Faire, Tundra, and Bulletin: How to Compare and Choose The Right Wholesale Marketplace For You
Updated March 2026
When you're a maker growing your wholesale business, the crowd of wholesale marketplaces can feel bewildering. One maker says she thrived on Faire, while another tells horror stories of stolen stockists. Some makers put their line on every marketplace while others grow wholesale without using marketplaces at all. Each marketplace has different advantages, disadvantages, and risks.
In fact, many (perhaps most) makers now see marketplaces as a key part of their wholesale plan. In working with over 2,000 makers at Wholesale In a Box, we've watched marketplaces come and go and heard first-hand from makers about their successes and challenges on marketplaces.
And "come and go" is the key phrase. If there's one lesson from the last few years, it's that wholesale marketplaces are not permanent. Tundra, Abound, Bulletin, Handshake, and JuniperMarket have all shut down. Powered By People pivoted from a traditional marketplace to a dropship-first platform. Faire has grown into the dominant market leader. New options like Creoate continue to grow. The landscape is always shifting — which makes it all the more important to choose wisely and not put all your eggs in one basket.
In this article, we'll help you:
Understand what wholesale marketplaces are and how they work.
Learn the key things to consider when choosing a marketplace.
Get a quick overview of the current marketplace options — and what happened to the ones that closed.
Gather practical advice from makers and independent brands on how to approach marketplaces strategically.
Ultimately, you'll make your own decision about whether marketplaces are right for you — and if so, which to apply to — but we hope that this information can help you make that decision in the way that serves you best.
What Wholesale Marketplaces Are and What They Can Do
As you probably know, in-person wholesale trade shows traditionally dominated the industry when it came to independent brands selling to store owners or buyers. These trade shows can cost between $5K–$20K to attend and show at — but for a long time (and before COVID), they often yielded a barrage of sales. Reps (people who represent your line to stores in exchange for a commission) were another option.
Over time, both of these avenues have become less reliable. Trade shows have seen dwindling attendance and lackluster sales, especially for lesser-known brands. Reps tend to work with only those brands who already have a strong base of stockists.
Wholesale marketplaces started popping up in recent years, with IndieMe and Etsy Wholesale (both since closed) being the earliest players — and Faire becoming the market leader. A wholesale marketplace is like Etsy for businesses — independent brands post their products on the site; buyers then search for products and buy directly through that platform. Faire came on the scene with lots of venture capital behind them and has secured a dominant presence in the space. Other marketplaces are smaller but may have distinct advantages for makers.
There are several fantastic things about wholesale marketplaces as a way of growing wholesale:
Usually no up-front cost to join.
Exposure to stores you might not have found otherwise.
Little effort on your part to get set up.
The online model works well in our post-COVID low-contact world.
The marketplace may be able to offer terms or tools you might not be able to offer (e.g., Net 60, free shipping, streamlined wholesale ordering, etc.)
That said, there are some general disadvantages to wholesale marketplaces:
You may not be accepted, and if you're rejected, you don't usually get reasons why.
Commissions can be very high and usually apply to every order for the lifetime of the account.
As marketplaces grow, it can become a lot of work to stay visible and relevant in their algorithm, including paying for promoted listings.
It can be hard to cultivate relationships or reorders with stores.
Marketplaces can change their terms, shift their model, or shut down entirely — and your stockist relationships on the platform don't "go with you."
Key Things to Consider When Choosing a Wholesale Marketplace
We've seen some makers thrive with their use of a marketplace and others suffer. Overall, the difference tends to be in their approach. So here are some things to keep in mind with your overall strategy with respect to marketplaces.
Don't expect any marketplace to be a silver bullet. You may see some new sales when you start with a marketplace, but you won't see a barrage of orders, sustainably. So don't depend on that type of "fix-all" effect on your business.
Diversify your approach. Marketplaces come and go — we've watched several close over the last few years — and it's simply not wise to rest the success of your business on a single platform. Consider balancing more passive and more active approaches, consider using more than one marketplace to decrease the risk if they change or disappear, and consider cultivating relationships with stockists through multiple channels. It's important to look at your wholesale growth holistically and balance your tools accordingly.
