Reading a line sheet like a buyer

Five numbers on a line sheet tell you more about a brand than its lookbook does.

1 · Wholesale and retail: The ratio between suggested retail and wholesale is your starting margin. Check whether the retail price is realistic for your city, and whether prices include tax, duties or shipping. A healthy-looking margin can disappear at customs.

2 · Minimums: Look for the MOQ per style and per order, plus any size-run requirements. Small minimums let you test; large ones demand conviction.

3 · Lead time and delivery window: Lead time tells you when goods ship; the delivery window tells you when they must arrive to sell at full price. Work backwards from your selling season.

4 · Payment and shipping terms: Deposits, balance timing and who pays freight — and duties, for cross-border orders — change your real cost. Ask for terms in writing before you commit.

5 · Reorders and faults: Find out whether best-sellers can be reordered mid-season and what happens with faulty goods. Brands that answer these questions clearly tend to be easier partners.