Buying home-care products in bulk: a checklist for retailers and distributors

Identify every line by item code

Ask for an item code for each size or pack. Names are easy to mix up; codes are not. Keep a reorder sheet of codes so repeat orders are quick.

Agree what a carton holds

Confirm the pack size, the carton packing and the unit it is counted in, whether dozens, packs, boxes or pieces. Two suppliers can both say “a carton” and mean very different quantities.

Agree the price basis

• Is the price per piece, per dozen, per pack or per carton?
• Is GST included or extra, and will you receive a GST invoice?
• What are the payment terms?

Check minimum quantity and lead time

Ask for the smallest order accepted and how long dispatch takes from confirmation to your door, particularly before festival or hotel-season demand.

Match the product to the sample

Where possible, check a sample or photo against the item code before a large order, and keep it to compare with later deliveries.

Start with a trial range

New to a supplier? Order a mixed first carton across categories, see what sells, then reorder by item code. Scrub Xpert product pages list item codes and carton packing for every line to make that easy.