Don't assume the marketplace is "handling" wholesale. Marketplaces are a tool like any other tool you use. They can't set your strategy, forge relationships, follow up with stockists, or ensure longevity. It's crucial to look at wholesale growth and wholesale relationships as very much "your job" even as you use tools like marketplaces to help you.
Prioritize real relationships. You can make sales through a marketplace but you can also make relationships. Most marketplaces allow you to contact stores outside of the platform (as long as you continue to channel your orders through them.) So it's crucial to make sure you're following up and cultivating great relationships with store owners through email and social media (even if the order itself is through the platform.)
Compare commission percentage, fees, and policies carefully. Many of your marketplace options will either charge a commission rate, where they keep a percentage of your sales revenue per order, or they will charge a flat membership fee (monthly or annual) without taking commission. Whichever option sounds like the better deal for your business, consider your order minimum and then factor in the fees for both scenarios to assess the profit margins and figure out which fee structure makes the most financial sense for you.
Be cautious about bringing stockists to the marketplace. Some marketplaces will incentivize makers by offering 0% commission if you bring your existing stockists to their platform. It's tempting, but there's a lot that can go wrong. Many makers have found that marketplaces don't always follow through with this agreement, or the referral won't be counted if the stockist doesn't use your correct referral link. Generally there's little explanation and no resolution for either case. That said, sometimes tools like Faire Direct can be a great way to stay visible in the algorithm… so it’s just a matter of engaging thoughtfully.
Look at your marketplace storefront from the buyer's eyes. You'll also want to take a closer look at the marketplace from a buyer's perspective. Is your storefront directing potential buyers (or your current stockists) away from your page to other comparable brands with lower minimums and prices? Is your brand lost in a sea of competition? Gaining visibility across the marketplace often means spending on ads, which ultimately means more cost on your end.
The Current Wholesale Marketplace Landscape
The marketplace space has consolidated significantly. Here's a quick overview of where things stand today.
Faire is the clear market leader, with over 700,000 retailers and 100,000+ brands across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Their commission structure is 15% on marketplace orders plus a $10 new customer fee on first orders from a new retailer, with 0% commission available through Faire Direct (your referral link to existing stockists). Faire requires an application to sell. They handle payments, offer Net 60 terms to retailers, and provide free returns on first orders. For most makers, Faire is the first marketplace to consider — and for many, it's the primary one.
For a deep dive, see: Faire Wholesale Reviews and Maker Tips
Creoate is a UK-based wholesale marketplace that has grown to over 250,000 active retailers and 6,500+ brands across the UK, Europe, Canada and the US. Their commission is 20% on first-time orders and 15% on reorders, with 0% on referred retailers. No application is required — just account verification. Creoate handles shipping (including DDP for international orders), and they've added useful features like Trade Direct (letting you offer NET terms to any wholesale buyer with Creoate handling collections). Creoate is a particularly strong option for UK and European brands, and for US brands looking to reach those markets.
For a deep dive, see: Creoate Wholesale Marketplace: Brand Tips + How It Compares To Faire
Powered By People (PBP) is a sustainability-focused platform that pivoted in January 2025 from a traditional wholesale marketplace to a dropship-first model. PBP now primarily connects makers with large retail partners like West Elm, Nordstrom, and Pottery Barn through their dropship program, charging a 20% commission. Dropshipping is a fundamentally different model from traditional wholesale — and it won't be the right fit for most makers — but PBP could be worth exploring if sustainability is central to your brand and you're set up for high-volume individual order fulfillment via Shopify.
For a deep dive, see: What You Need to Know About: Powered By People
There are also niche or category-specific platforms (like JOOR for luxury fashion, or FashionGo for fashion and accessories) that may be relevant depending on your product category.
What Happened to the Marketplaces That Closed or Changed?
If you're searching for information about Tundra, Abound, Bulletin, Handshake, or JuniperMarket — here's a quick summary of what happened. The closures of these platforms are a useful reminder of why diversification matters.
