Wholesale Price List: What to Include and How to Tier It
A wholesale price list is a numbers-first document. It lists style number or SKU, description, wholesale price, MSRP, MOQ, case pack, currency, price tier and effective date, in a spreadsheet with no images. Send it to repeat buyers, to reps who need to quote, and to chain accounts that ask for one. New buyers get a line sheet first.
Key takeaways
- A price list carries numbers. A line sheet is the ordering document, with images.
- Send new buyers a line sheet first. Use a price list for reorders, rep quotes and chain requests.
- Put MSRP next to the wholesale price.
- Date and version every list, and keep tiers few and rule-based.
What goes on a wholesale price list?
Each row is one style or SKU with its current price and order rules. What sets a price list apart from a line sheet are the last three fields: the price tier or break, the effective date and the version, which keep a list from going out of date.
| Field | What it holds | Why the buyer needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Style number / SKU | Product code, plus barcode if you have one | Matches their purchase order |
| Description | Name, color, size run | Identifies the item without images |
| Wholesale price | Unit price to the retailer | What they pay |
| MSRP | Suggested retail price | Lets them work out margin |
| MOQ | Minimum per style or per order | Smallest order you accept |
| Case pack / prepack | Units per pack or size ratio | Orders must come in these multiples |
| Currency | For example, USD | Avoids confusion with international accounts |
| Price tier / break | Which tier the list is for, or quantity breaks | Shows which price applies at which volume |
| Effective date | Date prices take effect | Shows which list is current |
| Expiry / version | End date or version number | Stops orders at old prices |
Put payment terms, delivery windows, returns policy and contact details in a header block so the rows stay clean.
When should you send a price list instead of a line sheet?
A line sheet is the document a buyer orders from. It has images plus the same numbers, delivery windows, terms and returns. A price list drops the images and layout, so it is faster to scan and import but harder to choose products from. Put simply, a price sheet is numbers-first and a line sheet is product-first. For full definitions and a five-document comparison, see what a line sheet is and how it fits into wholesale.
Send a line sheet while the buyer is still deciding what to carry, and a price list once they know the product and need numbers. A buyer choosing new styles needs the pictures, so a spreadsheet alone rarely wins a first order. Some brands add small thumbnails to a price list so reps can recognize styles; keep them small so the file still sorts and imports.
| Situation | What to send |
|---|---|
| New buyer, first pitch | Line sheet |
| Repeat buyer reordering core styles | Price list, or a live line sheet link |
| Account with its own pricing | A price list for that account only |
| Rep quoting in an appointment | Price list |
| International buyer | A separate list in their currency |
| Chain or department store | Their item-setup format, plus a line sheet to pick styles |
| New collection | Line sheet, plus a price list for that collection if asked |
How should you set price tiers and price breaks?
Use two kinds of tier and keep both short. Customer tiers set a price by account type. Price breaks lower the unit price once an order passes a quantity you set. Two or three of each is usually enough, with a clear rule for who qualifies.
| Customer tier | Who qualifies | What their list shows |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Any approved retail account | Base wholesale price, MSRP, MOQ |
| Volume | Accounts that meet a threshold you publish | Lower price or quantity breaks |
| Distributor | Resellers who sell on to stores | Distributor price and its own MOQ |
- Write each rule down and apply it the same way to every account.
- Check your margin at the deepest break before publishing. Keystone and margin math are covered in how to start a wholesale business.
- Keep wholesale prices off public pages. Share them behind a login or a private link.
What do chain and department-store buyers need?
Usually a flat data file they can import into their purchase-order and inventory systems, not a designed document. That request is often the main reason a brand needs a separate price sheet at all. Large retailers publish their own formats: Macy's Vendor Line List asks for cost and ticket-retail fields, and Boscov's sets item-setup requirements in its vendor routing guide. Ask for the current template and fill that in. Templates change, so don't reuse an old copy.
How do you keep a price list current?
The most common problem is old versions staying in use. In an r/wholesale_suppliers thread, a wholesaler with "100's of clients," each on a different list, wrote: "Changing the whole price list manually is a nightmare." In an r/smallbusiness thread, a seller who emails an Excel file after every change said "people end up using old versions." Fixes:
- Put an effective date and version number at the top of every list, plus an expiry date if prices are seasonal.
- Keep one master price per item and calculate tier prices from it with a fixed-percentage formula, so one edit updates every tier.
- Send buyers a digital line sheet link instead of attaching files, so everyone sees current prices.
- If a chain needs a file, send a fresh dated copy after every change.
- Pick one place where prices live and update everything else from it.
Can a live line sheet replace a separate price list?
For boutiques and repeat accounts, yes. A live link shows current prices every time a buyer opens it, so there's no attachment to go stale. In Brandboom, updates to pricing, images, availability and descriptions sync instantly to every active line sheet, so anyone with the link sees a price change without you resending anything. Account-specific pricing and discounts let each account see its own prices on the same line sheet, instead of a separate list per tier. You can mass import products and prices by CSV, so your master price file goes straight into your line sheets. For chain item setup, keep a flat file too, since chains import their own formats. To build the line sheet itself, see how to create a line sheet template.
FAQ
Do I need both a price list and a line sheet?
Most brands selling to boutiques need a line sheet. A separate price list is optional. Add one when repeat buyers want quick reorder numbers, when a rep has to quote, when an account gets its own pricing, or when a chain asks for a flat file.
Should I send a price list as Excel or PDF?
Send a spreadsheet only to buyers who import prices into their own systems, such as chains, and put an effective date and version number on every file, because old copies keep circulating. To present products and prices, send a digital line sheet link, which always shows current prices, with a PDF export only for buyers who ask for a file.
Should MSRP be on a wholesale price list?
Yes. Buyers expect to see a suggested retail price next to the wholesale price because they use the two together to work out their margin. Large retailers expect it too: Macy's vendor line list asks for a ticket-retail price. If you leave MSRP off, the buyer has to contact you before they can decide.
Do retailers have to follow MSRP?
No. MSRP is a suggested retail price, and retailers usually set their own shelf price. A brand that wants more control over how its products are advertised can add a minimum advertised price (MAP) policy, which sets the lowest price a retailer may advertise rather than suggesting a shelf price. See MAP pricing vs MSRP for how the two compare. Have a lawyer review any pricing policy before you enforce it with retailers.
How often should I update a wholesale price list?
Issue a new version whenever a price, MOQ, case pack or term changes, and whenever you release a new collection. Give each version a new effective date and number so buyers can tell which one is current. If you keep separate tier lists, change the master price and let the tiers recalculate instead of editing each account's copy by hand.