If you‘re a small business looking to expand your wholesale presence or a retailer searching for unique, high-quality products to stock your shelves, you‘ve likely come across Faire in your research. This innovative online marketplace has made major waves since launching in 2017, attracting over 70,000 brands and 300,000 retailers globally.
But what exactly is Faire and how can it benefit your business? In this comprehensive Faire Wholesale review, we‘ll cover everything you need to know – from key features and top selling categories to real customer experiences and FAQs. By the end, you‘ll have a clear sense of whether Faire is the right fit for your brand or store. Let‘s dive in!
What is Faire Wholesale? An Overview of the Marketplace
In a nutshell, Faire is a wholesale platform that enables emerging and established brands to connect with independent retailers around the world. The company‘s mission is to empower small businesses to compete with big box retailers by providing them with the tools, data, and financing they need to thrive.
For brands, Faire offers exposure to a huge network of vetted retailers actively seeking to stock their shelves with unique products. Creating a shop and uploading products is free, and Faire only takes a commission when an order is placed. Brands handle their own production, inventory, and shipping, while Faire facilitates the ordering and payment process to create a seamless experience.
Retailers can sign up for free to access Faire‘s carefully curated marketplace featuring distinctive apparel, accessories, home goods, beauty products, packaged foods, and more. With no minimums, 60-day payment terms, and free returns on opening orders, Faire makes it easy and low-risk for stores to test out products and discover new bestsellers.
"Our goal is to help independent brands and retailers compete in an increasingly digital and consolidated retail industry," said Max Rhodes, CEO of Faire. "By providing a global platform to connect them directly, we give them superpowers to grow on their own terms."
Since launching out of Y Combinator in 2017, Faire has seen stunning growth – expanding to 19 markets, raising over $1 billion in funding, and reaching a $12.4B valuation. The company now has over 700 employees across 10 global offices.
Top Reasons Brands Love Selling on Faire Wholesale
For emerging brands and independent makers, getting products in front of the right retailers is often the biggest challenge. Faire helps solve that by connecting you with its vast network of engaged retail partners around the globe. Here are some of the key benefits:
1. Reach 300k+ Vetted Retailers
Faire is highly selective about the retailers allowed to shop on its platform, ensuring your products get in front of high-quality, reputable stores that align with your brand. Retailers go through an application and vetting process to join.
2. Retain Control of Your Brand
With Faire, you maintain ownership of your brand, pricing, production, and fulfillment. Unlike some other wholesale platforms, Faire never buys inventory – they simply provide the infrastructure to connect you with retailers and facilitate orders. Your products and customer relationships remain yours.
3. Hands-Off Order Management
Faire acts as an intermediary, managing all retailer orders, payments, and returns on your behalf so you can focus on production and fulfillment. Real-time inventory syncing prevents overselling and their chat tool makes communication easy.
4. Flexible, Fast Payouts
With Faire Direct Pay, you‘ll receive payment as soon as an order ships, minus a 25% commission and payment processing fees. Need funds to cover production costs? Faire Capital provides eligible brands with accelerated payouts and financing up to 30% of their sales.
5. Free Order Returns
To help retailers feel confident ordering from your shop, Faire offers free returns on all opening orders within 60 days of delivery. If a product doesn‘t sell, the retailer can send it back at no cost to you or them – Faire covers return shipping and refunds the retailer on your behalf.
"As a small business, cash flow was the biggest obstacle in growing wholesale," said Will Kornegay, founder of Raleigh Provisions. "With Faire, we get paid quickly, have help managing orders and communication, and can reach stores across the country. It‘s been a game-changer for us."
How Retailers Benefit from Buying Wholesale on Faire
On the flip side, Faire has loads to offer small retailers looking for exciting new products to delight their customers and outshine competitors. Over 300,000 independent shops around the world rely on Faire to source unique inventory while keeping costs and risk low.
1. Discover Unique, Curated Products
Faire‘s team of experienced merchandisers hand-selects each of the 70,000+ makers on the platform, ensuring a diverse yet curated selection of products you won‘t find in big-box stores. Find your next bestsellers from up-and-coming brands in apparel, home, beauty, food, and more.
2. No Minimums and Easy Ordering
Unlike traditional wholesaling, Faire has no minimum order quantities or order value thresholds. Order exactly what you need, when you need it. Intuitive search tools and personalized recommendations make it easy to find products your customers will love.
3. 60-Day Payment Terms
To help with cash flow, Faire offers Net 60 payment terms on every order. You have 60 days to pay for products after delivery – enough time to sell through inventory before the bill comes due. Partial payments are also accepted if you can‘t pay the full balance at once.
4. Free Returns on Opening Orders
To take the risk out of trying new brands, Faire offers free returns within 60 days on your first order with any brand. If the products don‘t sell, just ship them back with a prepaid return label. It‘s a no-brainer way to test best-sellers and diversify your assortment.
