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Wholesale samples: how to send them and track every one
Short answer: Send wholesale samples only to stores that fit your brand and a buyer who asked, with one or two pieces, a short handwritten note, your line sheet and one clear next step. Track every sample in one simple sheet, then do a 10-minute Monday check to see who needs a follow-up about a week after delivery. Two follow-ups, then let it go.
A sample in a buyer's hands sells better than any email. But samples cost real money, and most founders lose track of them: who got one, when, and whether anyone ever said a word. Here's how to pick who gets a sample, what goes in the box, and a 10-minute Monday check that tells you exactly who to follow up with.
- Who should get a sample
- What to put in the box
- Set up a tiny tracker
- The Monday sample check
- A short sample follow-up
- Before you send
Who should get a sample
Not everyone who asks. A free sample is a small bet, so bet on good odds. Send one when:
- The store fits. It already carries brands like yours at your price range.
- A real person asked. The buyer replied to your pitch, or you met at a show.
- You know who opens the box. A name, not just "the store."
Cold-mailing samples to stores that never asked is the expensive way to learn nobody opened them. Pitch first, sample second. (Need the pitch? See how to write a pitch email to boutiques.)
What to put in the box
- The product. Your best seller, or the one item that best shows what you do. One or two pieces is enough.
- A short handwritten note. Their name, why you think it fits their shop, and your name.
- Your line sheet. Printed, or a QR code that opens it. Prices, minimums and how to order on one page (see how to make a wholesale line sheet).
- An easy next step. "Reply to my email" or a link to order. Not three options. One.
Write down what you sent and what it cost you. That number matters later.
Set up a tiny tracker
One Google Sheet tab called Samples. One row per sample:
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Store and buyer name | Pine & Post, Jordan |
| Date sent | Oct 5 |
| What you sent and cost | 1 beanie, 1 scarf, $26 with shipping |
| Tracking number | from your shipping label |
| Delivered date | Oct 8 |
| Follow-ups sent | Oct 15 |
| Result | ordered / passed / waiting |
That's it. If you already track orders, add this as a second tab next to them.
The Monday sample check
Open ChatGPT, Claude or Grok Bot (free versions are fine). Upload the sheet and paste:
Today is [date]. From my Samples sheet, list: (1) samples delivered 7+ days ago with no follow-up sent, (2) samples with one follow-up sent 7+ days ago and still "waiting", (3) samples with no delivered date that were sent 7+ days ago (check tracking), (4) total spent on samples this month, and how many turned into orders.
Use only data in the sheet. If a date or cost is blank, list it under "fix these rows." Don't guess.
Always start with "Today is [date]." Without it, AI gets the date math wrong.
A short sample follow-up
Wait about a week after it lands, then reply in the same thread as your pitch:
Hi [Name], the [product] should have reached you on [delivered date]. Did it feel like a fit for [store]? Happy to answer any questions, and the line sheet is here: [link]. Thanks, [Your name]
No answer after two follow-ups? Mark it "passed" and move on. Kindly, without guilt. You can try again next season with something new.
Want AI to draft these? After the Monday check, paste:
Draft a sample follow-up for each store in (1) and (2). 3 sentences max each, not counting greeting and sign-off. Use the buyer name, product and delivered date from the sheet. No claims I didn't give you ("selling fast", "only a few left"). If something is missing, write MISSING. I'll review and send.
"Tidewren Knits," an invented sweater brand, sent 12 samples in September and tracked none of them. In October she started the sheet. Her first Monday check found five samples with no follow-up, and two that tracking showed were never delivered. She resent those two, followed up on the five, and got two opening orders. She also learned samples cost her $310 that month, so she now only sends them after a buyer replies. (Numbers are invented for the example.)
Before you send
- The delivered date is real. Check tracking, don't assume.
- Names and products match the sheet.
- No made-up urgency or praise from the AI.
- You send each one yourself, then log the date in the sheet.
Mistakes to avoid
- Samples to stores that never asked. Pitch first.
- No note in the box. A product with no context gets set aside.
- Following up before it arrives. Check tracking first.
- Not counting the cost. Samples are a sales expense. Know what you spend and what it brings back.
- Chasing forever. Two follow-ups, then let it go.
Should I send free samples to boutiques?
Send one when the store already carries brands like yours at your price range and a real buyer asked or replied to your pitch. Cold-mailing samples to stores that never asked is the expensive way to learn nobody opened them.
What should go in a wholesale sample box?
Your best seller or the one item that best shows what you do, a short handwritten note with the buyer's name, your line sheet (printed or as a QR code), and one easy next step, like replying to your email.
When should I follow up on a sample?
About a week after tracking shows it was delivered, in the same email thread as your pitch. If there's no answer after two follow-ups, mark it passed and try again next season.
Get the free Founder's Wholesale Checklist
Eight parts of selling into stores on four pages, each with one AI prompt you can copy. Plus The Sell-In, one short wholesale email every Tuesday.
Want the full step-by-step version? See the Starter Pack.