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In the heart of downtown Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Marcel’s Culinary Experience is a store, a cooking school, and a catalyst for bringing people together.
“It was a big deal to have this store open in downtown Glen Ellyn,” says Sharon Wussow, Marcel’s bookkeeper. “It was very instrumental in revitalizing our downtown. Our town is so supportive of small businesses, and they were really excited to have a business like Marcel’s.”
Today, alongside its sister store, Marché (a bustling cheese, charcuterie, and wine shop), Marcel’s remains a centerpiece of Glen Ellyn’s downtown.
In this piece, you’ll hear how Marcel’s has used Faire Pay—a new way to pay for orders on Faire—to save thousands of dollars, simplify its operations, and keep its focus on serving the community.
Faire Pay is a new way to pay on Faire, built to help retailers save more and manage cash flow better. It gives retailers 3% off every Faire order, one simple monthly statement, and even more time to pay on top of their existing payment terms—just like a credit card, minus the plastic.
Faire Pay is currently invite-only and available in select U.S. states, with a nationwide rollout coming soon. Stay up to date with the latest by joining the waitlist!
Saving over $4,000 with Faire Pay … so far
The financial benefits have been powerful. Faire Pay automatically applies a 3% discount on every order, and for Marcel’s, those savings have quickly added up. Since adopting Faire Pay in November 2024, the store has saved more than $4,000 on inventory costs.
And unlike many traditional credit cards, “Faire Pay doesn’t have any annual fees—in fact, they’re giving us a discount,” Sharon says. “My credit card doesn’t do that.”
Plus, if you ever need a refund, the process is seamless on Faire Pay. Changes are either edited on the invoice directly or appear on the Faire Pay statement, which means retailers don’t have to do as much reconciliation as with a credit card.
Bringing ease to everyday operations
Behind the scenes, Sharon manages the books for both stores. That means handling dozens of vendor invoices each month. It was a juggling act before Marcel’s owner, Renee DiSanto, decided to switch to Faire Pay. Now, the process is streamlined.
“Our accountant recognized that Faire Pay kind of acts like a credit card,” says Sharon. “When I pay a vendor through Faire Pay, I process the invoice once, and then I’m done. At the end of the month, reconciling the Faire Pay statement is super easy. It always goes smoothly, which is not the case with a regular credit card.”
The time savings alone have made a difference. “If all of our vendors were under Faire Pay, it would make my job a lot easier,” says Sharon.
Supporting what matters most
For Sharon, Faire Pay is convenient and efficient. But it also saves her time and energy for what really matters: supporting a business that enriches its community.
“Customers could go on Amazon and buy the same thing, but they’re choosing to shop at their local store to support it,” says Sharon. “They see the value of supporting businesses in the community instead of a big conglomerate. That’s just really special.”
By helping retailers like Marcel’s save money and simplify operations, Faire Pay ensures more independent businesses can thrive and continue bringing people together around the table.
