The same 36-candle first order earns a maker $162 when she sells it to the store herself, $113.40 when a commission rep does, and $64.80 when a distributor does. That gap is the real question behind "how do I get wholesale customers." You are not choosing a channel. You are choosing how much margin to trade for how much of your own time.
The numbers below are an illustration built on assumed prices and terms, so replace them with real quotes before you decide. The structure is what matters: compare the routes on cost per new account and profit on the first order, then pick the one your calendar and cash can carry.
The product and its numbers
Maya runs Hollow Pine Candle Co. with one part-time helper. A candle retails for $18, costs $4.50 to make, and she sells it wholesale at $9, which is half of retail. That 50% of retail is the usual wholesale price, so a store doubles its cost to set the shelf price. Her minimum first order is three dozen candles, which is 36 units and $324. She wants independent gift shops and home stores in her region first, then maybe farther out.
Route one: sell direct to independent stores
Maya finds shops on Google Maps by searching "gift shop" and "home goods" within two hours' drive, and looks at their social pages to see what they stock. She sends a short email to the owner or buyer with a one-page line sheet (photo, wholesale price, suggested retail price, case pack, minimum order, lead time), and offers a sample candle. Finding the stores by name is covered in how to get leads from Google Maps, and getting the buyer's name in how to find decision makers at a company.
Subject: Hand-poured candles for Juniper & Rye
Hi Lena, I noticed Juniper & Rye carries a lot of small-batch home goods, and I make soy candles in Burlington that I think would sit well next to them. Wholesale is $9 for an $18 retail candle, with a minimum first order of 36 units and free shipping on that order. Could I send you a sample candle and a one-page line sheet? Maya, Hollow Pine Candle Co., 22 Mill Race, Burlington VT. Reply "stop" and I won't write again.
Include your business address and an opt-out line, as CAN-SPAM requires. Costs for 40 samples: $8.50 each (the candle plus postage) is $340. Her time is 6 hours a week for 8 weeks, 48 hours, which she values at $25 an hour, or $1,200. Total $1,540. If 10 of the 40 shops order, cost per new account is $154. Her gross profit on a first order is 36 x ($9.00 - $4.50) = $162, so the first order roughly pays for the effort of winning it, and every reorder is profit.
Route two: a commission rep
A sales rep carries several brands to the same set of stores and takes a commission, which you should confirm with each rep. Say 15%. On a $324 first order that is $48.60, so Maya keeps $162 - $48.60 = $113.40. There's no upfront cost beyond samples and a good line sheet, and the cost per account is the commission alone. The trade is attention: a rep with eight lines gives yours a few minutes of an appointment. Ask for references, ask which stores they call on, and agree on a territory in writing.
Route three: a distributor
A distributor buys from you and resells to stores, so one account reaches many shops. The price you give them is deeper, often a substantial discount off your wholesale price. Say 30%, or $6.30. On 36 units that is $226.80 of revenue and 36 x ($6.30 - $4.50) = $64.80 of gross profit. You also don't know the stores that buy, which makes reorders and relationships harder. A distributor makes sense when the volume is more than you can serve yourself, not as a first step.
Route four: a trade show or market
A show puts you in front of many buyers in a few days. Costs are fixed and arrive before any order: booth $2,400, travel and lodging $900, samples and display $300, a total of $3,600. If 12 buyers place first orders, cost per account is $300. At $162 of gross profit on each first order, you only recover the show on the second order, which takes months. Shows work when you already have the cash and a product with a clear fit. They are a bad first move for a brand with one product and $3,000 in the bank.
Cost per account, side by side
| Route | Cost to win an account | Gross profit on a $324 first order | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct | $154 (samples and time) | $162.00 | Your hours |
| Commission rep at 15% | $48.60 per first order | $113.40 | Some control and attention |
| Distributor at 30% off | Built into the price | $64.80 | Margin and the store relationship |
| Trade show | $300 (12 accounts from $3,600) | $162.00 | Cash up front |
Terms that decide whether an account is worth having
Before you send a line sheet, decide: your minimum first order and reorder, payment terms (net 30 is common, but a new store could pay by card at order), the free-shipping threshold, whether you accept returns on unsold goods, and whether you promise any exclusivity within a radius. Each is a quiet margin lever. A free-shipping promise on a $324 order that costs you $38 to ship takes $38 off the $162 profit.
How much you can spend on a sample
Work the first-order profit backward. If one sampled shop in four places an order (a guess you will replace with your own count after the first 20), each sample is worth 0.25 x $162 = $40.50 in expected first-order profit. A sample can cost up to that before the first order stops paying for itself. Maya's $8.50 sample is a fifth of the limit, so she can afford to send samples to every shop that answers her email, and to include a handwritten note. A brand with a $30 sample and a $60 first-order profit has a very different problem, and should sell with photos and a swatch first.
Which route to start with
Start direct with 50 stores near you. It costs the least cash, teaches you what buyers say, and gives you reorder customers you know. Add a rep for a distant region once you have a handful of shops and a line sheet that has been tested. Consider a distributor when you cannot keep up with orders, and a trade show when you can lose the booth fee without worry. For the selling-to-stores motion in general, see getting customers for an ecommerce brand and how to build a lead list.
Finding 50 independent stores by name and following up on the samples are the repeatable parts. Rocketship finds the buyers, emails them from your own Gmail, follows up, and books the meeting on its own. Plans that get you customers start at $24.99 a month (Launch), and every monthly plan starts with a 7-day free trial, card required. See the AI workers. The same weekly rhythm is laid out in how to get B2B clients.