Common wholesale catalogue mistakes (and how to fix them)

If you’ve ever sent your wholesale catalogue out feeling hopeful, only to hear… nothing, you’re not alone.

Often, buyers are interested, but small issues in your wholesale catalogue are quietly getting in the way of them placing an order. When something feels confusing, incomplete, or harder than it needs to be, buyers will often move on rather than ask for clarification.

Below are some of the most common wholesale catalogue mistakes I see when reviewing catalogues for product-based businesses, and why they matter more than you might think.

5 Common wholesale catalogue mistakes that cost you orders

1. No pricing on product pages

If a retailer has to flip between product pages and the back of your catalogue to find prices, that’s friction. And friction kills momentum.

Buyers want to scan, compare, and plan quickly. If pricing isn’t right there with the product details, it’s easy for them to lose interest or postpone ordering.

Fix: Include wholesale price, RRP, pack size, and key dimensions on every product page.

2. Inconsistent product images

Images that are different sizes, misaligned, or styled in completely different ways make your catalogue harder to read and less professional.

Even if your products are beautiful, inconsistency makes the whole catalogue feel unfinished, and that can impact buyer confidence.

Fix: Use consistent image sizing, spacing, and styling so buyers can scan easily and focus on the products, not the layout.

3. Missing pack sizes or packaging details

Retailers need to know exactly what they’re ordering and how it will arrive.

Are items individually packed? Wrapped? Boxed? Sold in multiples? These details affect pricing, storage, merchandising, and ordering decisions.

Fix: Clearly state pack sizes and packaging details for every product.

Each of these little issues can chip away at your buyer’s confidence. And the last thing you want is to lose out on a stockist because the ordering process felt confusing or unclear.

4. Tricky or confusing order forms

If your order form feels fiddly, unclear, or overwhelming, it can stop an order from happening altogether.

Ordering should feel like the easiest part of the process, not the hardest.

Fix: Keep your order form clean, simple, and intuitive. Clear columns, logical flow, and enough space to write make a huge difference.

5. Unclear terms and conditions

If buyers have to hunt for your minimum order, payment terms, or delivery information, they may hesitate to move forward.

Uncertainty creates doubt, and doubt delays decisions.

Fix: Make your terms easy to find, clearly written, and consistent throughout your catalogue.

Every one of these issues might seem small on its own, but together they chip away at buyer confidence. And when buyers aren’t confident, they don’t order.

Your wholesale catalogue checklist

Let’s make sure your catalogue is working for you, not against you. Use this checklist to review yours today:

Pricing

Every product page should include:

• Wholesale price

• RRP

• Pack size

• Key dimensions

  
  

Make it easy for buyers to compare, plan, and place an order quickly.

Product details

Be specific about packaging and presentation:

• Cello wrapped or naked?

• Tagged or boxed?

These details matter more to retailers than you might expect.

Order Ffrm

• Use grid lines and alternating row colours

• Keep columns clear and easy to follow

• Avoid clutter

Your goal is speed and clarity.

Terms & conditions

Clearly include:

• Minimum order

• Payment terms

• How to order

• Delivery lead times

Buyers should never have to guess.

Usability

Test your catalogue properly:

• On a phone

• On a laptop

• Printed

  
  

Ask yourself, Is this easy to read? Is it obvious what to do next?

If you’re missing anything here, don’t panic. These are all things that can be refined and improved.

What happens when your wholesale catalogue works properly

When your catalogue is clear, consistent, and easy to navigate, buyers are far more likely to place an order.

You’re not convincing them to say yes, you’re removing the reasons they might say no.

A strong wholesale catalogue:

• Builds trust

• Saves buyers time

• Makes ordering feel straightforward

• Supports your pricing with confidence

  
  

It doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be clear, helpful, and buyer-ready.

FAQs

What should a wholesale catalogue include?

A strong wholesale catalogue includes clear pricing, product details, pack sizes, consistent images, an easy-to-use order form, and clear terms and conditions.

Why aren’t buyers ordering from my catalogue?

Often it’s not your product, it’s friction. Missing information, confusing layouts, or unclear pricing can stop buyers from moving forward.

Do I need a printed wholesale catalogue?

Not always, but your catalogue should work both digitally and in print. Many buyers still like to print pages or save PDFs for later reference.

How can I make my wholesale catalogue more professional?

Consistency is key. Use aligned images, clear sections, simple layouts, and make ordering and pricing obvious.

Need a bit of guidance?

Inside Start to Wholesale, I walk you step by step through creating a wholesale catalogue that gives buyers everything they need, without second-guessing or worrying you’ve missed something important.

You’ll learn how to turn your catalogue into a real sales tool, not just a pretty PDF, so you can send it out confidently knowing it’s doing its job.

If you’d like support creating your first (or better!) wholesale catalogue, you can learn more about Start to Wholesale here.