Overview: Shopify vs Faire
Shopify and Faire serve different but complementary roles in wholesale commerce. Faire is a wholesale marketplace — think of it as the Amazon or Etsy of B2B. It connects product brands with independent retail buyers, handles payments, and offers unique terms like free returns and net-60 payment. Shopify is a commerce platform where you build and own your own storefront, including wholesale channels through Shopify Plus B2B features or wholesale apps.
Faire was founded in 2017 and has grown rapidly, now connecting over 100,000 brands with 700,000+ retail buyers in North America, Europe, and Australia. Faire's value proposition is discovery: it helps brands find new retail partners they would never reach through their own marketing. The platform handles the relationship, payments, and risk.
Shopify powers 4.6+ million stores and offers B2B wholesale capabilities through Shopify Plus's dedicated wholesale channel, as well as wholesale apps available on lower plans. Shopify gives you complete control over your wholesale experience, branding, pricing, and customer relationships.
Many successful brands use both: Faire for discovery and reaching new retailers, and Shopify for their owned wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels.
Pricing and Fees
| Shopify | Faire | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $39-$2,300+/mo | $0/mo (marketplace) |
| Commission | 0% | 15% on new retailer orders, 0% on reorders from brands with Faire Direct |
| Transaction fees | 0% w/ Shopify Payments | Included in commission |
| Net terms | Custom (Plus B2B) | Net-60 default (Faire pays you upfront) |
| Free returns | Your policy | Faire covers first order returns |
Faire charges a 15% commission on orders from new retailers discovered through the marketplace, which drops to 0% on reorders through Faire Direct. The platform pays brands within 1-3 business days regardless of when retailers pay (net-60 terms). This risk-free model is attractive but the commission on marketplace discovery orders is significant.
Shopify charges no marketplace commission. You control all pricing and terms. Shopify Plus B2B features let you set customer-specific wholesale pricing, net payment terms, minimum order quantities, and volume discounts. The cost is your Shopify subscription plus any wholesale app subscriptions.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Shopify | Faire |
|---|---|---|
| Platform type | Owned commerce platform | Wholesale marketplace |
| Brand discovery | Self-driven marketing | Marketplace discovery engine |
| Custom pricing | Full control (Plus B2B) | Wholesale pricing via Faire |
| Payment terms | Custom net terms (Plus) | Net-60 (Faire manages) |
| Fulfillment | Your fulfillment or 3PL | Your fulfillment |
| Returns | Your policy | Faire covers first-order returns |
| Customer data | Full ownership | Limited (Faire mediates) |
| Branding | Complete control | Faire marketplace branding |
| D2C + Wholesale | One platform | Wholesale only |
| International | Shopify Markets | Faire operates in NA, EU, AU |
| Apps | 8,000+ | Limited integrations |
Wholesale Features
Shopify Plus B2B provides a dedicated wholesale channel with customer-specific pricing, minimum/maximum order quantities, net payment terms (net-15, net-30, net-60), company accounts with multiple buyers, volume-based discounts, and separate wholesale product catalogs. Merchants manage B2B and D2C from one Shopify admin. On standard Shopify plans, wholesale apps like Wholesale Club and SparkLayer add similar capabilities.
Faire handles wholesale through its marketplace: you list products with wholesale prices (typically 50% off retail), set minimum order amounts, and retailers discover and order through Faire's platform. Faire manages payment collection, offers net-60 terms to retailers (paying you upfront), and covers first-order returns. You fulfill orders and ship them.
Brand Discovery
Faire's biggest advantage is its discovery engine. With 700,000+ retail buyers actively shopping on the platform, Faire provides exposure to retailers you could never reach through your own marketing. Faire's recommendation algorithm, category browsing, and search help retailers find new brands. This organic discovery is extremely valuable for emerging brands building wholesale distribution.
On Shopify, you drive all wholesale traffic yourself through your own marketing, trade shows, sales outreach, and existing relationships. While this requires more effort, you maintain full control over pricing, branding, and the customer relationship. There are no commission fees eating into margins on orders you bring in yourself.
Brand Control and Data
Shopify gives you complete control over your brand experience, customer data, and pricing. You own the relationship with your wholesale buyers, can customize the ordering experience, and have full access to customer analytics. This is crucial for building long-term B2B relationships and making data-driven decisions about your wholesale strategy.
Faire mediates the relationship between brands and retailers. While you can communicate with retailers through Faire, the platform controls much of the experience. Customer data is limited compared to owning your own platform. Faire's terms and policies apply to transactions on the marketplace.
