How to Send Price Lists to Retailers

Getting your price list in front of a buyer is half the work. Getting it there in a format they'll actually use — and keeping it accurate after it's sent — is the other half. Here's how to handle both.

How to send it

Three formats work well for retail buyers, each suited to a different situation:

• PDF attached to an email. The most common approach. Easy to open, prints well, looks professional. The downside: the moment it leaves your hands, it's frozen. Prices change; the PDF doesn't.
• Live link. A URL that always shows your current products and prices. When you update a price, everyone with the link sees the new one. No stale documents.
• CSV file. For buyers with purchasing systems that import supplier data. They'll ask for it when they need it.

For most outbound wholesale outreach, a PDF with a follow-up link works well: the PDF is what they open now, the link is what they bookmark.

What to say when you send it

Keep the email short. Buyers receive a lot of supplier outreach; the ones that get read are the ones that get to the point. A structure that works:

1. One line on who you are. Company name, what you make, where you're based if it's relevant.
2. One line on why they specifically. You've seen their store; you think your range fits their customers.
3. What's attached and what's in it. "Attached is our current wholesale price list — 45 products across [your categories], with trade pricing and terms."
4. Clear next step. Not "let me know if you're interested." Tell them exactly what to do: reply to request samples, click a link to book a call, or email a purchasing address to place a first order.

Following up

Most wholesale conversations don't happen on the first email. A follow-up three to five days later is standard — a short message acknowledging you sent the price list and asking if they have questions. Don't apologise for following up; it's expected in wholesale outreach.

A buyer who opens your price list and does nothing isn't necessarily uninterested — they're busy. A timely follow-up is the nudge that converts consideration into a conversation.

Updating buyers when prices change

If you change your prices after sending a price list, tell the buyers who have it. A short email noting the change — and a link to the current version — protects you from disputes and tells buyers you keep your documents current. It's also a reason to stay in their inbox.