--Who is eligible to apply to open a Mint® wholesale account?
1. A retail storefront,
2. An established online business with a functioning shopping cart (this does not include a Facebook or Etsy account),
3. Catalogs like Chasing Fireflies...ohhh ahhh.
--So, how do I open my wholesale account?
It's so easy. All you have to do is:
1. register online right here on our website, filling in all of the info you possibly can. Applications marked 'website' without a website listed won't be approved, and storefronts without information about lines they carry and a business address won't be approved. We do research.
2. scan & email me a copy of your state tax resale certificate & be sure to tell us nosey girls 3 other lines you like to carry in your store--it's not for terms, it's for research. (christi@ohmint.com),
3. then patiently wait about 2-3 business days until we can do some thorough checking & then we'll send you an approval email. Or a denial.
The faster you scan or fax your info and get registered, the faster you can have a box of Mint stuff being carried into your store by that cute FEDEX guy. You know who I'm talking about.
--What Markets do you attend? Where can I see your product in person?
We never miss an Atlanta or Dallas Gift Show. Those are our big four shows each year. We've got a great new showroom in Atlanta--if you've only seen Dallas, well Sisters, Atlanta has the full line and glass windows and doors and a ginormous peppermint on the back wall and everything! Plus we have wine in the fridge in the back room. We've also been known to hit other towns like Las Vegas (MagicKids), San Francisco, Boston Gift Show, Chicago Gift Show, and we may head to New York IGF next spring. If you think we'd be a good fit anywhere else, let us know!
--Can you do the embroidery for my store? Do you Drop-Ship?
NO WAY! You think we're crazy? Just kididng. I really don't know how you all keep up with the embroidery. We may try, someday. But for now, you guys get the pleasure of such detail-oriented sales. We hope to offer it once we build our new location in the near future--but don't hold your breath. I'm only finished with Jack's 'Year 1' photo album. He's 8.
--Do you ever sell or share my personal information to anyone else?
NO! Never, ever, ever. We hate that as much as you do, and plus, that's super creepy. No Viagra or fake Rolex ad is ever going to be in your Inbox because of your relationship with us.
--Are you ever going to have a retail website for those of us who don't have a store & can't find a mint® retailer nearby?
Please see "Find Mint" to find us on our favorite customers' online stores. We're way behind in updating that list, so I apologize in advance. It's on my list! Email me with your zip code and I'll find you a store near you.
--What should I tell customers about care instructions for their mint® stuff?
Just throw it away if it gets dirty, and buy a brand new mint® items. Kidding...but I do think that may be a good business plan. Here's the real info:
Anything with silver lining (#137 or #160)--please tell your customers to only wipe the bag with a damp cloth. Do not wash in a washing machine and definitely keep out of the dryer. Leave open and let dry on the counter.
Nap rolls may be washed in cold water with the pillow insert removed. Lay flat to dry. Be sure to shake off any children before washing.
Towel wraps, blankies, and other minky items: Wash in cold with like colors, and lay flat or hang to dry.
Nylon bags & stuff: I have washed Jack's backpacks and duffels many times in cold water and they've fared just fine. Air dry.
--From where do you ship?
Your order is shipped from our family ranchita in Boerne, Texas. We're considered 'Central Texas' on the UPS zoning chart, if you're trying to guess how long your order will be on the road. Check your box for scorpions and sunburn.
--When is your busy season? When might it take longer to ship?
Now that we've been around for so long, we've been able to get a better handle on shipping and inventory as we've grown. You should still plan to order about three weeks before your own busy seasons just to be sure you're well stocked beforehand. Shipping takes a bit longer than the usual 2-3 days around Back-to-School, Christmas and Graduation. During our Market seasons (January, February, and then May, June, July, August), we may take up to five days to get your orders out the door due to order volume. We'll post notices on our website to let you know when we're at Market but we always have a great staff of people here to help if you have an emergency. And that's why this website is so great--your order will go out whether we're here or away now. Well, probably. j/k.
--When do you come out with new mint® stuff?
Every Market-June/July, and January/February. We'll post new items on the website after we get back from Market, just to give our Market visitors the first peek.
