Can Makers Contact Stockists Outside of Faire’s Platform?
It’s so exciting to get an order from a new stockist. But the thing that is most satisfying and ultimately transformative to your business is to have long-term relationships with stockists that order from you repeatedly over the span of years.
Those relationships -- as in, you both know each other’s full names and are excited to tell each other’s story -- are the true foundation of your wholesale success. Faire may not be around forever… and when it does close or change, your stability rests in the real connections you have with your stockists.
Further, some makers find that Faire structures store pages and guides their search algorithm in a way that points stockists towards other makers (with lower minimums or prices.) Even when you’ve brought a retailer to Faire using your 0% commission Faire Direct link, it’s possible that stockist could accidentally (or semi-accidentally) order from a competitor.
But this isn’t inevitable. Our most successful makers look at Faire as one piece of their wholesale strategy -- not as their end-to-end approach. They know that they need to connect with stockists who buy from them on Faire, for instance:
Following through with stores who have expressed interest in ordering, and making sure that order comes through.
Checking in immediately after the order arrives to make sure it arrived well and ask whether the stockist needs anything.
Sharing updates, news, and new products with current stockists.
Following up periodically with stockists who haven’t ordered in a while.
One tool for these communications is Faire’s Messenger functionality. In fact, that is the single way that Faire recommends makers contact stockists. Plus, they’ve introduced some cool automated messaging tools that are useful and can save you a bit of time when checking in with stockists. We’ve heard from many makers that using the Messenger tool is important, even if not every store responds.
That said, some makers wonder whether Faire Messenger is sufficient, wondering things like, “What if Faire goes away?”... “Will those messages disappear down the road?”... “Is there a way for me to learn more about the stockist who ordered from me?”... “Am I putting too many eggs in the Faire basket?”
And most crucially: “Can I contact my stockists outside of Faire?”
I’ll be crystal clear here. Our review of Faire’s Terms of Service, their published articles, a detailed study of available third-party articles, as well as correspondence with their staff, has led us to conclude that:
Makers absolutely can contact their stockists outside of Faire’s platform.
Can you then move stockists who found you on Faire off of Faire to save the commission? No. That is explicitly outside their terms of service. But as of November 2022, Faire doesn’t prohibit makers and retailers from connecting, communicating, and corresponding outside of their platform.
So here’s what we recommend in terms of communication with your stockists, including those who buy from you on Faire:
Keep good records on your stockists.
Collect the identity, contact information, and order history for every stockist who buys from you. If you’re on your own, this may take some research -- but it will be worth it in the long run. In Wholesale In a Box, we walk you through a comprehensive, efficient system for doing this — but even a simple system is better than nothing.Stay in close communication.
Create and maintain a communication rhythm for your stockists. It’s OK to use newsletter emails or one-on-one emails for this. The important thing is making these check-ins consistent (about once per season) as well as personal, interesting, and useful.Treat every stockist as well as you can.
Regardless of where the initial store order came from, try to cultivate strong relationships with every stockist you have. Make sure your stockists are the first to hear about sales or new products. Consider sending little thank-yous, freebies, or notes from time to time. And treat each order with a lot of care and consideration. While you can’t ensure every stockist will turn into a long-term relationship, these steps will encourage that with as many stores as possible.Be fair to Faire.
Do not try to move orders off of Faire. Yes, you should cultivate relationships and establish communication with stores via email. But don’t violate Faire’s terms of service that (very reasonably) require that you process reorders with stockists who found you through Faire on Faire.
Faire may be one ingredient in your recipe for wholesale success. It can be a powerful tool, inspiring lots of excitement and hope for wholesale growth. But there are some real downsides to using Faire in ways that aren’t wise -- and I want to help makers navigate towards clarity, towards sustainability, and away from approaches that could backfire in the long run. Ultimately, wholesale is about relationships, and those relationships are in your hands.
Looking for even more resources about Faire and the other wholesale marketplaces available for makers? Here are some that might be helpful: