Practical guides
Line sheet: the document that should let buyers order without asking a single question
Before ordering, buyers open the line sheet. What sets it apart from the lookbook and the catalogue, what it should show style by style, the mistakes that make a buyer hesitate, and how, once shared online, it becomes an order form.
4 min read ·
Key takeaways
- The line sheet is the collection’s sales document: every style with its image, colourways, sizes and prices.
- It is aimed at professional buyers and differs from the lookbook, which conveys the world of the collection.
- A good line sheet is complete, easy to read, up to date and consistent with the prices actually invoiced.
- Shared online, it can become an order form in its own right.
A buyer is planning her appointments ahead of a trade show. If she cannot find the wholesale price, the minimum or the delivery date, she moves on to the next brand. The line sheet is often the first document a buyer opens before ordering. Sent before the show, shared after an appointment or browsed in the showroom, it has to explain the collection and set up an order without the buyer having to ask a single question.
What is a line sheet?
A line sheet is a sales catalogue intended for professional buyers. For each style in a collection, it shows an image and the information needed to order: product name and reference, colourways, available sizes, composition, wholesale price, recommended retail price, minimum order and delivery dates.
Line sheet, lookbook, catalogue: three documents, three jobs
| Document | Purpose | Main content |
|---|---|---|
| Line sheet | Getting buyers to order | References, colourways, sizes, prices, terms |
| Lookbook | Inspiring, telling the collection’s story | Styled photos, looks, brand world |
| Catalogue | Presenting the full offer | Permanent range and collections, often without terms |
What should a line sheet include? The seven essentials
- A sharp image for each style, ideally for each colourway.
- The product name, reference and category.
- The available colourways and sizes, or the unit of sale specific to the industry.
- The composition and any useful technical information.
- The wholesale price and recommended retail price, in the customer’s currency.
- Minimums, prepacks and delivery windows.
- The sales rep’s or agent’s contact details and the date of the last update.
The wholesale price and the recommended retail price let buyers estimate their margin, which assumes a wholesale price worked out methodically. Prepacks, fixed bundles of sizes and colourways, are shown with their exact breakdown (see size curves and prepacks). Any minimum you display must be enforced: see how to set a minimum order.
Four rules for a line sheet that gets orders
One line sheet per market
An overseas buyer should see their own prices, in their currency and in their language. A single line sheet with several price columns creates confusion and errors. Our guide to selling wholesale internationally covers pricing by country.
A PDF line sheet is out of date the moment it is sent
A discontinued colourway, a changed price or a delayed delivery date must be reflected immediately. An online line sheet, linked to the catalogue, stays accurate.
Readable in seconds
Buyers look through dozens of collections. Group styles by family or theme, keep the layout clean and highlight the information that triggers an order: image, price, availability.
From line sheet to order
The best line sheet is one you can order from directly. Shared via a link, it lets buyers put together their selection. The sales rep picks it up at the appointment, or it becomes an order to confirm.
Mistakes that make a buyer hesitate
- Prices that differ from those that will be invoiced.
- Poor-quality images, or images that do not show the right colourway.
- A line sheet too heavy to open on a phone.
- Missing or out-of-date delivery information.
Three fixes before you send it out
First, align every price with the price list you actually invoice. Next, produce a version for each market, in the buyer’s currency and language. Finally, publish it online a few weeks before the show.
Frequently asked questions
Line sheet or linesheet: which spelling?
Both are used. In English, the term is written either as two words or as one; what matters is using the same spelling consistently across your documents.
What is the difference between a line sheet and a lookbook?
The line sheet drives orders, with styles, colourways, sizes, prices and terms. The lookbook builds desire, with styled photography and the world of the collection.
Should prices go on a line sheet?
Yes, because it is a sales document for trade buyers. Wholesale prices and recommended retail prices are shown, in the customer’s currency.
When should you send the line sheet to buyers?
A few weeks before the trade show or selling season, so they can prepare their selection. Then a second time after the appointment, with a summary of their order.