Shopify: Pros and Cons for Wholesale
Pros
- Zero marketplace commissions
- Complete brand and pricing control
- Full customer data ownership
- D2C and B2B from one admin (Plus)
- Custom net payment terms
- 8,000+ apps for marketing and operations
- International wholesale via Shopify Markets
Cons
- No built-in retailer discovery
- You drive all wholesale traffic yourself
- B2B features require Plus ($2,300/mo) or apps
- You manage payment collection and risk
Faire: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Access to 700,000+ active retail buyers
- Zero monthly fees — pay only on sales
- Upfront payment (Faire pays you in 1-3 days)
- Faire covers first-order return risk
- Powerful discovery engine for new retailers
- Net-60 terms attract more retail buyers
Cons
- 15% commission on marketplace-discovered orders
- Limited brand customization on the platform
- Restricted customer data access
- Faire controls the retailer relationship
- Wholesale only — no D2C capability
- Platform dependency for marketplace orders
Who Should Choose Which
Choose Shopify if:
- You want full control over wholesale pricing and branding
- You have existing retailer relationships
- You want D2C and B2B on one platform
- You want to avoid marketplace commissions
- You need custom payment terms and catalogs
Choose Faire if:
- You need to discover new retail partners
- You want risk-free wholesale with covered returns
- You prefer upfront payment rather than chasing invoices
- You are an emerging brand building wholesale distribution
Using Shopify and Faire Together
Many successful brands use both platforms strategically. They use Faire as a discovery and acquisition channel to find new retailers, then migrate established relationships to their Shopify wholesale channel where they avoid commissions. Shopify handles direct-to-consumer sales, existing wholesale accounts, and international selling, while Faire continuously brings in new retail partners.
On Shopify, free EasyApps Ecommerce apps enhance your D2C storefront: EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel for lead capture, EA Free Shipping Bar for cart motivation, EA Upsell & Cross-Sell for AOV growth, and EA Announcement Bar for promotions.
Data and Analytics
Shopify provides comprehensive business analytics across all plans. Basic analytics include total sales, sessions, conversion rate, average order value, and customer acquisition sources. The Shopify plan adds professional reports with customer lifetime value, repeat purchase analysis, and custom report building. Shopify Plus includes additional analytics tools and integrations with business intelligence platforms. This data is essential for making informed decisions about wholesale pricing, inventory levels, and marketing spend.
Faire provides seller analytics through its dashboard including total revenue, order counts, average order value, top-selling products, and retailer geography. Faire also shows discovery metrics — how many retailers view your brand page and products. However, you do not get detailed customer analytics comparable to Shopify, and you cannot build custom reports or integrate Faire data with other business intelligence tools as easily.
For brands running both channels, combining Shopify's detailed analytics with Faire's marketplace data gives the most complete picture of your wholesale business performance. Understanding which products sell best on each channel, which retailers have the highest reorder rates, and where your wholesale margins are strongest helps optimize your distribution strategy.
International Wholesale
Shopify Markets enables international selling with local currencies, languages, duties and tax calculation, and market-specific pricing. For brands looking to wholesale internationally, Shopify Plus B2B features support custom pricing by market, different net terms for different regions, and localized wholesale catalogs. This makes Shopify suitable for brands expanding wholesale distribution globally.
Faire operates in North America (US and Canada), Europe (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, and more), and Australia. Faire handles currency conversion and provides localized experiences for retailers in supported markets. However, Faire's geographic coverage is more limited than what Shopify can offer, and you cannot customize your wholesale approach by market as granularly as on Shopify.
For brands with international wholesale ambitions, Shopify provides more flexibility and reach. Using Faire for discovery in its supported markets while building direct wholesale relationships through Shopify in other regions creates the widest possible distribution network. The EA Auto Language Translate app helps Shopify stores reach international retail buyers who browse in their native language.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Faire free for brands?
Faire has no monthly fee but charges a 15% commission on marketplace-sourced orders. Orders from retailers you bring via Faire Direct have 0% commission. Shopify charges a monthly subscription but no marketplace commissions.
Can I use Shopify and Faire together?
Yes. Many brands use Faire for retailer discovery and Shopify for their owned wholesale and D2C channels. This is a common and effective strategy.
Does Shopify have wholesale features?
Yes. Shopify Plus includes native B2B features with customer-specific pricing, net terms, and wholesale catalogs. Standard Shopify plans can add wholesale capabilities through apps.
How does Faire pay brands?
Faire pays brands within 1-3 business days of shipment, regardless of when the retailer pays. Faire offers retailers net-60 payment terms and absorbs the payment risk.
Which is better for new brands?
Faire is excellent for new brands seeking retailer discovery. Shopify is better for brands with existing retail relationships who want full control and no commissions.
Does Faire help with fulfillment?
No. Brands fulfill and ship orders themselves. Faire provides shipping labels and guidelines but does not handle fulfillment. Shopify also requires your own fulfillment or a 3PL service.