How to set a minimum for wholesale orders

[SweetPeaPurseCompany]

How do I decide on a minimum for a wholesale order? Where is the point where the quantity makes up for less profit but doesn't become just more work for less money?

[Former_Member]

I went to a trade show in Tenn. to see what it was like. I found that there were
lots of people who handmade there items to sell wholesale. There was either
$100.00 min. order or no Min. on a wholesale order. I think I would make it $100 at least.

[HullStreetStudio]

If it were only $100.. many many regular buyers on Etsy spend $100. Plus for me that would only be 10 or fewer items depending on what they buy, that's not a wholesale order at all, that may be for a party or gifts for family. I'm setting mine at a certain number of items.

[digitaldoodlebug]

for mine i did it at # of items
but i think i'm going to have to increase it

[Former_Member]

I have two minimums.

The first is just $100. They get 40%. If they want the full 50%, the minimum is higher.

I also have a minimum for items. They have to order 6 each, otherwise I will kill myself making 1 of these, and 2 of those.

[Former_Member]

Adding.... I think your minimum should also depend on your average item price.

Our prices are lower than a lot of shops on Etsy, so a $100 minimum is more than just a handful of items. If your average item price is $50, a $100 minimum isn't logical at all.

[Former_Member]

I added my first wholesale listing earlier for 10 prints of a certain size. I thought maybe 10 was too low, but I'm a brand new shop with less than 2 full pages of listings. I thought maybe 10 was reasonable, especially with art being so subjective.

[SweetPeaPurseCompany]

I gave a shop owner 50% off for 12 key fobs. It's kind of a small order, but I'm hoping it's a way to establish a relationship with her. Another shop ordered 6, 6, and 12 of larger bags. I didn't have a minimum at the time, but I'm thinking I'll need one if I approach other stores.

[SamsCrochet]

It should depend on your price, and your market. I love that idea of the minimum being different for different percentages. I do that a bit, but hadn't thought of it at wholesale quantities.

If you are selling to boutique shops with just one or two shops, than your minimum order will need to be smaller to appeal to that market. If your goal is larger retail shops with lots of storefronts, a larger order minimum would be a good idea.

[Former_Member]

I've set my pricing for my soap dishes on a sliding scale.

Up to 9 units you pay full retail price.

Between 9 and 19 units I offer a slight discount

Between 20 and 49 units the discount is more and

at 50 units the discount is 50% of retail

I don't offer any further discounts unless you are purchasing 1000 units or more

You can see my full pricing at
https://www.etsy.com/shop/crochetgal?section_id=5694357

[ShopDeatsGifts]

I do what crochetgal does above. I have a minimum, then I offer more of a discount depending on the # of items.

[Former_Member]

I like that way of doing it, crochetgal. I need to establish some wholesale policies and a scale.