How to develop a great wholesale product line

If you are successful selling your handmade products at art shows, online, and from your own studio, you might very well be ready to sell them to stores. Let’s take a look at your products to see if they can be stars in the wholesale world.

First, they must be well designed and impeccably produced. No store wants anything less! Your work should also have your “signature look”, something that unifies your entire line. Perhaps that’s the design and architecture of your pieces, or the surface embellishment, or even your unique color palette. When a person can identify the maker just by looking at the pieces, you have achieved a very successful product line.

It is not necessary for you to wholesale every item you make. If an item takes a huge amount of time and/or materials, you might want to save that for your retail customers. Keep in mind that when you are selling wholesale, you are in the “production” mode! You want to make your products with the utmost efficiency. Begin to think like the “factory boss” and concentrate on a good number of easily made items. You can always add to your line, but first concentrate on the basics. Know how long it takes you to make every item in your line and add a little cushion for unexpected developments. Start and maintain a “Production Calendar.” When someone places an order, fill in their ship date and as that timeframe fills, push new orders forward on the calendar. That way you will never disappoint your wholesale customer.

What to offer for wholesale

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