How Wholesale Artificial Plant Buying Works: MOQ, Trade Accounts & Delivery
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Buying from Leaf Design Wholesale takes six steps: register and log in, build a basket past the £150 ex VAT minimum, pay up front, and we dispatch within one working day of cleared funds, by courier or on a pallet, after which you check the delivery and report any problem within 24 hours. There is no minimum per line, as every line is sold individually, and UK mainland delivery is free once the order reaches £300 ex VAT. This guide walks through each step as it works on this site, with the timings and thresholds you need to plan a first order.
The process in six steps
Here is the whole sequence on one table. Each step is explained in its own section below, and the definitive terms live on our ordering, accounts and delivery page.
| Step | What you do | What we do | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Register | Create an account with your email and log in | Show trade prices once you are logged in | A few minutes |
| 2. Build a basket | Add lines, check live stock, pass £150 ex VAT | Show live stock on every product | Your pace; stock is not reserved |
| 3. Pay | Pay by card, PayPal, bank transfer or card over the phone | Confirm the order on a first order | Card and PayPal clear at once; transfers when received |
| 4. Dispatch | Choose standard or paid next-working-day delivery | Pick, pack and dispatch | Within one working day of cleared funds |
| 5. Receive | Be ready for a parcel or a pallet | Deliver by courier or palletised for large orders | Delivery dates are estimates |
| 6. Check | Count and inspect; report problems | Credit or replace faulty goods | Damage and shortages within 24 hours; loss within 3 days |
Step 1: Register and log in
Register online, log in to see trade prices. Registration is on our registration page and uses your email address; you sign in with a one-time code sent to that address, so there is no password to manage.
This is a trade-only site, so by placing an order you confirm you are buying in the course of business. Before a first order is dispatched we may check your business details, so use your trading name and a business delivery address where you have one. If you are not sure whether your business counts as trade, read Wholesale vs Retail Artificial Plants: Who Can Buy Trade first.
Once you are logged in, every product page shows the trade price ex VAT alongside the live stock count and the product's dimensions. Your account keeps your order history, which makes it quick to find lines you have bought before; check live stock before reordering, because lines sell out and are replaced.
Step 2: Build a basket past £150 ex VAT
The only minimum on this site is order value: £150 ex VAT, measured on the goods in your basket before delivery. There is no per-line minimum, as every line is sold individually, so you can mix one tree, a few planters and a batch of stems in a single order.
Every line is sold individually, including every tree, potted plant, planter, flower stem, foliage stem, fern and grass, so the quantity you set is the number of items you receive. Take 6 or more mix-and-match items, such as single flower stems, stem ferns and foliage or hanging plants, and 20% comes off automatically. The scheduled guide on MOQ and unit quantities for trade buyers goes into the mechanics in more depth.
A worked first order helps. Say a café owner is refreshing a 40-cover dining room. A basket that covers the whole brief might look like this:
- Two 180cm dracaena trees to frame the entrance, each in a weighted pot around 22cm across.
- Two 43cm Inoke stone-colour composite planters to dress those pots (ask us to confirm the inner opening before ordering in quantity).
- Two 180cm bamboo hanging garlands to run along the bar back.
- Ten 28cm gold-rim smoke grey glass vases for the tables.
- Two cases of 60cm red rose stems (12 stems), one per vase with a couple spare.
- Two cases of 100cm green eucalyptus foliage (12 stems), cut down to vase height.
As you add lines, the basket shows your subtotal ex VAT. Checkout will not go through under £150. Between £150 and £300 you pay £14.99 for UK mainland delivery; at £300 ex VAT it is free. If you are just short of £300, compare the gap with the delivery charge before deciding whether to add a line you need anyway.
Stock is shown as a live count, and lines with fewer than five left are marked low stock. We don't hold stock for baskets, so if you are ordering a quantity close to what is shown, place the order rather than leaving the basket open. One special case: packaging boxes such as the 16 × 16 × 86cm long box are palletised and only ship with orders over £500, so add them to a larger order.
Step 3: Pay up front
All orders are paid in advance. You can pay by card at checkout, by PayPal, by bank transfer, or by card over the phone. Prices are ex VAT on the site; VAT is added at checkout and you receive a VAT invoice.
