Just (whole)sale it!

Executive DirectorMembership & Benefits3 Comments

So you’ve set up your online shingle and your soaps are flying off the shelves. Or you’re up every Wednesday at 4am slinging fancy facial creams from your booth at the local market. Maybe you have a raving group of fans who search you out from Renegade to the local high school show. Your branding is tight and your COGS are on lockdown. The only thing you’re missing now is seeing your product on the shelves of local stores (and heck, stores nationwide)). But how to make that leap to wholesaling?

We have just the toolkit to help make your entry into wholesaling smooth sailing. Whether you are a professional or private label member, log in and check out the Wholesale Toolkit we’ve put together.

look how happy you'll be after securing that wholesale deal!

There, you’ll find a checklist that includes:

–       Wholesale insurance considerations

–       For the US, links to IRS forms your wholesale accounts may need

–       Important UPC considerations and links to UPC issuers by country

–       A sample letter of introduction to spark your creative juices when pitching a retailer

–       How to fill out a vendor information form and why it’s a great first step to a contract

–       A sample wholesale agreement (hallelujah!)

–       A sample order form for those times you’re not hooked up to the web

–       Price sheet guidelines and all the three-letter acronyms you want on it: UPC, VIN, SRP, and more

–       Guidelines on producing a wholesale catalog

–       Why you should care about electronic funds transfer

Most importantly, keep breathing. You got this!! For more great advice on wholesale, check out some of our favorite posts from Lucky Break Consulting, Modern Soapmaking, and the Soap Queen, who have all generously shared loads of business advice.

Check out the HSCG website for links to all the sample documents. From the Guild home page, navigate to Members –> Wholesale Toolkit. The website will prompt you to log in if you aren’t already prior to taking you right to the goods. Getting into wholesale may entail a whole lot of paperwork, but it doesn’t have to be scary.

What do you wish you knew when you started wholesaling? Did we miss your favorite wholesale post?

3 Comments on “Just (whole)sale it!”

  1. I’m trying to find the wholesale toolkit for members, but I can’t seem to locate it. Can you assist?
    Thanks!
    Pam

    1. Hey Pam! Not a problem- Make sure you log in on our homepage, then click the “How-To Library” tab toward the top of the page. Click “Business and Finance” on the litte drop-down menu, and that will bring you to where (if you logged in) you will be able to scroll down and see the Wholesale Toolkit listed under the heading “Wholesale Sales”. I hope this helps!

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