Fashion brands find wholesale buyers through four channels: direct outreach to well-matched boutiques, wholesale marketplaces, sales reps or showrooms, and trade shows. A practical order for a new brand is personalized outreach and a marketplace listing first. Add a rep or one trade show once a few stores reorder.

This guide assumes you already have a line sheet. If you're still setting prices, terms and minimums, start with how to start a wholesale business.

Key takeaways

• Build a list of 20 to 50 well-matched boutiques and find each buyer by name.
• Write a personal pitch and send your line sheet as a link.
• Follow up around day 7 and day 14, then stop.
• Trade show booth prices aren't published, so get a quote before you book.
• Check credit and references before you give a new account payment terms.

Where do fashion brands find wholesale buyers?

Most brands combine four channels. The main differences are cost and who starts the conversation.

Independent stores are worth the effort. JOOR's wholesale report, as covered by Sourcing Journal, put independent retailers at 62% of transaction volume on JOOR's platform, up from 49% in the report's earlier comparison. The same report found that 43% of buyers plan most of their appointments virtually, so online channels run alongside trade shows.

Marketplaces such as Faire, FashionGo and Brandboom Marketplace bring buyers to you. Compare fees and acceptance rules in our wholesale marketplaces guide before you list.

How do you build a target list of boutiques?

Keep the list small and specific. Vendor guides from LemonLime and RepSpark suggest starting with 20 to 50 stores.

1. Define your ideal stockist. Write down the price point, aesthetic, customer and regions that fit your line.
2. Find candidate stores. Look for boutiques on Instagram that tag brands like yours, on Google Maps in your target cities, and on the stockist pages of similar brands. Check where your direct-to-consumer customers live.
3. Check fit. Would your pieces sit naturally next to what the store already carries, at a similar retail price?
4. Find the buyer by name. In a small boutique the buyer is usually the owner. A named person beats an info@ address.
5. Track every contact. Keep one sheet with store, buyer, contact details, date contacted, reply and next step.

What should your first pitch include, and when should you follow up?

Keep the pitch short and specific to the store:

• A subject line and opening line that name the store and why your line fits it.
• What you make, your wholesale price range, MSRP and opening order minimum.
• A link to your line sheet, not an attachment, plus an offer of samples or a short call.

Expect modest numbers. One maker in Reddit's r/handmade community said about 40 personalized cold emails led to 9 replies, 5 sample requests and 2 orders, which is why the list needs to be well matched. Follow up around day 7 and day 14 with something new each time, then stop. For a first email you can adapt, subject lines and what to send when a buyer replies, see how to pitch a wholesale buyer. If your line sheet isn't ready, start with what a line sheet is and how to make one.

Are trade shows worth it for an emerging brand?

They can be, but of the four channels they need the most money up front, so start with one show, prepare well, then grow to two or three. Most of the main US fashion trade shows are run by Fashion by Informa. Its calendar lists these events:

Informa's calendar also lists additional Las Vegas and New York editions. Confirm current dates with the organizer before you book.

Booth prices aren't published, and estimates vary widely, so ask the organizer for a quote. COTERIE takes applications, and its team advises which event fits each brand. In a Reddit review, a brand that has exhibited at COTERIE four or five times called it "not cheap." It also said booth placement at Brand Assembly affected traffic.

Vendor guidance from linesheet.io is to consider one strategic show a year once you have proven sell-through and about 20 accounts. If you go, start planning months ahead, email target buyers to request meetings about a week out, and bring your line sheet, lookbook and a way to write orders.

When should you hire a sales rep or showroom?

A sales rep or showroom sells your line to its existing accounts and earns a commission on your wholesale orders. Some showrooms also charge a monthly fee. According to Seller Digest, reps tend to make sense once your line has proven sell-through. Rates vary, so get the commission, any fees, the territory and the contract length in writing.

Before you sign, ask which stores the rep sells to, whether any of their other lines compete with yours, how samples are handled, and how orders and commissions are reported.

How do you check that a new buyer is legitimate?

In wholesale, the main risk is not getting paid, so ship a new account's first order on prepayment or a small credit limit and check references before you extend net terms; how to approve a new wholesale account covers the application, checks and credit decision step by step.

In Brandboom, you can turn on Require Buyer Qualification for a share link, so a new buyer completes a Buyer Application before viewing your line sheet: business name and address, website or social media, a business ID such as an EIN, and the brands they carry. Buyers can also request access from your website embed or showroom entry, and you approve each request on the Visitors page.

FAQ

Is email or Instagram better for reaching boutique buyers?

Email first for stores you don't know. Boutique owners usually publish an email address and dislike being interrupted while serving customers, and email carries your line sheet link and terms in one place. Check the store's website for a submission form first. An Instagram DM works best as a light follow-up once you've emailed. How to pitch a wholesale buyer covers channels and follow-ups in detail.

Are trade shows worth the money for a small fashion brand?

Sometimes. A show puts you in front of many buyers at once, and buyers can see your product in person, but it costs more up front than any other channel. Most small brands get more from outreach and a marketplace listing until a few stores reorder, then add one well-chosen show. Before you decide, add travel, samples and staff time to the organizer's booth quote.

Can a wholesale marketplace replace direct outreach?

A marketplace adds inbound orders, but it works best alongside outreach. On a marketplace, buyers browse and order on their own schedule. With outreach, you choose the stores you want to be in. Brands on any Brandboom plan can join Brandboom Marketplace (plans start at $50/month for the Basic plan; see all plans). Faire and FashionGo are other options. Compare fees and acceptance rules in our wholesale marketplaces guide before you list.

What commission does a fashion sales rep charge?

Most fashion sales reps and showrooms charge about 10–20% commission on wholesale orders, though there's no fixed standard. Some showrooms add a monthly fee. A fair deal also depends on the territory, which accounts the rep brings, who pays for samples and how long the contract runs. Get every term in writing before you sign.