the shop owner.”
When she first started selling wholesale, she realized she was losing money on the deals. Like many new
Etsy sellers, she started out pricing by what felt right. She was selling to her own customers at what was
essentially a wholesale price. So when retailers approached her with wholesale requests, lowering those
prices resulted in losing money. Check out our Pricing for Wholesale guide for more tips on pricing right.
2. Set Clear Expectations. Mistakes happen in the best relationships, whether there are late or missing
packages or miscommunicated expectations. To cut down on misunderstandings, state your terms and
policies clearly on your Policies page, catalog and invoice. Small shops take pride in having a distinct
offering, so be sensitive to the fact that they might not want you selling your products to a store down the
street. What’s too close? It depends on the area. In a city, the next borough might be fine. In a rural state
like Vermont, I prefer a significant drive between me and another store selling the same product. To avoid
any confusion, it’s best to set these parameters with your partner upfront.
3. Communicate quickly and clearly. Get in touch with your retail partners as soon as you find out
about a problem or delay and be responsive if they bring a problem to your attention. Apologize for mistakes
or problems and try to make things right. (We will both have to eat some costs now and again.) In the last
year, I’ve been impressed with wholesale sellers’ responses to problems, including a vendor who specializes
in screen printing who immediately put a credit on my account for items that arrived with a scratch. That
kind of behavior both endears these vendors to me because of their kindness, and shows that they are the
type of people with which I want to continue to do business.
4. Be Memorable. Aesthetics matter, so make your package a joy to unwrap and your retailers will look
forward to it. Make orders more personable by including a quick thank-you note to the retailer, along with a
small, inexpensive item or fun bit of swag. My stationery designers almost always tuck in a few extra cards
that I didn’t order. For instance, Lynsey, in a recent order included a beautiful necklace – a sweet,
memorable touch after several years in business together. Send thank-you notes at other times during the
year when appropriate – to commemorate a holiday, for example. You can also stay in touch with retailer
partners by following them on social media. That’s a great way to build your relationship and stay aware of
their interests.
5. Ask for feedback from retailers you trust. Emma notes that her retailers have become “sounding
boards,” helping her grow her product line and suggesting new ideas. Emma and I exchange numerous
emails before I made my first order. I loved her line, but had a few concerns. Smitten with her work, I sent
her an email about concerns with her minimum quantities and additional products I thought would be
beautiful with her prints. She was inquisitive and welcomed feedback. She noted that she was willing to be
flexible with her minimums. She also wrote to me when she launched new products, including pillows that I
had suggested.
6. Be Open to Collaborations. From pop-up shops in their store to special products just for them, some
really fun things can emerge as your relationships with retail partners grow. Your retail partnerships will
flourish if you make creativity and openness the cornerstones of your interactions.
This lesson is part of our Wholesale Guide for Etsy Sellers, which is designed to help you decide if wholesale makes sense for your business
and build out your wholesale channel. If you’re just getting started or need a refresher, this guide is for you. It includes a wholesale
glossary and covers topics such as linesheets, policies, pricing, branding, packaging and wholesale etiquette. Visit this blog post to
download all six lessons.
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