I've spent 30 years telling retailers, "If you're just working with your family, you have a hobby, not a business." That might sound harsh, but the numbers don't lie. Too many store owners buy what they like instead of what customers want, then wonder why they're staring at dead inventory six months later.
Last week I talked with the team at Faire. I'd never heard of them, which surprised me given my network. Turns out they've built something that solves problems I thought were just part of the game.
Then I asked my Facebook followers what they thought and got inputs that reflected lots of different viewpoints.
Faire describes it as "an end-to-end technology platform for wholesale.” Retailers log in, browse thousands of brands at wholesale pricing, and manage inventory in one space.
When they showed me the platform, I asked the question that matters: "Does Faire aggregate orders into one box like Amazon, or does each brand ship directly?"
Each brand ships directly, through their own carrier relationships or Faire’s negotiated rates. You might get five shipments, but you're not locked into buying a dozen of everything just to hit high minimums. Brands set their order minimums and are encouraged to set low order minimums to drive sales. Retailers can filter for brands with low minimums or free shipping. For a stationery store that normally needs to order 12 animal watercolor workbooks, Faire lets them test with a smaller buy.
David Shelist summed it up in my Facebook thread: "Net 60 terms, no credit limit. Access to unique companies. Small opening orders."
The response from my followers was clear. Henry Ollendick said it straight: "Has revolutionized the industry. I have found more great selling lines on Faire than at the Atlanta mart. Ease of ordering, terms, free shipping, and easy returns."
Whitney Morgan added: "Faire has been a game changer for my biz. We barely see any reps in my area so Faire has introduced me to so many brands I have never heard of. Easy ordering 60 day terms (which is often better than what we got ordering directly). Very easy site to use."
Alison O'Neill had the best soundbite: "I like low minimums to open a new brand, 60 day terms, and the ability to explore new options. Avoid logging in after a couple of cocktails. All sorts of fun things will arrive at your store in less than a week."
When I asked the team at Faire about average orders, they said: "Between $500 and $1,000 if you're talking about all the brands checked out in a session. Individual brands, probably $200 to $300."
But here's what matters more than convenience: Net 60 payment terms. Free returns on your first order with any new brand. Free shipping through the Faire Insider subscription program, a la Amazon Prime.
I told them, "That's huge." Because it is. You can get merchandise in, sell it, and pay for it with the revenue it generates.
Paula Casteel Bolte pointed out something I hadn't thought about: "Super easy claims form, if you're missing or have damaged items in a shipment. They automatically give you credit or ship out what was missing, whichever you choose. Invoices are always easy to find and print out."
Find out more about Faire here
The sales reps came out swinging in my Facebook thread, and they have legitimate points.
Leigh-Ann Stewart Anthony put it clearly: "As a sales rep, I hear about Faire from my customers. I can see how some find it convenient, however as a small business owner, I would hope you see the value in supporting your local reps. Just as you want your customers to shop local and not use online sites, to support your local business which supports your family, we are working hard each day to support ours as well."
Another rep pointed out: "Sometimes they're higher price than just going through your rep, higher opening orders, no specials are put on there that a rep can give you. A rep for each of the companies is worth their weight in gold. They provide monthly specials, freight discounts, free samples for open houses, work open houses, guide me on what is HOT in the market and what's not."
Here's the thing. This doesn't have to be either/or. It can be and.
Faire’s position—whether they’ve said it loudly enough or not - has always been that retailers shouldn’t have to choose between using a platform that makes buying easier and supporting the reps who support them. The goal isn’t to replace reps. It’s to coexist with them.
And recently, that philosophy started showing up more clearly in the product itself. In late 2025, Faire rolled out new sales rep tooling that allows brands to officially link a sales rep to a specific retailer relationship. Once that connection is in place, any time that retailer orders on Faire, the rep is automatically credited on the order.
Why does that matter to you as a retailer? Because it removes the guilt factor. You’re not “cutting your rep out” by ordering on Faire when it’s convenient - late at night, between shows, or when you just need to restock quickly. Your rep still gets credit. They can still earn commission. And the relationship stays intact.
On Faire, you get net 60 terms. You get free returns. You get simplified claims. And your rep relationships stay healthy.
Good reps know the market. They bring you deals. They work your open houses. They keep you from making stupid buying decisions. Those relationships matter.
Faire fills the gaps. When you don’t have a rep in your area, when you’re too small for a line you want to test, or when you need flexibility in how and when you buy. Used the right way, it doesn’t replace the relationship. It supports it.
Susan Peterson Johnson got it right: "Yes, I use Faire and I also use reps. There are some companies on Faire that do not have reps. It's a good place to find new products. From there you can also reach out to the company directly and they can tell you if they have reps for your area."
Paula Casteel Bolte added: "I use mostly for smaller companies, and make sure I don't buy from companies that I have a good rep for."
That's smart business. Use both tools. Don't replace relationships that work. Add tools that fill gaps.