"The number one benefit of Faire for me is being able to try out products from brands I‘ve never heard of without worrying about meeting high minimums," said Jill Johnson, owner of Green Bambino. "I‘ve found so many unique items my customers love, completely risk-free. It‘s really helped my store stand out."
Popular Product Categories on Faire
Now that you have a sense of how Faire works and benefits both sides of the marketplace, let‘s take a look at some of the most sought-after categories and items you‘ll find:
Home Decor & Kitchen
Freshen up your home goods section with eye-catching accents, on-trend furniture, tabletop essentials, and gourmet packaged foods. Top-selling subcategories include candles, pillows, barware, serveware, coffee and tea, gourmet snacks, and artisanal pantry staples.
Women‘s Apparel, Accessories & Footwear
Stay on top of the latest fashion trends with Faire‘s extensive selection of women‘s clothing, jewelry, bags, hats, and more. Filter by dozens of themes like cottagecore, Y2K, coastal grandmother, or dark academia aesthetics. One-of-a-kind items from independent designers will give your apparel assortment a special touch.
Beauty & Wellness
From clean skincare to small-batch soaps and indie makeup brands, Faire is a goldmine for unique beauty finds. Stock up on gua sha tools, artisanal bath bombs, CBD tinctures, and other buzzworthy self-care products. You‘ll also find plenty of men‘s grooming goods and gender-neutral options.
Jewelry
Expand your accessories with Faire‘s wide array of distinctive baubles – from delicate layering chains to bold statement earrings. Sort by dozens of styles, materials, and themes to find just the right fit for your store. Many brands offer customization options for personalized pieces.
Kids & Baby
Faire has everything you need to outfit the littlest ones, from organic layette sets and non-toxic toys to eco-friendly lunch gear and beyond. Discover sustainable brands, handmade wooden toys, and heirloom-quality gifts that will stand out from mass-produced options.
Is Faire Wholesale Legit?
By this point, you‘re probably wondering – this all sounds great, but is Faire actually legitimate? Can I trust this company with my business? The short answer is a resounding yes. Here‘s why:
Since launching in 2017, Faire has seen explosive growth and won the trust of over 70,000 brands and 300,000 retailers around the world. The company has raised over $1 billion from top investors like Sequoia Capital, Forerunner Ventures, and Y Combinator. It‘s been featured in major publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal.
Faire also boasts an impressive 4.9-star rating (out of 5) in the App Store with over 10,000 reviews. On Trustpilot, the company maintains a 4.4-star rating with over 1,000 reviews from verified brands and retailers. A sampling of feedback:
"Faire has transformed my business! The platform makes wholesaling so much easier by connecting me with great retailers, handling all the orders and finances, and offering quick payouts. Plus, their team is super helpful whenever I have a question. Highly recommend!" – James, Brand Owner
"An essential tool for any small retailer. Huge selection of unique products, easy ordering, and free returns have allowed me to grow my store‘s offerings without risk. I‘ve found so many great new brands and the 60-day terms help a ton with cash flow." – Lauren, Boutique Owner
Of course, no company is perfect and a handful of reviewers mentioned minor technical glitches or wishing for more advanced features. But the vast majority of Faire‘s users seem highly satisfied and view the platform as an invaluable partner in growing their businesses.
The Final Verdict: Is Faire Wholesale Right for You?
We‘ve covered a lot of ground in this Faire Wholesale review – from the key benefits for brands and retailers to real customer testimonials and a look at some popular product categories. But now for the big question: is selling or buying on Faire right for your business?
In my opinion, most independent brands and retailers have a ton to gain and very little to lose by joining Faire:
For brands, the platform offers unparalleled exposure to a huge audience of vetted retailers around the world. Setting up shop is free, you maintain control of your products and brand, and Faire‘s tools make order management and financing a breeze. The free return policy reduces risk and encourages retailers to test your products. If you‘re looking to grow wholesale revenue, Faire is absolutely worth a shot.
For retailers, Faire‘s vast yet curated marketplace, lack of minimums, and generous payment terms make it a no-brainer for finding unique inventory while keeping costs low. You can easily test out new products and brands risk-free to diversify your selection. Thousands of glowing reviews suggest Faire delivers on its promises.
If you‘re ready to give Faire a try, simply head to faire.com to apply for a free account. After a quick vetting process, you‘ll be ready to start selling or shopping wholesale with the click of a button. While Faire doesn‘t offer any promotions or discounts, the value of the platform itself more than justifies the cost.
One important note – Faire is a global company and available to brands and retailers in over a dozen countries worldwide. However, the exact regions supported and currencies transacted in may vary. Check Faire‘s website for the current list of active markets.
I hope this in-depth Faire Wholesale review gave you the insights needed to determine whether the marketplace aligns with your business goals. For additional questions, Faire offers an extensive Help Center, email support, and a community forum to assist users. Happy wholesaling!
