Fashion Wholesale Terms Explained: Line Sheets, MOQs, Payment and Delivery Windows
Short answer
When a boutique or department store wants your collection, the conversation quickly turns into wholesale terms. A line sheet lists each style with photos, colours, sizes and wholesale price. The minimum order sets how much a store must buy. Payment terms decide when you are paid, often with a deposit on order and the balance before shipping or within a set number of days after delivery. A delivery window is the period in which stock must arrive. Some stores offer consignment, where you are paid only when items sell. Knowing these terms protects your cash flow and helps you negotiate fairly.
Key takeaways
- ✓A line sheet is your wholesale menu.
- ✓Payment terms decide your cash flow.
- ✓Delivery windows must be realistic.
- ✓Consignment shifts risk to you.
Key wholesale terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Line sheet | Styles, colours, sizes and wholesale prices |
| MOQ | Minimum order a store must place |
| Deposit | Part payment when the order is placed |
| Net terms | Payment due a set number of days after delivery |
| Delivery window | Dates in which stock must arrive |
| Consignment | Paid only when items sell |
How to prepare for wholesale
- Finish costing and set wholesale prices.
- Create a clear line sheet and lookbook.
- Decide your MOQ per style and per order.
- Set payment terms you can afford.
- Agree realistic delivery windows with your factory.
- Put terms in writing for every order.
- Track sell-through and reorders.
Want this applied to your brand?
We will find the psychology behind your lost sales and show you what to fix first.
Book a Growth AuditQuestions buyers will ask
- What is the wholesale price?
- What is the suggested retail price?
- What are the minimums?
- When can you deliver?
- Do you offer exclusivity in our area?
- What happens to unsold stock?
A worked example
Imagine a new label that accepted a large order with payment 90 days after delivery. It had to pay its factory upfront and ran short of cash. On the next order it asked for a deposit at confirmation and the balance before shipping, and offered a smaller minimum to make the terms easier for the boutique to accept.
How Husbar helps
Husbar prepares fashion brands for wholesale: line sheets, lookbooks, buyer pitches and the marketing that supports sell-through. Our fashion marketing team can take this on end to end, or support your in-house team. book a free Growth Audit.
Questions to ask before you start
- Can we afford these payment terms?
- Can our factory hit the delivery window?
- What minimums work for both sides?
- Who owns unsold stock?
- How will we support sell-through?
Key terms
- Lookbook: styled photos of the collection.
- SRP: suggested retail price.
- Sell-through: share of stock sold.
- Exclusivity: a store is the only stockist in an area.
Mistakes to avoid
- Accepting terms you cannot afford.
- Unrealistic delivery dates.
- No written agreement.
- Agreeing to consignment without limits.
Why fashion is sold in the mind first
People rarely buy fashion for what it does. They buy what it says about them: taste, status, belonging or rebellion. That is why the strongest fashion brands decide what their pieces should signal, and to whom, before they spend on shows, shoots or ads. Consumer psychology and culture turn a collection into something people want to be seen in.
Read how to get a fashion brand into boutiques, how to price a clothing brand, how to pitch a retail buyer and our fashion and luxury industry page.
What is a line sheet?+
A document listing each style with photos, colours, sizes and wholesale prices.
What are net 30 terms?+
Payment due 30 days after the invoice or delivery date, as agreed.
Is consignment good for new brands?+
It can open doors, but you carry the risk; set clear limits and timelines.
What is a delivery window?+
The agreed period in which stock must arrive at the store.
Can Husbar prepare our wholesale pitch?+
Yes, including line sheets, lookbooks and buyer outreach.
Does Husbar organise fashion shows?+
Yes. Our event team produces runway shows end to end, and our marketing team fills the seats with the right buyers, press and creators.
Can Husbar get my brand into a fashion week?+
We prepare and pitch your brand to fashion weeks and designer showcases. Organisers choose who shows, so we never guarantee a slot.
Sources
- [JOOR: markup versus margin](https://joor.com/insights/markup-vs-margin-a-guide-for-wholesale-fashion-brands)
- [Techpacker: how to create a fashion line sheet](https://techpacker.com/blog/design/how-to-create-a-fashion-line-sheet/)
- [Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science](https://marketingscience.info/)
Team Husbar
Husbar Editorial
Team Husbar is the strategy, psychology and research team at Husbar, a psychology-led growth agency headquartered in Dubai. Together we have worked with 100+ brands over 10+ years.
Want this applied to your brand?
We will find the psychology behind your lost sales and show you what to fix first.
Book a Growth Audit
