When Are You Ready for Wholesale? (And What You’ll Need First)

You’ve proven demand with your DTC sales. You’re getting consistent orders. Maybe a boutique has even reached out and asked, 

“Do you sell wholesale?”

But your answer is... “Uhhh, kinda?”

You’re not alone. Most fashion founders hit this point — where demand is growing but the business systems haven’t caught up yet.

This post will walk you through:

• How to know if your brand is ready for wholesale
• What you need in place before you say “yes” to a buyer
• The key documents and numbers you’ll need to succeed

Signs You’re Ready for Wholesale

If most of the following sound like you you're probably ready (or close):

• You’ve nailed your product and fit — no more sample drama
• You have consistent DTC sales or pre-orders
• You understand your margins (not just your markup)
• You have enough inventory or a plan to produce in bulk
• You’re looking for new growth channels (without overextending

You Might Not Be Ready If…

• You’re still tweaking your product with every run
• Your prices don’t allow for a 2.0x markup (keystone pricing)
• You don’t have a clear production timeline or vendor
• You can’t confidently answer: “When can I ship this order?”

That doesn’t mean you can’t go wholesale, it just means you need to clean up a few things first (and I can help).

What You’ll Need to Sell Wholesale

1. A Line Sheet That Looks Legit

This is your “catalog” for buyers — showing styles, wholesale pricing, order minimums, delivery windows, and terms.

Tip: Keep it clean and easy to read. PDF is fine, but Canva disasters are not.

2. Healthy Margins

Buyers expect to double your wholesale price for retail. If your cost is $20, your wholesale should be $40, and retail $80.

If your margins don’t support that, let’s fix it now — before you lose money on your first B2B order.

3. A Production Plan You Can Deliver On

Buyers want to know:

• How long will it take to ship?
• Can you fulfill reorders?
• Do you have production minimums?

If you’re just making things “as orders come in,” it’s time to get structured.

4. A Sell-In Strategy

You don’t need to wait for a tradeshow. You can pitch your brand directly to:

• Boutiques
• Specialty stores
• Online retailers
• Pop-up collectives

But you do need a solid pitch, line sheet, and confidence in your numbers.

Don’t Just Add Wholesale — Plan for It

Wholesale can unlock massive growth, but only if your backend can handle it.

Otherwise, you’ll burn out, miss deliveries, or kill your margins.

Download the free wholesale template here.