Digital Wholesale Explained: How It Works and Why It Matters

Brief Summary

Digital wholesale is transforming the way fashion brands and retailers connect, communicate, and transact. By bringing every stage of the wholesale process into one centralized platform, these systems eliminate the inefficiencies of traditional methods—making it easier to scale, track, and strengthen brand–retailer relationships. From product discovery and digital virtual showrooms to data-backed decisions and simplified reordering, digital wholesale is designed to drive smarter, faster growth.

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Digital Wholesale at a Glance:

• Centralized platform access: Brands and retailers manage all wholesale activity in one place, improving visibility and operational efficiency.
• Real-time product discovery: Retailers can instantly browse digital linesheets, search by filters, and find the right products with ease.
• Smarter order placement: Built-in ordering tools let buyers place accurate, up-to-date orders anytime, with live inventory syncing.
• Seamless brand–buyer communication: Messaging and notes are integrated, so both sides stay aligned and reduce back-and-forth emails.
• Data-informed selling: Access to analytics helps brands understand buyer behavior, optimize assortments, and drive repeat orders.

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Imagine the traditional wholesale process, with all the added benefits of an upgrade to our current vastly virtual environment. That’s digital wholesale.

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What Is Digital Wholesale and Why It Matters

The term ‘digital wholesale’ refers to the process of conducting wholesale business using technology. Digital tools commonly used in the wholesale process include virtual showrooms for showcasing new collections, inventory management software to streamline operations, and online B2B platforms for sales.

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The main benefits of digitization are faster sales, fewer errors, and better communication, so it’s no surprise that more brands and retailers than ever before are switching to digital systems. 

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How Digital Wholesale Platforms Help Brands Sell Smarter

First, brands create digital versions of the items in their collection. Today’s technological tools can make a collection come alive on the screen with 360° images and zoomable views providing all the details, while dynamic hi-res video demonstrates the way fabric moves and falls.

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Augmented Reality (AR) can superimpose images for a composite view, and 3D rendering adds a photorealistic touch. Once their collection is ready, brands can curate online showrooms and personalized presentations, make virtual appointments with buyers, offer customized linesheets, and even generate invoices and collect payment—all online.

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How Digital Wholesale Platforms Support Retailers

For their part, retailers can browse their connected brands’ digital collections and search for items which suit their aesthetic. Retailers can stay up-to-date with their favorite brands and make intriguing new discoveries without the stress and cost of travel. In addition, retailers can review linesheets, meet with brand representatives to discuss scheduling and other details, and fully plan their assortments completely virtually. They can also research, place orders, and even pay invoices all in platform. 

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Digitalization streamlines the wholesale process for the benefit of both brands and retailers. Digital wholesale extends the comfort, convenience, and efficiency of personal shopping to the B2B wholesale world so brands and retailers can expand their network while conducting business from anywhere in the world, 24/7. 

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Benefits of Digital Wholesale for Brands and Retailers

Digital fashion wholesale tools benefit brands and retailers in several ways. Digitization improves operations and reduces the need for manual data entry, but allows for better data to be collected, improving forecasting and repeat ordering.

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B2B platforms also enhance long-term global reach, making it easier for buyers and brands worldwide to connect and do business.

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Tips for Brands

• Take advantage of advanced technology to create a shoppable virtual showroom. With advanced imagery and video technology—including 3D and AR renderings—JOOR’s brands can highlight the specifications of their designs with zoomable views, lifelike details, and movement.

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• Reach an array of international buyers of all budgets and interests, 24/7 from the comfort of your home. JOOR’s technology gives brands access to a hybrid approach to digital wholesale, allowing them to host interactive appointments with potential clients, whether in person or completely online. 

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• JOOR helps brands gather valuable data and analytics in real time. Run reports to help with planning decisions and projections and make more detailed forecasts to keep your business running smoothly. 

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• Generate invoices and collect payment right in the platform. JOOR works with 135 currencies around the world, allowing you to widen your reach dramatically.

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Tips for Retailers

• Discover the most exciting brands and products within JOOR’s expansive network. Enhanced search capabilities allow you to filter by trend or keyword to find the perfect products your customers will love.

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• Set meetings to ask questions, gather details, and organize the specifics of contracts, schedules, and delivery. The JOOR Passport event calendar ensures you can stay abreast of all the latest global fashion events and tradeshows, accessible without leaving home.

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• JOOR Workspace supports Retail Partners as they build assortments across brands, categories, and currencies, collaborating with colleagues and partners throughout the entire process. 

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• Automatically tag the products in your assortment thanks to one of JOOR’s esteemed tech partners, Lily AI. Save valuable time and reduce the risk of errors with auto attribution.

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Common Challenges in Digital Wholesale

When adopting digital wholesale fashion tools, some retailers and brands face challenges with setup, training staff on new systems, and a lack of integration. In these cases, an all-in-one platform like a B2B marketplace is a great solution because it reduces confusion and allows all areas of business to occur in one place.

For those looking to adopt a B2B platform, be sure to check for integration capabilities. The best marketplaces will be able to connect with ERP, CRM, PLM, and POS systems for a streamlined workflow. If onboarding to a new platform is your primary concern, choose a marketplace with strong customer service support to reduce the time spent setting up new software. 

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Join the World's Leading Digital Wholesale Platform

JOOR is the world’s leading curated B2B wholesale platform, connecting over 620,000 retailers across 150 countries with more than 14,000 brands spanning 53 product categories. Our powerful network and end-to-end digital tools are designed to streamline the buying experience, unlock new opportunities, and drive smarter growth. Ready to transform your wholesale strategy?

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Find out how JOOR can improve your wholesale experience. Sign up for a retailer account or book a demo.

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FAQs

How is digital wholesale different from traditional wholesale?

Digital wholesale uses technology to complete traditional wholesale tasks faster and more efficiently. Everything from showroom and trade show visits to taking orders and chasing up invoices is done digitally rather than manually. 

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Why are brands moving to digital wholesale platforms?

Brands are moving to digital wholesale platforms to speed up the order process, increase their visibility, and improve their chances of growth.

Is digital wholesale safe for payments and data?

Each digital wholesale business approaches payment and data protection differently. For the best chance of security, look for a platform that complies with security standards and offers data encryption. 

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Can small brands use digital wholesale platforms?

Yes, brands of all sizes can benefit from digital wholesale platforms. Small brands may find a B2B marketplace particularly useful for growth as they will gain access to potential new buyers from around the world.