Buying wholesale human hair wigs: what to check before the first order
A checklist for salons, hair-replacement studios and boutiques placing a first human hair order. Every item here is something that costs money when it is left out of the written confirmation, and nothing here needs a technical background to check.
1. Get the specification in writing before the price conversation
Hair type, cuticle direction, cap construction, lace size, length, weight and colour code. A price without a specification is not comparable to any other price, because two vendors can quote the same length at two different diameters. Confirm the sheet first, then talk money.
2. Agree the minimum before you plan the order
Ours is 3 pieces per model for wholesale, and a single piece if you are ordering a sample. Confirm your vendor minimum model by model rather than in general, because a minimum that applies per model changes how you split a budget across lengths.
3. Check colour consistency across the batch, not just on one piece
Ask how the same colour code is held between production runs. This is the single most common problem in human hair: the piece you approved and the pieces you receive can drift. Ask what happens if they do, and get the answer in writing.
4. Fix the lead time and what starts it
Ask two things: how long production takes, and whether that clock starts at order or at payment. Then ask when the parcel is dispatched and what the transit time to your country is. Ours is about 2 weeks in production and 10 to 12 business days to the US after dispatch.
5. Decide the packaging before it is packed
Bulk pack, a retail box, or your own printed box and logo. Changing this after production is expensive, and if you sell in a retail box this is the item most often forgotten until the order is already made.
6. Agree what happens when a unit is wrong
Decide in advance how a mismatch or a fault is reported, within what window, and what the remedy is. The time to agree this is before the order, when both sides are still being reasonable about it.
7. Test the vendor with a single piece first
One piece as a sample, quoted at the lowest listed price for that model with the freight at your cost, tells you more about a supplier than any catalogue page. If the piece does not match the sheet, you have spent the freight, not the order.
Questions we get on this
What is a normal minimum order?
It varies by vendor and usually applies per model rather than per order. Ours is 3 pieces per model for wholesale. Ask yours to state it per model in writing so you can plan across lengths.
How long should a first order take?
Ask for production time and transit time separately, and ask what starts each clock. Ours is about 2 weeks in production and 10 to 12 business days to the US after dispatch.
Should I open with a large order to get a better price?
Not for a first order. Buy a sample, check it against the written sheet, and let the repeat order be the large one. The saving on a first large order is rarely worth the cost of a batch that does not match the sample.
Start with one piece
A single piece is quoted at the lowest listed price for that model, with the freight at your cost. Wholesale then starts at 3 pieces per model.