If you’re operating an indie store, café, boutique, or Shopify store from the same source, it’s likely that they won’t be able to sell their own products because of the competition from big distributors. The positive content can be found in maker announcements, sporadic exhibitions and Instagram profiles without any form of purchase order. To address the gap, Faire has worked tirelessly for over a year to find materials suitable and accessible to women.
What Is Faire Wholesale?
Faire is an online wholesale marketplace linking independent retailers with over 100,000 brands and makers. Imagine a situation where small stores are in competition with established, handmade brands, but trade shows don’t allow them to spend their money on designer merchandise or clothing.
It was founded in 2017 in San Francisco by a group of ex-Square engineers, and the platform now serves more than 800,000 retailers across North America and Europe. The proposition seems uncomplicated: find the items, buy from multiple retailers in one go and pay off by online payment on net-60 instead of making a direct payment.
Only verified business buyers are eligible to attend the Faire, providing a brief context. To access wholesale prices, one must have a resale certificate or tax ID and proof of retail operation. Purchasing at 50% is not an option for consumers.
Faire is built for indie retailers, boutiques, gift shops, cafés, and online stores.
Who Is Faire For?
If you’re not in the right place at all, and don’t waste an unproductive afternoon by being upfront about it, Faire won’. The platform’s holdings are believed to be for, as I have observed:
The selection of categories here is extensive, from gift shops to lifestyle boutiques.
Retail and cafeterias that offer coffee shops and bakeries, confectionery items, branded products, distinctive packaging.
Small-scale manufacturers of children’s merchandise, toys, clothing, and books.
Smaller accent pieces are available at home decor and furniture retailers.
Paper goods, candles (such as paper cutlery and bindbinders), small gifts, bookshops, stationery shops.
Retailers for beauty and wellness stores, skincare brands, aromatherapy products, and clean beauty brands.
Faire offers direct integration with Shopify for online retailers and their respective stores.
Grocery, pharmacy, or anywhere you’re moving high-volume commodity stock? Faire isn’t the main source of your energy. It continues to be a useful complement for those in need of storing shelves or containers that are beyond the reach of other locals.
The Faire Experience: What Works
1. Net-60 Payment Terms on Opening Orders
Retailers are always drawn to this feature. The customs department typically requires payment of 60 days, which is applied to new shops upon opening, and once they establish a track record, net-60 is automatically activated. It’s an enormous amount for a small operation. Purchase the item, monitor the sales, and settle the bill with all those units brought in.
The traditional wholesale model wants a 50% deposit up front and the balance before anything ships. For a period of two months, Faire provides you with free working capital.
2. Free Returns on Opening Orders
There is no need to worry about returning any items from your first purchase with a brand until 60 days. The affordability of experimentation can be attributed to this one policy. The perfect candle line on the dashboard, but stuck in a corner of the shelf? Rather than being a bin, it retreats.
3. Brand Discovery Is Excellent
The most significant advantage of Faire lies in its search and category selection. The filtering process can be arranged according to the style you prefer (modern, boho, coastal), margin, lead time, minimum order value, and sustainability certifications. As you go along, the “For You” tips also become more effective. It wasn’t until later that I discovered small makers on Instagram, which I had never come across before.
4. A Note From the Buyer Side
Despite the marketing copy, it’s difficult to believe that spending a month in Faire feels like putting on fanciful work. With such an extensive selection, you end up adding twenty comparable ceramic mugs to your wishlist without buying any of them due to the lack of a tight aesthetic perspective. A clear shelf arrangement and a budget limit per category are provided by the platform for retailers to use. Skipping a weekend is wasted by not following through.
👍 What I Love
Net-60 payment terms reduce cashflow stress
No risk, no risk. *Opening orders are returned for free.
100,000+ brands, many exclusive
A single checkout, multiple brands, and a single cart.
Integrations with Shopify, Square, and Clover.
Repetition orders are free of charge under the Faire Direct program.
👎 Honest Drawbacks
Minimum opening orders can feel steep ($100–$300)
The cost of shipping varies depending on the brand and organization.
Makers experience distinct variations in lead time.
Generic and aesthetic uniformity is becoming more prevalent in certain products.
Faire’s 25% commission structure puts smaller brands at a disadvantage.
Pricing: What Does Faire Actually Cost Retailers?
For the purchaser, Faire is available for use at no cost. The absence of a membership, listing fee, or transaction cut is evident. The platform earns its money from brands, typically 25% commission on first orders and 15% on reorders, though Faire Direct can shave that down.
How much will you take: .
Product wholesale price, set by the brand, typically 40–55% off MSRP
Brands are given free shipping with certain brands offering it above the mark.
If you are a seller, the sales tax will be levied by the state.
