In short
- Founded 2017 in San Francisco by Square alumni, $12.4B valuation in 2021
- Connects independent brands (home, beauty, food, apparel) to 700K+ independent retailers in the US, EU, and beyond
- Free to list. 25% commission on first orders from new retailers, 15% on repeat orders, 0% on Faire Direct invited retailers
- Strong fit for indie consumer brands seeking wholesale without building a sales team. Less fit for high-margin or established wholesale operations
What is Faire
Faire is a B2B wholesale marketplace that connects independent consumer brands with roughly 700K independent retailers around the world. Founded in 2017 in San Francisco by four Square alumni, including CEO Max Rhodes, Faire raised from Y Combinator, Sequoia, and Founders Fund on its way to a $12.4B valuation in late 2021. The pitch is straightforward, replace the traditional trade-show and sales-rep wholesale model with a marketplace where indie brands can list once and get discovered by thousands of boutique buyers across home, beauty, food, apparel, and gift categories.
Where Faire fits in 2026
Faire is the default online wholesale channel for indie consumer brands that want a B2B revenue line without hiring a full sales team. The sweet spot is the brand making between $200K and $5M in annual revenue, where the founder is already shipping product but cannot personally attend trade shows or cold-call boutiques. Listing is free, retailers go through Faire’s verification, and Faire fronts the risk on Net 60 payment terms. The trade-off is the commission and the exclusivity dynamics, brands signing the Faire Direct or Insider programs accept marketing constraints that limit how aggressively they can promote their own wholesale site. For brands with strong existing rep networks or established boutique relationships, Faire often becomes a secondary discovery channel rather than the primary engine.
How Faire compares to alternatives
- Abound. US-focused indie wholesale marketplace with broadly similar economics, smaller retailer network. Pick Abound if you want a less crowded marketplace experience.
- Bulletin. Curated and smaller, leaning toward design-forward brands and boutiques. Higher quality bar, slimmer reach.
- Tundra. No-commission model that pushes more cost to brands via subscription. Better unit economics at scale, weaker retailer demand.
- Direct wholesale (own site + reps). Higher margin and full customer relationship, but needs trade-show presence, a sales operation, and the cash flow to extend Net 30 to 60 directly. Faire absorbs that work for a 15-25% take.
FAQ about Faire
What does Faire charge brands?
Faire charges brands 25% commission on the first order from a new retailer it brings you, 15% on every reorder from that retailer, and 0% on Faire Direct orders from retailers you invite yourself. There is also a $10 transaction fee per order, and brands outside North America pay an additional 10% referral fee on first orders.
How does Faire work for retailers?
Retailers sign up free, get verified as a real business, then browse and order from thousands of brands with Net 60 payment terms and free returns on opening orders. Faire absorbs the risk of non-payment so brands ship without worrying about retailer credit.
Is Faire only for the US?
No. Faire is headquartered in San Francisco but operates globally, with strong retailer bases in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and across the EU. International first-order commission is higher (35% combined) than the US 25% rate.
What categories sell best on Faire?
Home and lifestyle, beauty and personal care, food and drink, apparel and accessories, and stationery all see strong volume. Indie boutiques use Faire to round out assortments alongside their bigger national brand lines.
Does Faire have AI?
Yes. Faire uses machine learning to match retailers with brands they are likely to buy from, surface trending assortments by region and store type, and personalise the marketplace browse for each buyer. The recommendation engine is what makes the marketplace function at scale.
How to use Faire?
Sign up at https://www.faire.com/sell, upload your catalogue, set wholesale prices and a minimum order, then wait for retailers to discover you. Most brands ship their first order within two weeks of listing.
Why choose Faire?
Faire is the largest indie wholesale marketplace and the simplest way for a small brand to reach thousands of independent retailers without trade shows or a sales team.
How does Faire work?
Brands list their catalogue at wholesale prices, retailers discover and order, Faire handles payment processing and Net 60 terms, then takes a 15-25% commission on each order while the brand ships direct.
Is Faire free?
It is free for brands to create an account and list products. You only pay Faire’s commission and the $10 transaction fee when an order ships.
How to learn Faire?
Faire maintains the Faire Learning Hub at https://www.faire.com/blog with playbooks for brands and retailers, and the Faire Summit conference talks are on YouTube. Their support team helps onboard brands during the first few orders.
What are Faire reviews?
Faire is rated 4.0 on Trustpilot with 10,864 reviews from retailers and brands. See https://www.trustpilot.com/review/faire.com for detailed feedback.
Does Faire have an API?
Yes. Faire offers a brand API for catalogue sync, order ingestion, and inventory updates, and apps for Shopify, BigCommerce, and other platforms automate the connection. Documentation is at https://www.faire.com/api.
Does Faire have a trial or a demo?
There is no trial because listing is free. Brands sign up, upload products, and only pay commission when orders ship.
What are Faire’s pain points?
The 25% first-order commission is high for thin-margin categories, and the Faire Direct and Insider programs limit how aggressively brands can sell on their own wholesale sites. Several brands have publicly criticised the exclusivity terms, and unhappy retailers occasionally surface shipping or quality issues on Trustpilot.
Faire pricing
Faire is free to list. Plans are organised as 25% commission on first orders, 15% on reorders. See the full Faire pricing page for current tiers and any add-ons.
