Creating a Wholesale Catalog:
OK, so it has been absolutely eons since I've posted on my blog. I know- no excuse for such neglect. However, I do have a big project that has just taken tons of my time and is still not completed. I decided months ago that I needed a wholesale catalog. My sister has been working as a sales rep for me and I thought "wouldn't it be convenient to have everything in a catalog". Whew.... bigger project then I imagined. However, when it's done- I think it will be a great marketing tool and resource. If you are thinking it would be great to have your own catalog- I'm going to do a series on the steps I've taken in the creation of mine. Then when it's all finished, I'll share the finished version with you for inspiration.
Before you do anything else there is some important groundwork to set which will save you lots of time later on. This is one of the hardest parts of the process.

1. Create a list of items that you would like to sell in your wholesale catalog. Seems obvious but it is a necessary and utterly important task. Write down the requirements you need your products to meet. Some ideas for requirements for an item to be included in the catalog are:

• This item must be re-producible. What if a store asked for 50 or 100 of this item. Could you realistically produce this item in the necessary quantities. Not all of you items need or should be in your wholesale catalog. Just choose the ones that fit the requirements that you set.
• Materials/Components: Can you buy the materials needed to make this item without worry of running out? What if you featured this item on the front page of your catalog and the vendor you bought the specific stone, color of pearl, etc... stopped carrying this item? What would you do? Do you have a backup resource? For the items that you choose- invest in the components/ metal/ stones, etc... Buy enough to see you through to your next catalog printing. Is silver down in price?- stock up. Are you at a great gem show?- buy enough supplies to make a large quantity of the item.
  
• Price point- Stores expect to sell your product at a minimum of twice your the price that they have bought it from you. After all, they have a lot of overhead and it doesn't make sense to buy product from you unless they can make a profit. If you have a pair of earrings that you sell at $14, you need to be able to sell them at $7 and still make some profit or it is not worth selling wholesale at all. You will probably have to adjust and re-think your pricing. Choose only products that you know the store will be successful selling at twice the wholesale you've set. Wholesale pricing can be tricky- don't undersell yourself and don't work for free. Your pricing structure needs to be consistent, profitable, fair to you, the customer, and a prospective store.