What You Need to Know About: Powered By People

Aug 16

Updated March 2026

The more Faire becomes a market leader, it's easy to feel like Faire is the "only" wholesale platform that brands need to know about. But there are some great platforms that serve a more specific niche. And that focus can be an incredible opportunity. Sometimes these platforms have better terms and buyers who are a better fit — so are worth considering as a part of your overall wholesale strategy.

One platform worth knowing about is Powered By People (PBP). In this article, we'll dig into what PBP is, their sustainability focus, what it costs, and how to think about whether PBP is right for you.

Important context: In January 2025, PBP made a major shift in how they operate. They shut down their traditional online marketplace (where buyers could browse and place wholesale orders directly) and pivoted to focus primarily on their Dropship program. They still support some wholesale purchasing upon request, but dropship is now the core of what they do. We'll be upfront: dropshipping is a different model from traditional wholesale, and it won't be the right fit for most makers and small brands. But PBP is still worth understanding, especially if sustainability is central to your brand.

What is Powered By People?

Powered By People (PBP) is a sustainability-focused platform that connects makers and independent producers around the world with retail buyers in North America. Founded in 2021 by Ella Peinovich, Hedvig Alexander and Alison Phillips, PBP combines tech, economic development, and retail experience with a mission to take sustainable buying mainstream.

What sets PBP apart from most wholesale platforms is its values-driven focus. PBP works specifically with sustainably-minded makers — and requires sellers to go through their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) verification process. Their community includes thousands of maker partners across dozens of countries, with products spanning home decor, fashion accessories, and apothecary items.

Rather than being a marketplace where stores browse and buy (like Faire), PBP now operates primarily as a managed dropship catalog — connecting makers with a network of larger retailers who list and sell those products on their own sites.

How Does Powered By People Work Now?

The main way makers sell through PBP today is through PBP Dropship. In short: you apply, get approved, import your products via PBP's Shopify app, and PBP shares your catalog with their retailer network. When a customer orders through one of those retailers, the order appears in your Shopify Admin and you ship it directly to the consumer. Your products ship under the retailer's branding, not yours.

PBP's dropship network includes major retailers like West Elm, Pottery Barn, Nordstrom, Macy's, Crate & Barrel, and Wayfair — retailers that are typically very difficult for independent makers to access on their own. PBP handles the retailer integrations, technical compliance, marketing, and promotions.

The program currently requires makers to use Shopify and to have inventory available in the US (though PBP offers warehousing solutions for international makers who need them). PBP also requires exclusivity for the dropship channel.

Beyond dropship, PBP has a concierge service (PBP MKT+) for working with large retailers on custom product opportunities, and they still support traditional wholesale purchasing on a case-by-case basis upon request.

What Does Powered By People Cost?

PBP charges a 20% commission on dropship orders. This is calculated as 20% below your wholesale price, and covers PBP's commission as well as platform integrations, marketing, promotions, and return fees. There's no upfront cost to join.

It's worth noting that some of PBP's retail partners take additional markups on top of that 20%. Between PBP's commission and the retailer's margins, the net amount you receive can end up being a relatively small portion of what the product sells for at retail. Run the numbers carefully for your specific margins.

PBP also offers advance payment financing through their Maker FlexPay program — makers can access a cash advance worth up to 50% of order value when the order is confirmed — and a broader financing program with a 5–7% fee.

For makers who bring their own wholesale buyers to PBP's system, commission is 0% on those orders.

How Is PBP Different From Faire?

These platforms serve quite different purposes:

PBP is sustainability-focused and requires ESG verification. Faire is a general wholesale marketplace.
PBP operates primarily as a managed dropship platform connecting you with large retailers. Faire is an open marketplace where independent retail shops browse and buy directly.
PBP charges 20% on dropship orders. Faire charges 15% on marketplace orders (plus a $10 new customer fee on first orders), and 0% on Faire Direct orders.
PBP connects you with retailers like West Elm, Nordstrom, and Pottery Barn. Faire's buyer base is primarily independent shops and boutiques.
PBP requires Shopify and US-based inventory for dropship, and requires exclusivity on that channel. Faire has broader accessibility and no exclusivity requirements.

The biggest difference, though, is the model itself. On Faire, you're doing traditional wholesale — stores order from you, and you ship to the store. On PBP Dropship, you're shipping individual orders to end consumers on behalf of a retailer. That's a fundamentally different workflow.

Is Powered By People Right For You?

For most makers and small brands focused on growing wholesale, PBP's current dropship-first model may not be the most natural fit. Dropship requires a different operational rhythm than wholesale — fast turnaround on individual consumer orders (48 hours), consistent inventory levels, and shipping under someone else's branding rather than building direct relationships with stockists.

That said, PBP could be worth exploring if:

Sustainability is central to your brand. PBP's entire ecosystem is built around sustainably-produced goods, which means the buyers you reach are specifically looking for those qualities.
You want access to large retailers. Getting your products onto West Elm or Nordstrom is extraordinarily difficult on your own. PBP handles the integrations and compliance that make that possible.
You're already set up for high-volume fulfillment. If you're on Shopify, have US-based inventory, and can handle individual order fulfillment at a fast pace, the operational requirements may not be a stretch.
Your margins can absorb the fees. Between PBP's 20% and the retailer's additional margins, you need to be confident your pricing holds up. This is especially important for handmade or small-batch products where margins can already be tight.

As with any platform, we'd recommend viewing PBP as one tool in a larger wholesale strategy — not the whole strategy. A balanced approach that includes direct outreach, building relationships with your stockists, and strategically using the platforms that fit your business will serve you best over time.

Let us know if you have other questions about Powered By People or Wholesale In a Box! We're happy to dig into your particular business goals and product line to help you explore the right strategy for you.

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*At Wholesale In a Box we do not receive any commissions or compensation of any kind from Powered By People or any other marketplace or wholesale tool. All of our educational content is meant to support makers and small brands in making the right choices for them.

Emily Kerr-Finell https://www.wholesaleinabox.com