Deciding whether a wholesale seed catalogue fits your shop

This page helps a retail seed shop decide whether a broad wholesale catalogue that quotes on enquiry, rather than publishing a fixed price list, suits how it plans its buying. It sets out what such a catalogue can and cannot settle, and which questions a shop should answer for itself before committing to any variety selection.

Two different buying models

A fixed price list lets you compare and commit in one step: the price, pack and quantity are visible and the decision is mostly arithmetic. An enquiry-based model separates selection from commitment. You choose references and quantities first, then the commercial terms are checked and confirmed in a quotation. Neither model is inherently better; they suit different planning rhythms. The question is whether your shop prefers to plan around published figures or around a quote you receive and review before deciding.

What the catalogue itself provides

A broad catalogue is first and foremost a way to see what exists and how it is organised. Species are grouped by crop group and then by botanical record, with named selections kept as separate records. This structure helps you build a shortlist across categories such as vegetables, flowers, herbs, microgreens and sprouts. It is a map of options, not a guarantee of availability, pack size or final price for any single reference.

No account needed to start

Access does not depend on holding an account, which lowers the barrier to exploring an unfamiliar range. You can move through the catalogue and assemble a selection without committing to anything. This matters for a shop testing a new supplier, because the cost of looking is low. It also means the catalogue should be read as an invitation to enquire rather than as a shop with a live basket and payment step.

Enquiries are non-binding

Submitting an enquiry does not take payment and does not create an order. You can change or remove items before sending, and if you need to correct an enquiry afterwards you contact the supplier with its reference. For a retailer this is a deliberate pause: you assemble a requirement, receive a response, and then decide. It is useful when prices and quantities need checking, but it also means you cannot treat the enquiry as a confirmed purchase.

Prices and units to check

A price per kilogram is a different basis from a price for a stated number of seeds, so use the unit recorded for each product rather than assuming one basis applies across the catalogue. Pack size, available quantity and final price are confirmed in the quotation. When you prepare an enquiry, identify the SKU and the weight or quantity you actually need. Keeping the reference precise avoids comparing two records that look alike but describe different selections.

Supply terms are agreed separately

Commercial terms are not fixed by browsing the catalogue. They are agreed separately, which means the quotation stage is where the real conditions take shape. A shop should expect to review those terms before treating anything as settled. This suits retailers who want a clear paper trail before committing stock budget, but it asks more of your planning discipline than a published price list that you can act on immediately.

Matching the model to your rhythm

Ask how far ahead you plan and how much certainty you need at each step. If your buying is routine and low-value, a fixed list may save time. If you are assembling a broader or unfamiliar range, an enquiry-based catalogue gives room to check references and quantities before money is committed. Many shops use the enquiry stage purely as a planning tool: shortlist, request, compare, then decide what to carry in the next cycle.

Signals that this model fits

An enquiry-based catalogue tends to fit when your variety choices change from season to season, when you want to explore several crop groups before narrowing down, or when you would rather confirm terms in writing before committing. It fits less well if you need to place repeat orders at short notice with no review step, or if your customers expect a fixed shelf price tied to a published cost. Being honest about which of these describes your shop is the most useful test.

A practical first step

Before committing to any variety selection, pick a small set of references across two or three crop groups and take them through the enquiry route once, without expecting it to become an order. Watch how the process feels: how easily you can find the right records, how clearly quantities and units are stated, and how the quotation stage matches your planning cycle. That single dry run tells you more about fit than any general description of the model.

Seeds, knowledge and growing possibilities.

Seed trade journal