Inventory glossary
What is White label?
White label is a product made by one manufacturer that another company sells under its own brand name.
For a small Shopify store, white label products let you sell under your own brand without owning a factory. You pick an existing formula or design, put your label and packaging on it, and set your own price and story.
The tradeoff is less control over lead times and no guarantee of exclusivity, since the same factory may sell a near-identical product to a competitor. When you plan reorders, treat the supplier's production and shipping time as fixed and build your order-by dates around it, since you usually cannot rush a white label run the way you could with your own in-house stock.
Example
A candle store buys unscented soy candles from a factory, adds its own scent blend, label, and box, then sells them as "Harbor & Pine" candles. The factory also sells the same base candle, unlabeled, to three other stores.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the supplier will hold a formula or design exclusively for you without a signed agreement.
- Not confirming minimum order quantities before committing to a white label run.
- Forgetting that lead times for white label goods include both production and label or packaging application time.
White label and SteadyShelf
SteadyShelf uses your white label supplier's lead time to calculate the order-by date for each SKU and suggests reorder quantities rounded to that supplier's case pack.
SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.
Related terms
Private label · Supplier lead time variability · Minimum order quantity · Case pack · Contract manufacturer
FAQ
Is white label the same as private label?
No. White label products are identical or near-identical items sold by multiple brands with different labels. Private label products are made to a specific brand's own recipe or spec, usually not sold to anyone else.
Why would a small store choose white label over making its own product?
It lowers startup cost and speeds up launch, since the manufacturer already has the formula, tooling, and production line in place. The store just adds branding and sells.
Let SteadyShelf do this math for every SKU
Order-by dates per supplier, seasonal forecasts and draft POs for your Shopify store. $29/month after a 30-day free trial.
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