Reshaping Retail insights: Lessons from the Faire retailer community

You may be wondering, what does it take to be really successful with Faire? Savvy store owners are always looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve and build long-term retail success. In our recent learning event, Reshaping Retail, Faire retailers across a variety of industries came together to share their Faire success stories and how they put Faire’s tools to work for their businesses. And if you weren’t able to attend, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a recap of the time-saving tips, data-driven buying strategies, and creative marketing ideas that they shared. 

Thriving together

With Faire, you can discover what’s new and trending, use data from point-of-sale integrations to understand your inventory and cash flow, and streamline your business—all while building community with customers. Jessica Moncada Konte of Alkali Rye – Oakland’s Beverage Shop, Melanie Goldberg of Umami, and James Fernandez of Super Simple shared the following lessons about shopping on Faire so your business can thrive well into the future. 

Finding the next bestseller

While everyone on the panel agreed that they don’t chase trends, they did each describe different ways that Faire helps them discover new brands, capitalize on changing consumer preferences, and find their next bestsellers. For Jessica, that might mean leaning into the functional beverage movement with nonalcoholic products that provide complex adult flavors or keeping an eye out for trending cocktail recipes so she can source key ingredients. For James, Faire helps him source the latest furnishings and homewares that his customers crave to bring purposefulness and a warm minimalist style to their homes. And for Melanie, Faire makes it easy to shop by brand values so she can appeal to her customers’ growing desire for more ethically sourced products. 

Leveraging Faire events

Programs like Faire Insider and Faire Markets can help retailers buy more and save more. James says he has an austere approach to buying in the months leading up to the biannual Faire Markets so he can place large orders with the best deals of the season once the market hits. Jessica also appreciates being a Faire Insider member because she gets free shipping and early access to Faire Markets. The 2025 Faire Summer Market will be held from July 22 to 24, but Insider members will have early access on July 21 to scoop up the best deals and discover exciting new products before the market begins. 

Using Faire’s time-saving tools

Faire’s suite of order-taking tools and POS integrations save retailers time and let you invest more of your energy into your business. Integrations allow you to import Faire orders to your POS automatically, while Faire Direct offers flexible order-taking tools that allow you to order from brands both online and offline with benefits like extended payment terms for eligible retailers and free returns on opening orders. The Faire Wholesale App also makes it easy to shop wholesale and build new brand relationships on the go. Like Melanie says, “I’m constantly on my phone ordering things on Faire as I go about my day,” and she never has to sit down and take time away from other tasks to keep her store stocked.  

Check out the video for more product sourcing and customer service tips from the panel!

About the speakers

Jessica Moncada Konte is the owner and co-founder of Alkali Rye – Oakland’s Beverage Shop. San Francisco–born and Oakland-raised, Jessica fell in love with food, wine, hospitality, sustainability, and—most importantly—food education. Located in the Grand Lake District of Oakland, Alkali Rye – Oakland’s Beverage Shop is a specialty retail store curated to highlight underrepresented talent (Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, & LGBTQ) and businesses that utilize environmentally sustainable practices. They sell an intentional and focused selection of wine, spirits, beer, nonalcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and homewares. 

Melanie Goldberg first opened Umami as a custom window covering and design business in Albany, California, in 2013. In 2019, Umami morphed into its current iteration, a home decor and gift shop featuring vintage and new ethically made products. It has been Melanie’s long-held dream to own her own shop, showcasing an eclectic mix of home decor, art, textiles, jewelry, and gifts. An avid thrifter since childhood, Melanie’s favorite part of her job is shopping for interesting, unique finds. She loves the thrill of the hunt and sharing her unique finds with customers who also find joy and humor in the oddities!

James Fernandez is the owner and proprietor of Super Simple, based in Palm Springs and San Francisco, California. Design-forward minimalism, handmade objects, and simple items for your home and way of life. Super Simple reflects a lifestyle where form always follows function. Our aesthetic is pared down to essentials that imbue beauty with an honest patina and character.

Anjarae Hamilton is the head of Retailer Sales and Account Management at Faire, where her team transforms the retail landscape by helping over 100,000 brands sell millions of products to hundreds of thousands. Faire’s data-driven approach to wholesale lets retailers try before they buy, and straightforward financial terms eliminate inventory risk and provide access to capital—leveling the playing field in two key areas that previously prevented many small businesses from successfully competing against major retailers and e-commerce giants. With the help of Anjarae’s leadership, Faire has facilitated over seven million new connections between independent retailers and brands on the marketplace.

Watch the playlist of all sessions and subscribe to the Faire YouTube channel.