It doesn’t matter what you sell – housewares, office decor, toys, utilities, furniture, or something else – some common wholesale blunders unite us all. You have been working day and night to wholesale for a while now, but it seems that you’re not getting anywhere; nobody is answering your emails or showing curiosity in your artisanal products despite consistent sales. Does this situation relate to you? If yes, then read the following list of the six most typical mistakes when wholesaling handmade items.
1. Low-Quality Images and Unpolished Sales Collateral
Your catalog, online store, and social media profiles are most likely the first things retailers review. They are just like your shop window/storefront, and you should make them catchy. To forestall this mistake, you can open any free design software on the internet or hire a team of marketers to create a stellar catalogue. But remember that it will only look great if you have a well-designed wholesale handmade product and professional images.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why photography is extremely important for different aspects of your wholesale business, so do not think of skipping it even in your dreams. Take time to plan photography to make certain you have everything you want.
2. Pricing
The second sneaky mistake is pricing. As a wholesale supplier, if you can’t give your retailers sufficient margin on your products, your vast collection of products becomes irrelevant. In simple words, it turns out to be an utter waste of your resources. The majority of retailers usually ask for a minimum markup of the ex-VAT recommended retail price (RRP).
Another pricing error is that you’re not generating enough profit on each transaction. In a perfect world, you would earn the same as your buyer, but this is rarely the case when you first start. Wholesale means bulk sales; therefore, you might be marketing your handmade products at a discount and will make a little per sale. So, focus on selling in only larger quantities. Also, check your sales numbers frequently and make sure that every sale is making you money, even if it’s not as much as you have thought.
3. Lead Times
You may have heard many times from your colleagues or business advisor that if you really want to expand your startup, you need to try new ways to reduce your lead times to as short as you can. It is a cutthroat market out there, and although successful wholesalers tend to have longer lead times, you must have the capacity to deliver reliable quality in a short period.
It makes sense that a handmade product takes a considerable amount of time to be ready, but if it consumes more than average, then wholesale craft products may not be the suitable business model for you. Or maybe you only want to sell to selected retailers. Keep this quote in your mind: “Never over-promise and under-deliver.”
4. Pitching Without Strategy
The most popular method to connect with potential buyers is to compose and send an introductory email to them. Even the leading brands of the world believe that a higher conversion rate is only possible if you invest the necessary time in researching who you are trying to reach and modify your marketing campaign according to them. Remember to make it crystal clear what kind of product you are selling, ask them interesting questions, and add some product images along with a link to your catalog. In short, your email pitch should be good enough to draw customers.
5. No Follow-up = Lost Customer Engagement
It’s once in a blue moon that your first email leads to a sale. Otherwise, you should keep trying to follow up and make contact, and if possible, give that customer a phone call as well. In wholesale home decor, persistence without being a nuisance is essential. If you’re really helping the buyer explore your brand, then don’t feel embarrassed about approaching them.
6. Fails to Keep Your Stockists in the Loop
It’s a lot simpler to keep an existing stockist satisfied and hooked than to find a brand-new customer. Take care of your stockists and ensure that you stay in touch with them. Inform them about any special offers/deals or latest product launches in advance, and check on a regular basis to see how your product line is selling.
Quick Recap
By dodging these 6 mistakes, you will definitely see growth in the sales of your business. When wholesalers respect the craft, reach out to the right customer base, and give priority to quality and authenticity, they don’t just sell goods—they share stories. ArtistryBazaar makes this process less complicated by connecting retailers with talented artisans from rural India. As a B2B e-distributor of handmade products, we help preserve ancestral art while creating fair and sustainable opportunities for artisan communities. If you ever need artisanal products in bulk, then don’t hesitate to contact ArtistryBazaar.