A retailer can spot a promising stationery item and still hesitate at the same practical questions: How many units must be ordered? Is the quoted price per piece or per case? When could the order be ready? What happens if a popular item is unavailable? Farouk Book Store’s online bag prepares an email order request rather than taking payment through a checkout, so a thoughtful inquiry is the useful next step. The terms below are questions to ask, not assumptions about Farouk’s minimums, prices, inventory, or delivery arrangements.

This worksheet is for a retailer preparing a clear request. It is intentionally different from assortment planning: first establish the commercial details, then decide whether the order fits your shelves, budget, and customers. Keep a copy of every question and the reply, since a short written record makes it easier to compare options later.

Begin with the exact items you want reviewed. Product names can be more helpful than a broad request for “cute stationery,” especially when a shop’s catalog contains many visual styles and formats. For example, you might ask about Blooming Records Sticky Notes, the Laundromat To Do List Planner Pad, or the Laundromat Daily Planner Pad. These are examples from Farouk’s catalog, not a claim that they are wholesale bundles or currently available in a particular quantity.

Record the details that will help the reply stay specific:

  • Exact product title and product URL
  • Quantity you would like to explore, even if it is only an estimate
  • Preferred variant, design, color, or format, if the listing offers a choice
  • Your intended retail channel, such as a small shop, event table, or online store
  • A requested-by date, if you have one, clearly labeled as a target rather than a promised deadline

The format matters when comparing products. The Blooming Records Sticky Notes listing describes a 3-by-3-inch pad with 50 sheets and adhesive backing. The Laundromat To Do List Planner Pad is described as 8.5 by 5.5 inches, with 50 separate non-sticky sheets. The Laundromat Daily Planner Pad is also described as 8.5 by 5.5 inches and non-adhesive, but the listing presents it as a tear-off daily format. These catalog details help you ask about the right item; they do not establish a wholesale case size.

A useful opening sentence could be: “Could you confirm whether the following products are available for a retailer order, and advise the applicable minimum quantity, pack format, unit price, and expected preparation timeline for each?” Then list each item on its own line. Avoid attaching a spreadsheet full of guesses. A compact, readable request is easier to correct if a product name or quantity changes.

Ask about minimums and case packs separately

“Minimum order” and “case pack” are related but not interchangeable. A minimum may refer to the smallest number of units, a minimum spend, a per-design requirement, or another term Farouk confirms in writing. A case pack describes how units are grouped for ordering or fulfillment. One case might contain a number of pieces, but you should not infer that number from a retail listing or from the way a product appears in a photograph.

Ask these questions directly:

1. Is there a minimum order quantity for the overall order? 2. Is there a separate minimum per product, design, or variant? 3. Must quantities be ordered in full case packs, inner packs, or other increments? 4. How many sellable units are in each pack, and is that count the same for every requested product? 5. Can mixed designs or mixed products be combined to reach a minimum? 6. Is there a minimum order value, and which charges count toward it? 7. If the requested quantity falls below a minimum, can Farouk suggest an available alternative or smaller format?

Use numbers as a scenario, not as a presumed entitlement: “I am considering 12 units of the sticky notes and six units of each planner pad. Would those quantities be accepted as listed, or would they need to be adjusted to your pack requirements?” That wording gives the retailer a concrete answer to review without asserting that 12 or six is an approved quantity.

For a small shop, the answer affects shelf depth and cash tied up in stock. If the minimum is higher than expected, ask whether the product can be ordered in a different quantity rather than quietly changing the order. If the case pack is larger than your display can hold, ask how the remaining units are normally presented or stored. Do not describe a full case as “one box” unless the reply defines it that way.

Clarify pricing, currency, and what the quote includes

Price questions deserve their own section because a retail listing price cannot be treated as a wholesale price. Ask Farouk to identify whether any figure is per item, per pad, per pack, per case, or for the complete requested quantity. Ask which currency applies and whether the response is an estimate or a confirmed quote valid for a stated period.

