How to Build a Wholesale Linesheet for Your Stationery Line
A linesheet is the catalog that retailers use to buy from you: products, prices, ordering terms, and delivery details in one organized document. For graphic designers who sell stationery or printed products wholesale, a clear linesheet is often the difference between a conversation and an order. This guide covers what to include and how to build one.
What a linesheet contains
- Brand and contact information: your studio name, logo, website, and how retailers reach you for orders and questions.
- Product names and item numbers: unique identifiers that make reordering unambiguous.
- Product descriptions: concise details like size, materials, and packaging.
- Wholesale and suggested retail prices: clearly labeled, so retailers can see their margin.
- Minimums: minimum order quantities or dollar minimums, stated plainly.
- Ordering terms: payment terms, lead times, shipping arrangements, and return policies.
- Product images: consistent, well-lit photos that show each item accurately.
- Availability and dates: which items are current, seasonal, or retiring, and any order-by dates.
Organizing the document
Group products into collections so retailers can buy a story rather than isolated items. Keep the layout scannable: one product per row or section, consistent typography, and prices aligned so they can be compared at a glance. A PDF is the standard delivery format for most retail buyers.
Pricing considerations
Retailers commonly expect wholesale prices to leave room for a meaningful retail markup. Whatever structure you choose, keep it consistent across the line and check that your wholesale price still covers your production costs, which for printed products will include printing, packaging, and shipping. If you work with a trade printer, confirm current costs before you publish prices.
Keeping it current
A linesheet is a living document. Update it when prices, products, or terms change, and version it clearly so retailers know they are looking at the latest edition.
Frequently asked questions
How is a linesheet different from a lookbook?
A lookbook sells the mood of a collection; a linesheet is the working document buyers order from. Many studios use both, with the lookbook inspiring and the linesheet transacting.
How long should a linesheet be?
Long enough to cover every product a retailer can order, but each entry should be scannable. Clarity beats volume.
Where can I learn more?
StationeryHQ publishes guides for designers, including how to launch a stationery collection as a graphic designer and how to price stationery as a designer.