Online Marketplace Faire Lets Retailers Shop the World

Consumers are increasingly demanding unique merchandise when they shop, but it can be a burden on retailers to constantly seek out and vet new brands. Online B2B marketplace Faire, which just landed a $1 billion valuation after recent Series D funding, looks to make that search easier and reliable with its curated wholesale marketplace of 7,000-plus vendors from 39 countries.

“We heard from many retailers that sourcing from international makers allows them to carry a mix of merchandise from their community alongside bespoke products created by makers from around the world to surprise and delight their customers,” says Max Rhodes, co-founder and CEO of Faire.

With a significant assortment of baby and kids’ apparel, accessories and décor items, retailers can narrow searches with filters like eco-friendly, new, bestsellers, and “not on Amazon.” All order minimums are specified by each vendor, and with immediate deliveries, retailers can fill in merchandise holes, reorder top sellers or jump on hot trends quickly.

“I sell in-season merchandise and have picked up new kids’ retailers through Faire,” says accessories designer Julie Mollo of her eponymous line. “It’s been a gamechanger for me, accounting for a fairly large percentage of my total sales this year.”

Brands pay Faire a 25 percent commission on new orders and 15 percent for reorders, and retailers join for free. Faire notes bestsellers, offers suggestions and helps retailers sharpen future buys. The company also offers brands a toolkit of data insights, financial terms and logistics solutions, even matching them with best-fit retailers.