There are no credit terms on this site. If your business needs payment terms, credit may be available when you buy from us through Faire Direct, which sets its own terms.
Payment method affects timing. Card and PayPal payments clear straight away, so the dispatch clock starts at once. A bank transfer starts the clock when the money arrives in our account, which can add a working day or more depending on your bank.
Step 4: Dispatch and delivery options
We dispatch within one working day of cleared funds from our warehouse in Louth, Lincolnshire. Delivery dates are estimates rather than promises, so build a buffer into any installation date.
| Destination | Order value (ex VAT) | Delivery charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK mainland | £150 to £299.99 | £14.99 | Standard delivery |
| UK mainland | £300 or more | Free | Standard delivery |
| UK mainland, expedited | Any | Extra charge (£44.99 on our delivery page) | Next working day if ordered before 10am Monday to Friday; the charge can vary with the number of items |
| Remote areas | Any | £49.99 | Excluded from free and next-day delivery |
| Scottish Highlands and Islands | Any | £99.99 | Excluded from free and next-day delivery |
| EU and rest of world | Any | By quotation | Contact us with your basket and postcode |
Next working day is a paid option, not the standard service. If an installation date is fixed, order early enough that standard dispatch plus a margin of a few working days lands before it, and keep the paid service for genuine emergencies.
Step 5: Pallets and receiving large orders
Large orders are generally palletised. That is common once an order includes several tall trees such as the 240cm large banana tree, a quantity of planters, or packaging boxes. A pallet redelivery is chargeable, so plan the first attempt properly:
- Make sure someone is on site during delivery hours to receive and sign.
- Check access and tell us in advance about steps, narrow entrances, or site restrictions such as a loading bay booking, so the delivery can be planned around them.
- Clear floor space for the pallet and for unpacking long tree cartons.
- For a delivery to a client's site, give the contact name and phone number of the person who will actually be there.
For large or unusual deliveries, email sales@leafdesignwholesale.co.uk before you order so we can advise on how it will arrive.
Step 6: Check the goods and report problems
Check a delivery as soon as it arrives. Count the cartons against the delivery note, open them, and check the lines and quantities against your order. Photograph any damage to outer packaging before you unpack, then photograph damaged items.
- Report damage or a shortage within 24 hours of delivery.
- Report a lost order within 3 days.
- Faulty goods are credited or replaced when reported within 14 days.
Because this is business-to-business supply, consumer cooling-off rights do not apply. Goods that are not faulty can only be returned if we agree it in writing within 14 days, and agreed returns carry a restocking fee of 20% or £25, whichever is greater. Check dimensions on the product page before ordering to avoid returns for size.
Frequently asked questions
Is next-day delivery the standard service?
No. Standard service is dispatch within one working day of cleared funds, with delivery dates given as estimates. Next working day delivery is a paid extra for orders placed before 10am Monday to Friday, and it is not available to remote postcodes.
Can I pay on account or on credit?
Not on this site; all orders are paid up front. Credit may be available if you buy from us through Faire Direct, on Faire's terms.
Can I have an order delivered to Northern Ireland or an island?
Our checkout calculates UK mainland delivery only, with set charges for remote areas and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. For other destinations, contact us with your basket and postcode and we will quote.
What if I only need a few items, under £150?
The £150 ex VAT minimum applies to every order. If you need a single item for a one-off job, a retail supplier may suit you better; if you buy regularly, it is usually easier to combine needs into fewer, larger orders, which also brings free delivery at £300.
Can I see the products before my first order?
Yes. Trade customers can visit our Louth showroom by appointment; email sales@leafdesignwholesale.co.uk to arrange a visit. You can also request our free trade catalogue.
Where to go next
Keep the ordering, accounts and delivery page to hand for the current terms. For quick one-line answers on VAT, payment, returns and delivery, see the wholesale artificial plants FAQ, and for a map of what we stock by category, read the complete UK trade buyer's guide. When you are ready to buy, start with the full range, or go straight to the artificial trees if you are planning a larger palletised order.
