Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wholesaler

💰 $35,000 - $100,000

SalesSupply ChainDistributionB2B

🎯 Role Definition

A Wholesaler (also called Wholesale Account Manager or Wholesale Distributor) is responsible for developing and maintaining B2B relationships with retailers, independent stores, and channel partners to distribute products at scale. The role combines strategic sales, inventory and order management, pricing and margin optimization, logistics coordination, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, operations and finance to ensure product availability, profitable growth, and exceptional partner service.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Retail Sales Representative transitioning to B2B sales
  • Customer Service or Inside Sales Rep with exposure to trade accounts
  • Logistics Coordinator or Inventory Analyst moving into sales-facing roles

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wholesale Manager / Key Accounts Manager
  • Regional Sales Manager / Commercial Manager
  • Head of Distribution / Director of Wholesale
  • VP of Sales or Head of Channel Partnerships

Lateral Moves:

  • Category Manager
  • Supply Chain Planner
  • National Account Manager
  • Merchandising Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Build and manage a portfolio of wholesale accounts (independent retailers, national chains, ecommerce resellers), proactively growing revenue by developing tailored commercial plans and coordinating promotions, pricing, and product assortments to meet partner needs and company targets.
  • Own the full sales cycle for assigned accounts — prospecting, qualification, presenting product lines, negotiating commercial terms (price, rebates, payment and delivery terms), closing deals and executing contractual agreements.
  • Develop and execute territory plans with clear KPIs (sales growth, margin, SKU penetration, order frequency) to maximize market share and identify opportunities for distribution expansion and new channel entry.
  • Conduct regular business reviews with key accounts, analyze sales performance and margin trends, create joint business plans, and implement corrective actions to achieve shared objectives.
  • Coordinate demand forecasting and inventory replenishment with supply chain and operations teams to maintain optimal stock levels, reduce stockouts, and minimize excess inventory across wholesale channels.
  • Manage order processing and fulfillment workflows, ensuring accurate order entry, timely confirmations, and on-time delivery through coordination with internal logistics, 3PL partners, and carriers.
  • Negotiate pricing, discounts, promotional programs and rebate structures with wholesale partners, balancing competitive positioning and company profitability targets.
  • Monitor and control margin performance at account and SKU level, recommending pricing adjustments, promotional cadence, and cost-to-serve optimizations to protect profitability.
  • Implement and maintain CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and ERP (e.g., NetSuite, SAP) records for customer accounts, contacts, opportunities, orders and credit terms to ensure data integrity and actionable reporting.
  • Generate regular sales forecasts, pipeline reports and management dashboards to inform production plans, financial projections, and executive decision-making.
  • Lead new product launches across wholesale channels: prepare sell-in packages, coordinate samples and promotions, train partner sales teams, and track adoption and reorder metrics.
  • Manage credit, payment and collections processes for wholesale accounts, partnering with finance to assess risk, establish credit limits and resolve invoicing disputes quickly.
  • Handle returns, chargebacks and warranty claims with partners, ensuring timely resolution and root-cause analysis to reduce repeat issues and improve partner satisfaction.
  • Ensure compliance with distribution agreements, trade regulations, labeling and packaging standards, and any country-specific import/export requirements for cross-border wholesale transactions.
  • Drive merchandising and in-store activation programs by coordinating planograms, POS materials, promotional calendars and seasonal assortments to maximize product visibility and sell-through.
  • Analyze competitor activity, market trends and channel dynamics to recommend assortment changes, pricing strategies and promotional tactics that maintain competitive advantage.
  • Build and train a network of sub-distributors, brokers or sales agents where applicable, setting targets, onboarding procedures and performance metrics to scale distribution efficiently.
  • Collaborate with marketing to develop channel-specific marketing assets, co-op advertising plans, digital trade campaigns and content that supports partner selling and brand positioning.
  • Participate in trade shows, industry events and customer visits to showcase product lines, gather market feedback and establish face-to-face relationships that strengthen partnerships.
  • Create and maintain standard operating procedures for wholesale order management, account onboarding, returns handling and promotional reconciliation to ensure high service levels and operational consistency.
  • Monitor KPIs such as fill rate, days sales outstanding (DSO), average order value (AOV), sell-through and inventory turnover, and drive continuous improvement initiatives where targets are not met.
  • Prepare and submit responses to RFPs and wholesale tenders, coordinating cross-functional inputs (pricing, supply, compliance) to win strategic contracts and national listings.
  • Support pricing strategy by conducting margin and cost-to-serve analyses by channel, recommending tiered pricing, freight terms, and channel-specific incentives that maximize lifetime value.
  • Serve as the internal voice of the customer — gather feedback from wholesale partners on product performance, demand shifts and service issues, and translate that into actionable improvements across product development and operations.
  • Manage promotional reconciliation and post-campaign reporting, validating invoices, tracking promotional ROI and ensuring partners are compensated according to agreed terms.
  • Optimize route-to-market by evaluating direct vs. distributor models, evaluating 3PL vs. in-house logistics, and recommending changes to lower unit costs and improve service.
  • Mentor and coach junior wholesale reps or inside sales teams, providing guidance on negotiation, account planning and CRM best practices to build a high-performing commercial organization.
  • Maintain accurate and auditable records for all wholesale transactions and ensure alignment with internal controls and audit requirements.