Tundra operated from 2017 to 2023. It was a well-known wholesale marketplace with a zero-commission model — instead of charging brands a percentage of sales, their revenue came from shipping, advertising, and other services. Tundra had about 30,000 retailers and attracted both independent brands and larger product companies. In mid-2023, Tundra announced it was shutting down, blaming anticompetitive practices by Faire and filing an antitrust lawsuit. Faire countersued, alleging Tundra had scraped its platform data. Tundra's founders briefly launched a replacement called Wholesale Co-Op, but that also closed in early 2024. For more, see: Tundra Wholesale Reviews and Maker Tips
Abound was a curated wholesale marketplace focused on independent brands and retailers in the US and UK. They offered lower commission rates than Faire (15% on first orders, 8% on reorders with a 45-day payout) and had about 10,000 retailers. In mid-2023, Abound pivoted to a drop-shipping model called Droply. In early 2024, Abound was acquired by Carro, a Shopify-based cross-selling app. The Abound wholesale marketplace no longer exists. For more, see: Abound Wholesale Reviews and Maker Tips
Bulletin is a curated wholesale marketplace focused on design-forward brands. It was founded in 2015 and originally included physical retail pop-ups in New York City. In 2022, Bulletin was acquired by Emerald Holding, the parent company of the NY NOW trade show, and now serves as the digital marketplace integrated with NY NOW events. Bulletin is still operating — it's smaller and more niche than Faire, but it remains an option for brands that fit its curated aesthetic. For more see: What Makers Need to Know About Bulletin and NY NOW Online
Handshake was Shopify's wholesale marketplace. Despite Shopify's resources and reach, Handshake never gained significant traction and closed in late 2023. For more see: What You Need to Know About Shopify’s Handshake Wholesale Platform
JuniperMarket launched in January 2022 as an online marketplace backed by International Market Centers (IMC), a company with 60+ years of experience running physical wholesale markets. It paired online ordering with in-person showrooms. Less than a year after launch, both the CEO and President stepped down in a major restructuring, and the platform shifted to requiring in-person showroom participation. JuniperMarket closed permanently in October 2023. For more, see: What Was JuniperMarket? (And What Happened To It)
How to Decide Which Marketplace Is Right For You
The interesting thing about marketplaces is that every brand's results are different. We hear from dozens of brands each month reporting dramatically different sales volumes on each marketplace. The good news is that the cost of getting set up is generally low, so you do have the ability to experiment until you find your best fit (and place to focus.)
Here are some practical questions to help you decide:
What's your geographic focus? If you're primarily selling to US shops, Faire is the obvious starting point. If you want to reach UK and European retailers, Creoate is worth a serious look. If sustainability-focused retail partners are your goal, PBP may be relevant.
What can your margins handle? Commission rates range from 15–25% depending on the platform and order type. Run the numbers for your specific products and make sure the math works before committing.
How important is control over your relationships? Some platforms give you more access to buyer information and communication than others. If cultivating direct relationships with stockists is a priority (and it should be), pay attention to how much access and communication each platform allows.
Are you prepared for the operational requirements? Each platform has its own expectations around shipping speed, order acceptance, message response time, and more. Make sure you can meet those requirements consistently, because falling short will hurt your visibility on the platform.
Can you diversify? Ideally, no single marketplace should be your entire wholesale strategy. A balanced approach — direct outreach to new shops, cultivating relationships with your current stockists, and using one or more marketplaces strategically — will serve your business best over time.
As always, we recommend looking at any marketplace as just one tool in your wholesale toolbox. Ultimately, the relationships that create the foundation of your business are the main asset you have — and it's wise to cultivate those relationships in ways that are balanced and sustainable. That may mean using several wholesale platforms and tools simultaneously, and strategically.
How We Can Help You Grow Wholesale:
Wholesale In a Box
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The Wholesale Reset
Our free email course for more advanced brands — we’ll help you reset your approach to wholesale and take concrete steps forward to change your results. Sign up here.