A thorough pricing checklist includes:

  • What is the price basis: unit, pack, case, or order?
  • Is the price the same for every listed product and variant?
  • Are retailer quantities eligible for a different price, or should you use the catalog price for this inquiry?
  • Are taxes, shipping, handling, or other charges separate?
  • Are there setup, artwork, customization, or administrative charges, if relevant to the request?
  • How long will the quoted price remain valid?
  • What payment method and payment timing would apply if the order proceeds?
  • Will an invoice or written order summary show quantities, prices, and additional charges before payment?

Do not build a margin calculation until you know the price basis. For instance, a price shown for one pad cannot be multiplied by a guessed case quantity and labeled a wholesale total. Instead, make a small internal worksheet with blank fields for “confirmed unit price,” “confirmed pack quantity,” “additional charges,” and “estimated total.” The blanks are useful: they show exactly what still needs an answer.

Also ask whether a price applies only to currently available stock. A quote may need to be refreshed if quantities, variants, or timing change. If you are comparing several products from the Accessories collection, keep each product on a separate line so an answer for one format is not accidentally applied to another.

Confirm inventory, lead times, and order changes

Retailers often have a target date that is more specific than “soon.” Ask Farouk what is currently available, what needs confirmation, and how long preparation could take after the order details are accepted. The response may depend on inventory, quantity, or other factors, so phrase the question as a request for a current estimate rather than a promise.

Questions to include:

  • Are the requested quantities currently in stock?
  • If not, which items are unavailable or require additional confirmation?
  • What is the estimated lead time for the requested quantity?
  • Does the lead-time estimate begin after the inquiry, order confirmation, or another event?
  • Could items be ready together, or might the order be split?
  • How will a delay, substitution, or unavailable item be communicated?
  • Can quantities be changed or canceled before the order is finalized?
  • What should the retailer do if a product becomes unavailable after the initial email?

A useful failure case is the event order: you need 30 small paper goods for a market on a fixed Saturday, but the reply only confirms that the products exist in the catalog. Do not interpret that as readiness for your date. Reply with the event deadline and ask whether the requested quantities can realistically be confirmed in time. If the answer remains uncertain, reduce the request to items with confirmed availability rather than promising customers stock you do not yet have.

Another failure case is the mixed order. One product may be available while another needs review. Ask whether the available line can proceed independently, and whether separate preparation or shipping charges would apply. If you prefer one combined shipment, say so, but treat the result as something Farouk must confirm. Never advertise a lead time, shipping speed, or split-order policy based only on an unanswered question.

Finish with a confirmation checklist

Before sending, make the inquiry easy to answer in sequence. Put your business name and contact details at the top, then list the product titles, URLs, requested quantities, and your deadline. Follow with the questions about minimums, packs, pricing, inventory, lead time, and changes. End by asking for a written summary of the terms that would apply before you commit.

You can use this closing paragraph:

> Please let me know which quantities and pack formats you can support, the confirmed price basis and any additional charges, current availability, and the estimated preparation timeline. Before I proceed, could you send a written order summary showing the products, quantities, applicable terms, and next steps? I understand that inventory, taxes, shipping, and order details need confirmation.

Read the reply once for what it says and again for what it does not say. If it gives a total but not the unit basis, ask for clarification. If it gives a lead time but not the start point, ask when the clock begins. If it confirms a product but not your requested quantity, ask whether the quantity is accepted. A second, focused message is safer than filling gaps with assumptions.

For contact details and the best route for your inquiry, use Farouk’s contact page or review the store information on the About page. The website’s bag prepares an email order request; it is not a payment checkout, so wait for confirmation of inventory, taxes, shipping, and other order terms before treating the request as finalized.

The goal is not to make a wholesale inquiry sound complicated. It is to make every decision visible: what you want, how many you want, how it may be packed, what the price refers to, when it might be ready, and which details remain open. A clear worksheet gives Farouk a fair chance to answer accurately and gives your shop a reliable basis for deciding whether to proceed.

Related reading: How to Plan a Wholesale Stationery Assortment for a Small Shop, Stationery Retail Display Ideas for Compact Shelves, and How to Plan a Stationery Gift Budget Without Guesswork.