This is what a buyer checks before they shortlist a logistics, distribution and industrial services supplier.
What does a retailer check before opening a wholesale account?
They check the range and real stock availability, the minimum order value and trading terms, and delivery lead time. Stock availability is the whole proposition of a distributor, so publishing it honestly is more valuable than presenting a wide catalogue.
A retailer is deciding whether an account is worth opening for the volume they can realistically commit.
Reviewed 4 August 2026 · Written for wholesaler or distributors selling to business buyers
What does a retailer check before opening a wholesale account?
What a buyer needs to identify the product
These are the fields a buyer scans before deciding whether you are worth contacting. Missing one of them usually ends the visit without an email.
- 1
Product categories and brands carried
The core of the offer.
- 2
Stock availability
Real availability, not catalogue breadth.
- 3
Minimum order value or quantity
Determines whether the account is viable.
- 4
Trading terms
Payment terms and credit account availability.
- 5
Delivery lead time and coverage
Operational fit with the retailer.
- 6
Pricing structure
Trade tiers and volume breaks.
- 7
Returns and warranty handling
Who deals with a faulty item.
The documents buyers ask for
Not all of them belong on a public page. Naming the ones you can issue is what separates a supplier who can be audited from one who cannot.
| Document | What it proves | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| Trade account application requirementsAsked at: first contact | What is needed to open an account and how long it takes | Publish it |
| Product catalogue with stock statusAsked at: ordering — the core of the offer | The range with real availability | Publish it |
| Trading terms documentAsked at: account opening | Payment terms, credit limits and pricing structure | Publish it |
| Delivery schedule and coverageAsked at: ordering | Lead times and delivery areas | Publish it |
| Returns and warranty policyAsked at: before ordering — a frequent dispute | How faulty and unwanted goods are handled | Publish it |
| Product compliance documentationAsked at: regulated goods | Certification for the goods carried, passed through from suppliers | Name it, share on request |
| Authorised distributor confirmationAsked at: brand-sensitive categories | That you are authorised for the brands you carry | Publish it |
Where wholesale and distribution sites lose the enquiry
Each of these is common, cheap to fix, and costs an enquiry that never arrives — so nobody ever reports it.
Stock availability not shown
It is the entire proposition of a distributor. A catalogue without availability wastes the retailer's time and yours.
Minimum order value hidden until account opening
Retailers assess viability before applying. Hiding the minimum produces applications that fail and irritation that lasts.
Returns policy not published
Returns are the most common source of friction in wholesale. An unpublished policy is assumed to be unfavourable.
What the enquiry form should ask
A form that collects these can be answered properly the first time. A form that collects a name and a message cannot.
Enquiry form — wholesale and distribution
Enough to reply usefully, short enough that a buyer finishes it.
- Business type and location
- Determines account eligibility and delivery.
- Categories and brands of interest
- The commercial fit.
- Expected order size and frequency
- Sets the terms.
- Trading terms required
- Credit account or prepayment.
- Delivery requirements
- Frequency and lead time needed.
- Existing suppliers
- Reveals what you would be displacing.
Questions suppliers ask
Should stock levels be published?
Real-time availability, or at least an in-stock indicator, is the single most valuable thing a distributor can publish. Retailers order from whoever can confirm availability, and a catalogue without it forces a phone call that a competitor has already removed.
Why publish minimum order values?
Because retailers assess whether an account is worth opening before they apply. Publishing the minimum attracts the businesses whose volumes fit and prevents applications that were never viable, which saves both sides an unpleasant conversation.
How should the returns policy be presented?
Plainly, including timeframes, condition requirements and who pays carriage. Returns cause more wholesale disputes than pricing does, and a distributor with a clear published policy is easier to trade with and argues less.
Documents and standards named here are the ones buyers in this industry commonly ask for; requirements vary by market, customer and contract, so treat this as a starting checklist rather than a compliance list. Clearer pages can help discovery and evaluation. They do not guarantee rankings, AI citations, enquiries or revenue.
Illustrative
An enquiry from this search looks like: Expected order size and frequency · Business type and location · Categories and brands of interest · Trading terms required
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