Because each brand is listed separately on your checkout invoices, the total amount you have to pay for freight is contingent on the number of brands you mix and the cost of each one. Six packages are typically shipped with a six-brand cart, distributed across six timelines.
Curated categories span home décor, apparel, beauty, paper goods, food, jewelry, pets, and kids.
Faire Direct: The Feature Most Retailers Miss
Ask for a Faire Direct link from the regular brand when they add you to their list. It permits maintaining the relationship beyond Faire’s customary commission rate, often at a more affordable cost, while also ensuring that each brand earn greater revenue per unit. Both parties are still protected by Faire in processing payments. The same dashboard, net-60, and free returns are still available. Despite repeated reorders, the brand is not bleeding 25%.
Faire Direct is a way for makers to thank their loyal customers. In practice, many will offer an extra 5–10% off or free shipping once you move to that arrangement.
Integrations and Workflow
The integration between Faire and Shopify is almost effortless for Shopified stores. In just one click, you can publish a new wholesale find to your site with real-time inventory updates and product sync integration. Integrated solutions for businesses that operate through brick-and-mortar POS include Square, Clover, and Lightspeed.
Faire’s bookkeeping section provides you with consolidated monthly summaries and invoice PDFs per brand on your dashboard. While it’s not automated like QuickBooks, the system is clean enough that I didn’t have to worry about using another wholesale tracking tool.
Potential Dealbreakers
There are certain things to keep in mind, but depending on the retailer:
Shipping speed, many indie makers ship within 1–2 weeks, but some take 3–4. Prior to placing an order for a season, Faire provides the lead time for each brand.
The purchase of products from independent brands can result in quality discrepancies. Quality isn’t uniform. Explore ratings, request sample sets, and scale with dependable brands.
Faire’s popular lanes become packed with people due to aesthetic saturation. When trying to distinguish yourself from competitors, it’s better to focus on new products and emerging manufacturers rather than riding the wave of popular sales.
Support response times may be delayed by email for a day or two before settling is reached in case of return disputes or missing packages. You are usually favored, but it isn’t necessarily quick.
The Commission Question, Honestly
Worth naming directly: that 25% first-order commission is brutal for the smallest brands. Certain makers have been known to privately endorse selling through direct sales due to the Faire cut’s ability to eliminate their existing margins. You’re not the only retailer who should deal with that. The importance of flagging Faire Direct early and reordering it is worth it because I want those producers to stay in business.
Faire vs. Traditional Wholesale
Feature
Faire
Traditional Wholesale
Payment terms
Net-60 on approval
50% deposit + balance
Opening orders are infrequently available, and returns are free.
Minimum orders
$100–$300 typical
$500–$2,000+
Search + filters for brand discovery, trade shows, and cold calling.
Integrations
Shopify, Square, Clover
Usually none
FAQ
Is Faire free for retailers?
Yes. Retailers can purchase products without paying any fees from Faire, such as membership or listing charges. All expenses, including shipping and taxes, are covered by you.
How does Faire’s net-60 work?
60 days is the final payment that must be made after placing your order. You receive the brand’s payment upfront and then pay off your invoice within 60 days. Net-60 is usually automatically granted upon opening orders for new retailers.
Can I return products I buy on Faire?
Opening orders with any brand are free to return within 60 days, no questions asked. The brand’s policy mandates that customers cannot return reorders.
Do I need a business license to buy on Faire?
The organization must have been verified. The presence of a business tax ID or resale certificate is mandatory in most countries. While onboarding, Faire examines this. It’s acceptable for retailers to be online only, without the need for a physical storefront.
What is Faire Direct and should I use it?
In Faire Direct, a brand can ask any retailer to purchase products through an exclusive link instead of paying Fairing. The brand retains more money and often redistributes some of the savings to you, while still providing net-60 and Faire’s buyer protection.
The Verdict
🏆 Faire: The Modern Wholesale Stack for Indie Retailers
For a small, differentiated retail shelf, Faire remains the most reliable source of information even after attempting to find it for over ten months. It’s akin to risky experimentation with the brand roster, net-60 terms, and free opening-order returns.
It isn’t flawless. The shipping costs are stacked up on multi-brand carts, the quality is inconsistent between makers, support may be slow for a few days, and the platform’s design tends to be unrefined if you only check out the top-selling sellers. The wholesale sector is unique in having its own set of terms, range, and tooling.
You may have missed out on Faire as an entrepreneur and should now create an account and shop online.
Start Buying on Faire →
*Free to join for verified retailers
Did Faire serve as a shop for you in the past? Which brands have been the most popular among customers in your life? Our upcoming comparison pieces will provide insight into the areas where Faire and other wholesale platforms excel.