I run a small retail shop, so I'm on the receiving end of brand pitches. Most of them don't fail because the product is bad. They fail because the pitch makes me do work I don't have time for. Here's what helps an independent shop say yes.
The best pitch I can get is one I can say yes to in five minutes, from my phone, between customers.
1. Find out how the shop wants to be pitched, then do exactly that
Most shops tell you. In our list of 81 shops in New York and Los Angeles, 48 take pitches by email and 35 use an online form, and many give precise instructions down to the subject line (Driggs Mercantile wants "ATTN: BUYER"; Magpie wants "Company name - Product Submission"). Following those instructions is your first test. It tells the buyer you'll be easy to work with on reorders too.
2. Visit, or at least scroll, before you pitch
Look at what's already on the shelves. Does your product fit the price range, the look, the customer? Can you name one or two brands it would sit next to? Mention them. It shows you did the homework, and it helps me picture where your product goes in the store.
3. Send a line sheet with wholesale prices
13 of the 81 shops ask for a line sheet outright, and 19 ask about wholesale pricing or terms. A good line sheet is one page or a short PDF: clear product photos on a plain background, SKU names, wholesale price, suggested retail (MSRP), case pack or minimum order, lead time, and how to order. If I have to email back to ask what something costs, your pitch goes to the bottom of the pile.
4. Know your numbers: wholesale vs. consignment
Wholesale means the shop buys your stock up front, usually at about half of retail. Consignment means you're paid only when something sells, and the split is set by the shop. Rue Saint Paul in Brooklyn, for example, publishes a 60% split to the brand; South Pas Vintage near Los Angeles takes a 30% commission on artist tables. Some consignment programs charge an up-front fee: Vroman's in Pasadena charges authors $298 for its consignment package. Some shops (like The WonderMart) prefer to start on consignment and move to wholesale once a product proves itself. Decide in advance which terms you can accept.
5. Respect the floor
7 shops in our list explicitly say no phone calls, no walk-in pitches, or no unsolicited samples or drop-offs. A Saturday afternoon is when I'm busiest. Walking in with a bag of samples puts me in an awkward spot and takes my attention away from paying customers. Email first, and offer to drop by or send samples if I'm interested.
6. Make retail-ready easy to see
Show the packaging, not just the product. Barcodes, sturdy and attractive packaging, a clear price point, and a short story I can repeat to a customer all make your product easier to sell, and that's what I'm really buying.
7. Follow up once, kindly
Many shops say they can't reply to everyone. One polite follow-up after a week or two, with something new (a bestseller, press, a seasonal item), is fine. Three is not.
A pitch email template
Swap in your details, keep it this short, and use the shop's own subject line if it gives one.
Need the attachment? Start with the free line sheet template, and set your prices with the wholesale price calculator. For the whole process, from pricing to reorders, read how to get your products into boutiques.
Your five-minute checklist
- Pitch through the shop's stated channel, with their subject line
- Name 1–2 brands you'd sit beside in their shop
- Attach a line sheet: photos, wholesale, MSRP, minimums, lead time
- State your terms: wholesale, consignment, or both
- Links to your website and Instagram
- No calls, no unannounced drop-ins
Find shops accepting submissions → New York Los Angeles
Shop-specific details are summarized from each shop's own submission page, verified 2026-10-17.