The Wholesale Business in 2026: How to Increase Wholesale Sales Volumes

In 2025, Ukraine’s trade volume reached $125.2 billion, representing an 11.5% increase compared to the previous year. One of the main channels for this trade is wholesale—a sector undergoing the most significant transformation: automation is replacing manual processes, dropshipping is blurring the lines between wholesale and retail, and flexible payment terms are becoming a competitive advantage. Let’s explore how to organize wholesale sales and increase volumes using modern financial tools.

What Is the Wholesale Business and What Are Its Characteristics?

Buying in bulk is like playing by the rules of big business: with a different logic to the relationships, larger sums, and longer payment terms. In such commercial relationships, the buyer often needs a payment deferral or installment plan, since tying up a large amount of working capital all at once is not cost-effective.

The different levels of wholesale trade vary in scale. Manufacturers and importers operate on a large scale—they supply goods to distributors in batches of a truckload or more. Distributors and wholesale centers operate on a smaller scale: they assemble an assortment of products from various manufacturers and sell them to retail chains and individual stores. Wholesale centers and warehouses in Ukraine remain a vital link in the supply chain—they allow retailers to purchase a wide range of products in one place. According to 2025 figures, imports of goods into Ukraine totaled $84.8 billion, and a significant portion of this volume passes through wholesale channels.

Alongside the traditional wholesale model, dropshipping is growing rapidly—a business model that is changing the role of wholesale companies in the supply chain. In this model, the seller does not keep inventory in stock: upon receiving an order from a buyer, they forward it to the supplier, who then ships the goods directly to the customer. For wholesalers, this means a new sales channel—instead of selling large batches to a single customer, they can work with dozens of online retailers who generate a steady stream of smaller but regular orders.

In 2026, this industry will move away from simple resale and evolve into an analytics-driven business. Successful dropshippers spot trends before their competitors and are the first to test new niches. Among the most promising areas are products for energy independence (inverters, generators, power banks), natural cosmetics, and smart home gadgets. Experienced wholesalers combine a stable core product range with trending items: core categories drive sales volume, while niche categories drive profit margins.

Each type of wholesale customer has its own expectations:

• Retail stores need a steady supply and a wide selection;
• Dealers are counting on exclusive terms and marketing support;
• Dropshippers value automation—when the system automatically transmits orders, inventory levels, and shipping documents without any manual effort.

What everyone has in common is the need for convenient payment options, and this is where an opportunity for growth arises for the seller.

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Organizing the Wholesale Sale of Goods

Organizing wholesale sales begins with a B2B website or portal where buyers can browse a catalog with up-to-date inventory levels, view their personalized prices, and place orders without having to call a sales representative. Many wholesalers still send out price lists by mail and take orders over the phone—and every time, they run into outdated inventory levels and errors.

But a website without up-to-date information is just a showcase. For it to function as a full-fledged sales channel, the CRM, warehouse, and catalog must operate as a single integrated system: a manager enters the information once—and it is then automatically transferred to the invoice, packing slip, and accounting records. This integration reduces errors and frees up managers’ time to focus on working with customers.

For a wholesale business in Ukraine to remain competitive, having just a warehouse and a product range isn’t enough—it also needs modern infrastructure and automated business processes. For buyers, financial flexibility is often more important than an additional 2–3% discount. Purchasing a large batch requires significant funds, and not every business is prepared to tie up working capital all at once. At eDilo, we see this need every day: when a seller offers a buyer the option to pay in installments through our service, the customer receives the goods immediately and pays gradually. Meanwhile, the seller receives the full amount right away.

Once the product and payment process are in place, all that’s left is to attract customers. Wholesale buyers look for suppliers through Google, specialized directories, and trade shows. SEO optimization of a B2B website for search terms like “buy wholesale” is less expensive than retail marketing: competition for wholesale search terms is lower, and the conversion rate is higher—customers coming from search are typically ready to place a specific order. Email newsletters with personalized offers further help retain the B2B audience.

At the same time, wholesalers often make mistakes that undermine all their efforts:

• chaotic inventory tracking—goods have been sold but are no longer physically in stock, or, conversely, “dead” inventory is taking up warehouse space;
• the lack of standardized content for dealers—partners spend hours updating their own websites instead of focusing on sales;
• There is no customer order history—buyers cannot quickly repeat a previous purchase or compare the terms with those of past deliveries.

How Flexible Payment Terms Help Increase Wholesale Sales

A wholesale sales strategy begins not with the product range or logistics, but with payment terms. A buyer choosing between two suppliers with identical prices will prefer the one that allows payment to be split into installments. This is particularly noticeable in highly competitive segments, where prices and product ranges among different suppliers are becoming increasingly similar.

Here’s how it works: a wholesale buyer places an order and pays the first installment. The remainder is paid in equal installments over an agreed-upon period. For the buyer, this lowers the entry barrier: instead of a one-time payment of 200,000 UAH, they pay 50,000 UAH per month for four months. For the seller, this means a 20–30% increase in the average transaction value: according to research by Mondu and Allianz Trade, buyers with the option to pay in installments spend 20–40% more.

There are several benefits of flexible payments for wholesalers:

• an increase in the average check—customers are ordering larger quantities and spreading out their payments over several months;
• Repeat purchases — customer loyalty increases when a supplier takes the customer’s financial capabilities into account;
• Attracting new segments—small businesses that previously could not afford to purchase in bulk are becoming regular customers;
• Competitive advantage — when prices and product ranges are the same, payment flexibility becomes the deciding factor in choosing a supplier.

See also: 5 Ways to Scale Your Business: A Step-by-Step Strategy for Increasing Profits

Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexible Payments in Wholesale

Before integrating flexible payment options into wholesale sales, it is important to weigh both sides—the benefits and the risks.

The main risk is non-payment. When a seller offers a payment plan on their own, they assume financial responsibility and spend resources on monitoring payments. Online installment payment services eliminate this problem: specifically, eDilo transfers the full amount for the goods to the seller immediately after the transaction is completed, while retaining the risks and administrative burden of managing the installment plan. The business maintains a stable cash flow and can focus on sales rather than collecting payments.

The second major drawback is administration. Manually tracking the payment schedules of dozens of wholesale customers is a task for a dedicated employee or an automated system. An external service completely eliminates this burden: the seller follows their usual sales process, while the financial side is handled automatically.

Flexible payment options work best in segments with high average transaction values: equipment, electronics, building materials, and industrial machinery. In categories with low average order values and high turnover—such as FMCG—the effect is less pronounced, since buyers pay quickly and order amounts do not place a significant burden on working capital. Guideline: If the average order value for a wholesale order exceeds 50,000 UAH, installment payments will be an effective tool for driving sales growth.