Seed enquiry reference codes that keep a wholesale request traceable

A wholesale seed enquiry only stays manageable if the shop’s own shortlist, the submitted enquiry and the returned quotation all point to the same reference. The catalogue pages show descriptions, reference numbers and listed prices, but they do not confirm current stock or batch-specific test results. This aid explains how a retailer can record the references shown on variety and species pages so that every step from internal planning to the quotation can be traced back without guesswork.

Start from the reference shown on the page, not from a nickname

The catalogue is organised by seed group, species and variety. Species pages group entries under a botanical name and count the varieties beneath it, and the individual product entry carries the reference that identifies the specific seed line. Record that reference as it appears, together with the full variety name, before adding anything to the enquiry basket. Shop shorthand, supplier nicknames or a translated plant name may be convenient internally, but they cannot be matched back to the catalogue later. Where a species page notes that two botanical names describe the same identity, keep the name used on the page and treat it as one reference, not two separate products.

Keep names and references distinct when selections differ

Some groups list several selections under one species. Seasonal words or selection names within those entries are part of the imported name, not a guarantee of behaviour in every destination. A named seed selection should also not be assumed identical to a vegetatively named clone simply because both share a species name. The practical rule is that the cultivar name plus the reference identifies the line, while the species name only places it in the catalogue. A shortlist that records only the species will not be traceable once more than one selection sits under it.

Carry the recorded unit with every reference

A price per kilogram is a different basis from a price for a stated number of seeds. When a reference is written onto a shop’s internal list, note which unit the entry uses, because quantities only make sense against that unit. Mixing weight-based and count-based lines in one column invites errors when the enquiry is submitted and again when the quotation is read. Keep the unit visible next to the reference in the working file, and confirm quantities and units before the enquiry is sent.

Match the internal shortlist to the enquiry basket line by line

The basket is a request for a quotation; adding items or sending the form does not conclude a purchase contract. Before submitting, compare the internal shortlist against the basket entries one reference at a time, checking that each recorded name, reference and quantity has carried across and that nothing has been dropped or duplicated. Items can still be changed or removed before the enquiry is sent, so this is the moment to correct discrepancies rather than after transmission.

Treat the acknowledgement as receipt, not as confirmation

An automated acknowledgement only confirms that the enquiry has been received for review. It is not a quotation and not an acceptance of the requested items. File the acknowledgement with the internal shortlist so that the shop’s own record shows what was submitted and when. Availability, pack sizes, prices, applicable taxes, shipping charges, payment terms and delivery arrangements are specified separately, which means the quotation may answer parts of the shortlist differently from how they were requested.

Correct a sent enquiry by its reference

If an enquiry needs correcting after it has gone out, contact the supplier with its reference rather than sending a fresh, unlinked request. A replacement enquiry without the original reference breaks the chain between what was asked and what is being reviewed. The same applies to later questions about an agreed order: include the order or quotation reference, and for a product complaint add the item and batch references where they are available.

Compare the quotation against the references you submitted

When the quotation returns, reconcile it line by line with the filed shortlist. Because product descriptions and listed prices relate to catalogue entries and do not confirm current stock or batch-specific test results, the quotation is the document that carries the actual supply details. Mark on the internal list which references were quoted as requested, which were adjusted in pack size, quantity or unit, and which require a follow-up question. That annotated list becomes the working record for the season.

Keep one reference chain per season

A simple habit keeps the whole cycle auditable: one internal list holding species name, selection name, catalogue reference, recorded unit and requested quantity; one filed copy of the submitted enquiry; and one quotation reconciled against the same references. If a request is later split across several quotations, note the references belonging to each. This chain lets a colleague answer a stock or order question without reconstructing the history, and it keeps future enquiries from being confused with earlier ones for the same variety.

Seeds, knowledge and growing possibilities.

Seed trade journal