--Why are some items not online?
Because we're either sold out temporarily, we've discontinued them, or because someone isn't doing their job. Sorry. Someone will be punished.
--Is it a good idea to let my customers order out of your catalog/from samples?
We really don't encourage it, and we'll tell you why: We haven't printed a catalog since 2010. You're going to give me shingles if you call me looking for things we haven't had in stock for two years and your customers are mad and you're mad at me.
And anyway, if you let your customers have four hundred choices, it's just too overwhelming and they'll never be able to make up their mind. And what if they pick something we're temporarily out of, or worse yet--we might have discontinued. Then they're mad at you, you're mad at us, and everyone feels terrible. Generally we ask our customers to pick a few colors and styles to start with, carry a small inventory of those items, and then work from there. We offer a very low minimum order requirement to help you get started.
Special Note: Anyone caught posting Mint line sheets on Facebook for pre-sales/buy-ins will be blocked immediately. We reserve the right to refuse to do business with anyone not playing by the rules, and not adhering to our terms and conditions.
--WELL THEN CHRISTI, how would you prefer I place my order?
Online. We built this site for you, to make the ordering process simple, fast & to make it less possible for us to key in the wrong item on your sales order. I'm really serious about that. Everything is automatically printed out, shipped more quickly and the website shouldn't allow you to order anything out of stock. It also keeps track of your online order history, which you might appreciate. Plus, we have sales, specials & back-in-stock dates posted online exclusively. Call us and I swear I'm not telling you what's on sale. Sale prices do not apply to faxed or phone orders. There will also be a $10 Manual Processing Fee on those orders, to help pay for our zillion dollar website and our 3 employees who are busy multitasking to the max. This improvement is about you and allowing us to serve you better by being more efficient with our time and not making input boo-boos and having more time to design new stuff, build sales and manage inventory etc. It helps me stabilize your prices, too. But--and I am so serious about this--if you ever have any questions or concerns or just want to chat, don't ever hesitate to call! We love hearing from all of you. Unless it's a complaint. ;)
--Can I add to my order once I submit it?
Sorry...we just can't alter orders once they've been confirmed. Once it's submitted, it's already in process. That's why you have 2 chances to change your order/confirm. We can't even see your credit card info to re-charge it for additions, for security reasons.
--Can I sell your items on Facebook buy-ins, eBay or etsy, or in flea markets?
NO. No nonononono. Your account will be deactivated if I see my stuff sold like that. When I approved you, I approved you thinking you were going to sell in a retail store, your website, or something along those lines. Flea markets, buy-in groups, etc will not be tolerated. That's unfair to my current customer base and my retail stores & websites who are working hard to make Mint special. We're cracking down, Sisters.
--Can I return or exchange items? What's your return policy?
You can return items that are damaged, but with only the RMA sticker we provide. Trust us--if you send your damaged item to us without the tracking label and RMA information, the boys downstairs will just throw it in the corner and you'll never get your credit. Call us at 1-800-344-7242 *122 to request your RMA tag from Claire.
--Why am I not featured as a mint® retailer under 'find mint®' on this website?
What, did you call us OHMINT or something? That could be a problem. There are a few little details we all must check before we add new retailers to the list. Have you been a current customer for at least 3 months? Do you carry inventory? Inventory means four or more of whatever you're ordering, by the way. Have you ordered at least $1200 in wholesale merchandise in the past six months, or does it look as if you're on the path of doing so? Maybe we overlooked you-and if we did, we apologize. Just shoot us an email and we'll check it out for you.
--Why is my website not featured as a mint® Online Retailer?
Because you don't mention our product by name (mint®--NOT OHMINT!) or because we aren't aware of your fabulousness because we don't look at the internet all day long (lies, lies...gawker.com, anthroplogie.com, radaronline.com, therealestalker.com...). Let us know! We want you to be in our club. If you would like mint™ to provide a link to your own retail website, well:
If you still have questions, concerns, or requests, please don't hesitate to contact Christi. You can find the proper place to leave your word under 'contact mint™'.
Whew! That was a lot of information, wasn't it! Thanks for reading. Hello, hello? XO, Christi