Secondary Functions

  • Support marketing with channel-specific insights and case studies for content and demand-generation campaigns.
  • Assist product and category teams with real-world feedback for product improvements and new SKU development.
  • Coordinate with legal on contract language and dispute resolution for wholesale agreements.
  • Participate in cross-functional projects to automate order-to-cash processes or integrate new e-commerce wholesale portals.
  • Provide ad-hoc market research and competitive analysis to inform strategic initiatives and pricing reviews.
  • Help develop training materials and e-learning modules for reseller onboarding and product merchandising.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • B2B sales and account management: proven ability to manage wholesale or distributor accounts, negotiate contracts and grow channel revenue.
  • Distribution and logistics knowledge: understanding of 3PL management, freight terms (FOB, CIF), and route-to-market models.
  • Inventory management and forecasting: experience with demand planning, safety stock calculations, and replenishment strategies.
  • ERP and order management systems: hands-on experience with systems such as NetSuite, SAP, Oracle ERP, or similar.
  • CRM proficiency: experience using Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot CRM or equivalent for pipeline management and reporting.
  • Advanced Excel and data analysis: pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, macros, and ability to build and interpret sales models and dashboards.
  • Pricing and margin analysis: ability to perform cost-to-serve, gross margin, and promotional ROI analyses.
  • Compliance & trade documentation: knowledge of import/export paperwork, HS codes, country-specific regulations and distributor agreements.
  • Contract negotiation: drafting and negotiating trade terms, rebates, payment schedules and SLAs.
  • EDI and order integration: familiarity with electronic data interchange, API-based order integrations or EDI standards (ANSI X12, EDIFACT) is a plus.
  • Financial acumen: understanding of P&L impacts, DSO management and invoice reconciliation processes.
  • Merchandising & retail execution: ability to create planograms, POS activation plans and promotional merchandising strategies.
  • Reporting & BI tools: experience with Tableau, Power BI, Looker or similar for sales performance analysis.

Soft Skills

  • Strong negotiation and persuasion skills to close deals that balance partner needs and company margins.
  • Customer-centric mindset with excellent relationship-building abilities and initiative to act as a trusted advisor for partners.
  • Analytical problem solving: ability to diagnose root causes (stockouts, low sell-through) and recommend practical solutions.
  • Communication and presentation skills for business reviews, product training and trade show interactions.
  • Time management and prioritization to handle competing requests across multiple accounts and projects.
  • Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, fluctuating wholesale market.
  • Team collaboration and cross-functional influencing with supply chain, marketing and finance stakeholders.
  • Attention to detail for contract terms, order accuracy and promotional reconciliations.
  • Coaching and mentoring capability to uplift junior sellers or distributor partners.
  • Strategic thinking to balance short-term sales wins with long-term distribution health and brand equity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (many wholesalers accept vocational experience in lieu of formal degree).

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Supply Chain / Logistics
  • Marketing
  • Finance / Accounting
  • International Trade

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–8+ years in wholesale, B2B sales, distribution, or a related supply chain role depending on seniority.

Preferred:

  • 3–5 years managing wholesale or distributor accounts for mid-level roles.
  • 5–8+ years for senior or regional wholesale manager roles with experience scaling distribution, negotiating national contracts and leading teams.
Explore More Careers