Seed Wholesale Enquiries for Retail Shops: Where to Start
For a retail shop, the first step in a wholesale seed enquiry is a choice of route, not a choice of variety. The catalogue, the species A–Z list and the quick enquiry page reach the same non-binding quotation process, but they suit different levels of certainty about what your range needs. This orientation explains what each starting point is good for so you can begin where your own planning actually stands.
What all three starting points have in common
Whichever route you take, you are sending a trade enquiry rather than placing an order. The catalogue is intended for seed retailers, garden shops and resellers buying for resale. No payment is taken through the website, an enquiry does not commit you to an order, and no account is needed. Your selection is reviewed and answered with a quotation. Pack sizes, available quantities and final prices are confirmed there, and shipping charges and any documentation costs are likewise set out in the quotation rather than on the website.
Starting with the full catalogue
The catalogue is organised into groups such as vegetables, flowers, herbs, microgreens and sprouts. This is the right starting point when you are still shaping your range: when you want to see how a group is structured, which species sit inside it, and how named selections are distinguished from one another. Browsing by group lets you build a selection across several categories in one pass and keeps the items in a basket you can edit before sending. Choose this route if your question is what should my shop stock, rather than how do I specify one known line.
Starting with the species A–Z list
The species A–Z view is an alphabetical index across the catalogue. It suits a buyer who already knows the species they need and wants to find the record quickly without walking through the group structure. It is also useful when a species appears under more than one botanical name, because the index shows the separate records side by side. Species-level browsing is a good fit when your assortment is largely settled and you are now checking which varieties and references exist for the species you have already decided on.
Starting with a quick enquiry by species
The quick enquiry route is the most direct option. It is designed for a buyer who can already name what they want and wants to reach a quotation without a full catalogue tour. Prices and quantity tiers shown on variety pages, species lists and quick enquiry pages give you a working basis, but they are not the final word. Use this route when your list is short and specific and your main need is a confirmed offer rather than further exploration of the range.
How to choose between them
A practical rule: the less you have settled, the wider the starting point should be. If you are planning a new range or reworking a category, begin with the catalogue so that the group structure informs your thinking. If you know the species but not the exact selections, use the species A–Z index. If you know exactly which references you want and simply need quantities and terms confirmed, the quick enquiry is the shortest path. None of these choices is binding, and all three lead to the same review and quotation step.
Precision matters more than the route
Whatever starting point you use, the quality of the quotation depends on how precisely you identify the seed. Botanical records are kept separate for good reason: within basil, for example, Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum americanum and Ocimum sanctum are distinct catalogue records, and trade descriptions such as lemon basil appear in more than one record and are not enough on their own to specify an article. Preserve the original reference for each item in your enquiry. Also state whether your quantity is a weight or a stated number of seeds, because a price per kilogram is a different basis from a price per count, and the recorded unit of the product is what the quotation follows.
Unlisted varieties and corrections
If the species or variety you want is not in the catalogue, you can still ask: send the botanical or variety name, the quantity and the destination, and it will be reviewed with the enquiry. After you have sent an enquiry, items can no longer be changed in the basket, so if something needs correcting, email with the enquiry reference. If a form cannot send, your selection stays in the basket and the displayed message tells you what to do next; if delivery could not be confirmed, make contact with the enquiry reference before sending again.
What to have ready before you begin
Two details change what a quotation can offer you and are worth preparing before you open any of the three routes. The first is your destination: include the country and postal code, and tell us which documents your business requires, because import conditions depend on the goods and their risk category and must not be assumed to be the same for all seeds. The second is a requested delivery date, which is helpful to state but is not a confirmed delivery commitment; agreed arrangements are set out separately. With these ready, any starting point leads to a more useful answer.
- Bulk Seeds International
- Handling Unlisted Seed Varieties in a Wholesale Enquiry
- Destination and Packaging Details Checklist for Seed Enquiries
- Seed Enquiry Basket Questions Answered
- Seed Group Coverage Comparison Sheet for Range Planning
- Planning Seed Quantities and Quantity Tiers Before Enquiring
- Reading a Seed Catalogue Entry: Reference Numbers and Descriptions