An inside look at Faire Market’s biggest buying trends

While many people call the Christmas season “the most wonderful time of the year”, for those in our community of independent brands and retailers, Faire Market is right up there with it.

Faire Market is our free virtual trade show event of the winter, and it concluded last week after several days of shopping, exclusive discounts and brand discovery. Brands and retailers from around the world participated in the event from 23 to 25 January, with Insider early access on 22 January. To make the event even sweeter, Faire matched all brand discounts up to 5%.

Let’s unpack the biggest insights and buying trends that emerged at the event. 

Faire Market participation, by the numbers

Roughly 25,000 brands and 57,000 retailers from around the world joined us to participate in our biggest market yet. Close to 19% of brands that received orders were part of our European community – from brands in France and Germany to the UK – and more than 6,500 participating retailers were also located in Europe. 

Amid all the action, nearly 106,000 new relationships formed between brands and retailers across the globe, with the average retailer ordering from five different brands. 

Global buying trends

All told, retailers placed more than 305,000 total orders at Faire Market and purchased over 916,000 products. To equip our wider community with insights into emerging trends and what might prove popular in the season ahead, we pored through the virtual trade show’s search and purchase data. Drumroll, please… 

The most popular products among US shoppers included sugar-free cocktail mixers and small-batch, eco-friendly lip balms. If we spin the globe, international favourites included:

• In Canada: Organic moisturising creams and cleansing gels, and colourful, skin-softening bath bombs
• In the UK: Sweet and savoury dog treats
• In France: Sparkling and chic children’s hair accessories
• In Germany: Dip-dyed candles and sustainably printed greeting cards

Retailers were searching for…

Not surprisingly, retailers were on the lookout for Easter fare and last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts. Search queries related to these holidays ranked first and second respectively (and we expect interest for the former will continue climbing into February). Other popular global search terms included candles, jewellery, and “Western” wear. 

Internationally, Canadian retailers had a strong taste for coffee and tea, while UK retailers were sniffing out wax melts and chocolates. In France, retailers once again sought stainless steel jewellery and locally made candles. And in Germany, home decor was top of mind, as retailers searched for dried flowers, bath towels and, of course, more candles.

Values-led shopping

The rise of values-based shopping from consumers is well-chronicled, so it’s no surprise that retailers are opting to do the same on Faire. The most purchased value tags globally during Faire Market, in order of popularity:

1. Women-owned (A whopping 53% of retailer pounds were spent on brands identifying as women-owned!)
2. Made in the USA
3. Not on Amazon
4. Handmade
5. Eco-friendly

Tips for what comes next

While the shopping frenzy of this winter’s Faire Market may have come to a close, we know delivering for your customers is an enduring commitment. To that end, brands, it’s time to welcome new leads and customers into your network. Try these six tips for nurturing your new-found relationships.
Retailers, new products and brands mean new merchandising opportunities. Don’t miss this guidance from retail strategy coach Kristin Fisher on how to deliver a powerful merchandising experience that pulls shoppers in.