Two types. The team at Faire explained: "There are the seasonal shoppers, and then there are the 'people who are checking out weekly."
Some retailers hit Faire's bi-annual sales event, Faire Market, in January and July when everything's up to 40% off. Others scroll on their phones in bed and order as they go.
The platform primarily serves small to midsized retailers, but also reaches those doing tens of millions in sales. That means bigger players are using Faire too. Stores that go to association trade shows. Stores that hit the marts in Atlanta and Dallas. Stores that have reps calling on them regularly.
If the goal is to find out what's working, their analytics would be helpful. Faire has hundreds of thousands of stores on the platform. They can show you what's selling in comparable shops.
As the team at Faire put it: "You might not know what's going to sell, but we have thousands of stores that are similar to yours. We can help you find what will sell."
That's different from guessing based on what looks good in your house.
Carol Will captured why the 24/7 access matters: "It's difficult going to multiple sites. Following up with multiple vendors. Late at night you can shop and put everything in one cart to review later."
Some people complained that retailers on Faire carry the same stuff as everyone else. They need things that are unique.
Maybe. But unique doesn't mean it turns and makes you money, especially if you're not selling $5 million a year.
I told a guy the other day who wants to open a new store: "You think you need 30 to 40 people buying $100 more a day. Dude, your conversion rate, if you're lucky, is 15%. You're going to need 250 people through that door. That's serious foot traffic."
Most people opening stores have no idea what the real numbers look like. They think unique merchandise will save them. It won't. What saves you is merchandise that turns.
Mischa Roy Bennett, who sells on Faire and buys from it, pointed this out: "The other thing I do notice when I travel a lot: I can tell when I see a 'Faire' store, buying the same extremely popular lines like everyone else. It's very noticeable."
You know what else is noticeable? Stores that go out of business because they bought merchandise that nobody wanted.
If thousands of stores are buying certain lines on Faire, maybe there's a reason. Maybe those lines sell. Maybe your job isn't to be different. Maybe your job is to make money by giving customers what they want.
Faire lets you do both. They’ll highlight the bestselling brands that will sell well in your store while giving access to the unique brands nobody else in your neighborhood carries.
New retailers need help stocking their first store. Nobody will give them credit. Distributors won't return calls. Brands won't talk to them because they have no track record.
The team at Faire explained: "Through our Open with Faire program we offer new stores up to $20k in credit on 60-day terms to help them fund that first wave of inventory. Those are some of our best customers over time. Access to working capital as a small business is incredibly difficult—we want to support the next generation of retail entrepreneurs."
They also offer Faire Academy, a step-by-step free guide covering everything retailers need to know to make a store opening a big success.
Gerri Talevich confirmed this: "I loved Faire for a small business. I was able to purchase from companies that normally had too large of a minimum open order. They were super easy to work with. Would highly recommend."
I've watched too many new retailers go under in year one because they made huge buys to meet minimums, bought merchandise they couldn't move, and then sat on it while seasons changed. You can't turn pansies into maple leaves.
Lynn Tebbetts Silverthorn summed up the real use case: "It's a fantastic way to find small companies that don't have a rep."
Ellie Mickey added: "A lot of my vendors are on Faire, great for them, not for us. They don't go to shows or send reps anymore. I understand it's a cost saving move. It is hard to really look at jewelry on a screen."
Lois Paganini nailed the limitation: "I think seeing things at a market is crucial. I've purchased things online (Faire and other platforms) and from reps showing catalogs and have bought some things I would have NEVER bought had I seen them in person."
When I mentioned trade shows to the team at Faire, I said, "Trade shows must hate you."
They acknowledged the relationship hasn’t always been seamless, but emphasized the real value trade shows continue to offer - being able to see and touch products in person still matters to buyers- while framing Faire as an always-on option to diversify how and when retailers buy.
They partner with some shows now. People still want to get out, see products in person, take their January vacation. Faire hasn't killed that. It's added an option.
This isn't about choosing between Faire and sales reps. Use both.
Keep your rep relationships. They matter. They know your market. They bring you opportunities. They show up when you need them.
Add Faire for what it does well. Finding brands without reps in your area. Testing new products with low minimums. Filling gaps at 2 AM when you can't sleep and you're thinking about your store. Seeing what's actually selling in stores like yours instead of guessing.
The buying process has been broken for independent retailers forever. You're too small for the big brands. Distributors force minimums you can't afford. You guess on what will sell based on what you like, which is almost always wrong.
Faire reduces those mistakes. Lower minimums mean smaller bets. Free returns mean testing without consequence. Net 60 terms mean you're not financing inventory out of pocket. Analytics show you what turns in stores your size.
It's free to try. No cost to retailers. Order something, and if it doesn't work, send it back free within 30 days.
Check them out at faire.com. Use it smart. Add tools that solve problems. And stop worrying so much about being unique.
Worry about making money.
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