From the first email to the reorder, every account follows the same six steps. Below them: a glossary of the packaging terms you will see on a catalog, a reorder point calculator, and answers to common questions.
Fig. 01Loading dock doors with dock seals
Accounts open by email. Tell us who you are and what you sell, and we confirm the details before the first order. We sell wholesale to businesses, so we ask for the information a distributor needs to set up a business account.
Once your account is set up, we send a catalog and pricing for the categories you buy. Each line lists the item, its case pack, and the case dimensions, so you can plan shelf space before you order.
Minimum orders vary by category and are confirmed when your account is set up.
Distributors sell by the case. A case holds a set number of sellable units, called the case pack. Order as many full cases of a line as you need.
When an order covers several categories, it can ship as a mixed pallet: one pallet carrying cases from many lines. It is the simplest way for a smaller store to get paper, cleaning, household, and pet products on a single delivery.
Fig. 02A warehouse floor with racking and a picking area
Each order is picked case by case and checked against the order before it is packed. Small orders are packed into cartons for parcel shipping. Larger orders are built onto a pallet.
A pallet is built the way freight carriers recommend: heavy and sturdy cases on the bottom, lighter and crushable cases on top, nothing hanging over the edges, and the finished load stretch-wrapped so it travels as one unit.
Fig. 03Roller conveyor lines in a warehouse
Illustration only. It does not show service areas, routes, or delivery times.
Parcel. Small orders ship as individual cartons through parcel carriers, each with its own tracking number. Major parcel carriers generally accept packages up to 150 pounds, with limits on length and girth.
LTL freight. Palletized orders usually ship less-than-truckload. Your pallet shares a trailer with other shippers' freight, and the price depends on weight, freight class, distance, and any added services. Every LTL shipment travels with a bill of lading.
No loading dock? LTL carriers can usually deliver with a liftgate truck that lowers the pallet to the ground. It is an added service, so tell us when you set up your account.
Fig. 04An unmarked box truck
When a freight delivery arrives, check it before you sign. Count the pieces against the bill of lading and the packing list, and look for crushed corners, torn wrap, or wet cartons. Write any shortage or damage on the carrier's delivery receipt, in specific words, then email us. Damage found after signing has to be reported as concealed damage, and carriers allow only a short window for that.
Fig. 05Moving cases on a pallet jack
The words on a wholesale catalog, a pallet label, and a freight bill, in plain English.
Your reorder point is the stock level that tells you to order again, with enough on the shelf to cover the wait for the delivery plus a cushion. Enter your numbers for one item.
8 full cases of 12 cover it exactly.
Lead-time demand: 60.0 unitsSafety stock: 36.0 units
Daily sales = weekly units ÷ 7
84 ÷ 7 = 12 units a day
Reorder point = daily sales × (lead time days + safety stock days)
Cases = reorder point ÷ units per case, rounded up
This is the standard reorder point formula with safety stock counted in days of supply. It assumes steady sales and the lead time you entered. Real demand moves with seasons, promotions, and paydays, so treat the result as a starting point.
Something else? Write to contact@pattersonpioneer.com.
Minimum orders vary by category and are confirmed when your account is set up.
Catalog and pricing are sent on request once your account is set up, for the categories you plan to buy.
Yes. Orders across several categories can ship together as a mixed pallet, built with heavy cases on the bottom and light ones on top.
Small orders ship as cartons by parcel carrier. Palletized orders ship as LTL freight. We choose the method that fits the order and confirm it with you before it ships.
It depends on the shipping method, the carrier, and the distance, so we do not quote a standard time on this site. We share the shipping details when your order leaves.
Note it on the carrier's delivery receipt before you sign, take photos, and email us the same day. We will work with you and the carrier to sort it out.
No. We sell wholesale to businesses: stores, online sellers, and offices and facilities.
The catalog for your account lists the brands and items available to you. If you are looking for a specific product, ask us.
Yes. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires distributors to provide Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals to the employers they sell to, with the first shipment and again with the first shipment after an SDS is updated. Ask us any time for a current copy.