Wholesale 101: Placing Your First Order on Clean Otter

Opening a new wholesale account is rarely the hard part of buying. The hard part is the first order: working out how much to commit, what the real landed cost will be, and how quickly you can restock if a line sells. Get those right and the second order is easy. Get them wrong and you are left with slow stock and a cash flow problem before a brand has had a fair chance on your shelf.

This guide walks through how ordering works on Clean Otter, from application to reorder, so you can plan your first order with the numbers in front of you. Where something is confirmed case by case, we say so.

Step one: getting approved

Clean Otter is wholesale only. Trade prices, ordering and samples are reserved for approved buyers: retailers, distributors and key accounts. Recommended retail prices stay visible to everyone, so you can check the shelf economics of a brand before you apply.

The application takes about two minutes. You will be asked for your company name, country, customer group, contact details and shipping address. If your business is VAT registered, a valid VAT number is required, and it should match the company name and address you enter, because it is checked as part of the review. If you are not VAT registered, you can still apply. Those applications are reviewed individually, and it helps to send whatever shows you are a trading business in your market:

• United States: a resale or sales tax certificate
• South Africa: your company registration and tax number
• Elsewhere: your business registration and a link to your storefront

Every application is read by the office covering your region (Brussels for Europe, New York for the United States, Cape Town for South Africa), with no automated screening. Review is usually complete within 48 hours. Once approved, you receive a login invitation by email, your trade pricing unlocks, and you are introduced to your named beauty buyer.

Minimums: what you actually have to commit

Minimum order quantities are where many first-time buyers overcommit, so it is worth being precise.

• Opening orders start at an MOQ of 6 across your account.
• Brand minimums can apply on top of that, as individual brands may set their own.
• Reorders drop to an MOQ of 3 after your first order, so you can restock what sells without rebuilding a full opening order each time.

Your buyer confirms the exact minimums in your quote before you commit, so there should be no surprises at checkout. The practical takeaway is that the opening order does not need to be your whole bet on a brand. A tighter first order, followed by a quick reorder of the lines that move, is often the lower-risk route, and the lower reorder minimum is designed for exactly that.

Volume tiers and margin

Trade prices are set in volume tiers: the more units or cases of a product you order, the lower the unit price. Because RRPs stay the same, a larger order also means a better margin per unit. Tiers, trade prices and your margin per product are shown on each product page and in your basket once you are approved. Ready-made bundle deals work the same way, coming in cases of 18 and 27, with bigger cases saving more.

The trade-off is the usual one. A higher tier improves margin, but only if you can sell through the extra units. For a brand that is new to your customers, the margin gain from a bigger case is worth weighing against how long that stock might sit.

Working out your landed cost

The product total is only part of what an order costs you. Before you commit, build in these elements.

The card processing fee

Card payments carry a processing fee of 2.95% of the basket subtotal. It is passed on at cost, appears as its own line ("Card processing fee (2.95%)") in your basket, and is already included in the order total, with nothing further added at checkout. It is calculated before shipping. On a €1,000.00 subtotal, for example, the fee is €29.50, so you pay €1,029.50 plus shipping.

Shipping per brand

Orders are forwarded to each brand or supplier for fulfilment, and shipping is calculated per brand and added automatically at checkout. An order across three brands therefore carries three shipping charges and may arrive in several parcels with separate tracking numbers. If you are spreading a first order across many brands, factor that in. It can make sense to go deeper on fewer brands at the start.

Duties and taxes outside the EU

For deliveries outside the European Union, customs duties, taxes and import fees are the buyer's responsibility, and customs delays are outside Clean Otter's control. If you are ordering into the United States or South Africa, check how those charges apply to your business before you set retail prices. How VAT or sales tax is treated on a cross-border order depends on your own registration and location, so confirm the details with your accountant.

Paying now, and credit later

First orders are paid up front at checkout. Once you have been trading with Clean Otter for six months, you can request credit terms. Each request goes through a credit review that looks at your order history and company details, and your buyer confirms the outcome, your limit and the payment terms in writing. Terms and conditions apply. Some eligible buyers can be offered net terms earlier, so it is worth asking your buyer if you think that applies to you.

For planning purposes, assume your first six months are pay-as-you-go. Consistent, well-paced orders over that period also give the credit review a clear history to work from.

Try before you commit: samples and testers

Sampling is the simplest way to reduce the risk of an opening order. Approved buyers can choose from several options, and you will find the details on our samples and testers help page:

• Complimentary samples, from single vials upwards. First orders also come with free samples.
• Discovery sets, a selection of a brand's products in sample sizes, so you and your team can try the range.
• Launch boxes, the most complete option, combining products and testers to help you introduce a new brand in store.
• Tester units, available on every brand at trade tester pricing, for customers to try in store.
• Customer samples, small formats such as fragrance vials to hand to your own shoppers.

Availability varies by brand, and none of these formats is for resale. Requests go through your buyer dashboard, and you receive an email confirmation straight away.

Practical takeaways for your first order

• Have your VAT number, or equivalent trading documents, ready before you apply, and make sure it matches your company details.
• Ask your buyer to confirm brand minimums in your quote, and plan a lean opening order with a reorder in mind at MOQ 3.
• Add 2.95% to card-paid subtotals and allow for shipping per brand when you calculate landed cost.
• If you are outside the EU, budget for duties and import fees before you set retail prices.
• Request samples or a discovery set for any brand your team has not handled before.
• Expect to pay up front for six months, then ask about credit terms.

Ready to start?

For step-by-step answers on minimums, fees and cancellations, see our ordering help page. If you are not yet trading with us, you can apply as a buyer. Your regional office will review your application, and your buyer can help you shape an opening order that fits your shelf.