A line sheet is the document wholesale buyers order from. It shows every style in a collection with a product image, style number, colors, size run, wholesale price and suggested retail price (MSRP). It also lists minimums, case packs, delivery windows and your payment, shipping and return terms. It is an ordering tool, not a lookbook. The lookbook tells the brand story, and the line sheet takes the order.

Key takeaways

• A line sheet takes orders; a lookbook tells the story, with no prices.
• Show wholesale price and MSRP side by side so buyers see their margin.
• Give every style complete order details; put terms once and contact details on every page.

Who uses a line sheet, and when?

Brands selling wholesale use a line sheet to get orders from retail buyers, whether they make apparel, jewelry, accessories, footwear or home goods. It answers the two questions every buyer has: what can I order, and what margin will I make?

Reps and showrooms write orders from it; buyers plan assortments with it. Brands send it before trade shows and showroom appointments, in outreach to new stores, and at the start of every season. Buyers order months ahead, often committing to products they've never seen in person.

What is a wholesale line sheet?

A wholesale line sheet is the line sheet a brand sends to retail buyers to take orders at wholesale prices. It differs from a consumer-facing product page or a lookbook because it carries wholesale prices, MSRP, minimums and terms. Those details are what let a buyer check their margin and place an order from it.

How is a line sheet different from a lookbook, catalog, price sheet or sell sheet?

Each of these five documents does a different job; buyers order from the line sheet.

Many brands put the brand story and products together in one line sheet, since buyers often haven't seen the product in person; others send the lookbook alongside. Either works if every style has the details a buyer needs to order.

Larger accounts look for that story. A Saks Fifth Avenue women's contemporary buyer told WWD/Sourcing Journal: "I'm able to go through linesheets on my own, but I'm looking for brands to provide that context."

For price sheets, see what to include in a wholesale price list.

What should a line sheet include?

Buyers need these details to place an order without follow-up questions.

For every style

• Product image
• Style name and number (SKU; barcode if the retailer asks)
• Colors or colorways
• Size run
• Wholesale price
• MSRP
• Case pack or prepack
• Minimum order quantity (MOQ). See what an MOQ is and how to set wholesale minimums.
• Delivery window or ship dates
• Fabric or material content, where relevant

Once per document

• Brand logo and a one-page "about"
• Payment terms (Net 30, Net 60 or prepay)
• Shipping terms
• Returns policy
• Order deadline
• Your or your rep's contact details, on every page

What does a sample line sheet look like?

A sample line sheet shows each style beside its image, with every ordering detail right next to it. Here is one page from a fictional knitwear label.

The page shows a photo of the KN-104 Ribbed Crew Sweater. Next to it are three colorways: Oat, Charcoal and Moss. The size run is XS to XL. Wholesale is $48 and MSRP is $96. It ships in a prepack of six: one XS, one S, two M, one L and one XL. The minimum order is one prepack per color. The delivery window runs for 30 days. Fabric is listed as 100% merino wool. The footer carries the rep's name, email and phone.

How do you put a line sheet together?

Gather your product data (the fields above), then shoot clean photos on a plain background so every style reads the same way. Most line sheets follow the same page order (FitSmallBusiness): a cover, a one-page about, product pages grouped by category or delivery, a terms page, an optional order form and a back cover. Check every price and colorway against current stock.

Then test it: ask someone who doesn't know your line to try placing an order. If they have to ask a question, a buyer will too. For a step-by-step guide, see how to make a line sheet.

Should you send a line sheet as a PDF or a digital link?

Buyers now expect line sheets sent digitally through a platform like Brandboom; anything less signals you're not serious about wholesale.

A digital line sheet is a link buyers open, browse and order from; a PDF export sits alongside it for buyers who want a file to print or keep (see digital line sheet vs PDF for the full comparison).

The digital version also stays current when stock, prices or colorways change mid-season; a stale PDF with a dropped colorway or old price leads to orders you can't fill as written.

What are the most common line sheet mistakes?

• Sending a lookbook: no style numbers or prices.
• Missing wholesale price or MSRP.
• No delivery window or order deadline, so buyers can't plan.
• No case pack or MOQ, so buyers order quantities you can't ship.
• Contact details only on the last page.
• Out-of-date colors, prices or stock.
• Busy layouts not grouped by category or delivery.

What is the easiest way to build and send a digital line sheet?

Brandboom's line sheet software lets sellers create and customize line sheet templates in a few clicks. Sellers import products by CSV, arrange pages with the drag-and-drop builder, and add their logo, brand colors and custom styling, for a consistent, professional result every season without designing from scratch.

A Brandboom line sheet can carry the brand story too: sellers can add lifestyle images with hotspots linking to the products shown, plus brand and product videos and editorial blurbs. That is the context larger buyers ask for.

Sellers send the line sheet as a share link buyers can browse without logging in and order from directly, with a PDF export for buyers who want a file. Links can be public, private or password-protected, with access codes, expiration dates and account-specific pricing. Changes to pricing, images, availability and descriptions sync instantly to every active line sheet.

Brands starting out or with a few accounts can use Brandboom's Free plan to send digital line sheets and make PDFs, with a limited number of products. As you add accounts, Brandboom grows with you.

FAQ

Do I need to show MSRP on a line sheet?

Yes. Buyers compare MSRP with your wholesale price to work out their margin; without it, they have to stop and ask. Your MSRP should match the price on your own website, so retailers aren't undercut. Show both prices in the same currency, labeled clearly for each market.

Is a line sheet the same as a tech pack?

No. A tech pack is the specification document a factory uses to make a product: measurements, materials, construction and trims. A line sheet is the selling document buyers order from. Both use the same style numbers, keeping production and orders matched, but a tech pack never goes to buyers.

How often should I update my line sheet?

A Brandboom digital line sheet updates automatically when you change product info or images, so prices, colorways and stock stay current without rebuilding and resending PDFs. Stale details lead to cancellations, substitutions and fixing orders after the fact. Still, review it before every trade show, showroom appointment and round of outreach.

Is a professional line sheet worth it for a brand with only a few stores?

Yes. Buyers judge a new brand partly on how it presents its line, and a few stockists doesn't change what buyers need: clear images, complete details, both prices and your terms. Even a small brand serious about wholesale has every reason to start on a platform like Brandboom, so buyers see a polished, professional presentation from the first order.