Pros and Cons of Using the Faire Invoicing Tool at a Trade Show

Pros and Cons of Using the Faire Invoicing Tool at a Trade Show

Today, we’ll share how we used the Faire marketplace invoicing tool at our first-ever trade show, Spring Fair. Going in, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. However, after speaking to some past exhibitors, we gathered a mix of advice on taking orders at the show. Some recommended the traditional pen and paper method, while others used iPads, laptops, or even just their phones.  

Ultimately, we decided to use the Faire invoicing tool throughout the event. In this article, we’ll take you through how we used the tool and our final verdict on whether we recommend it. 

Why We Chose the Faire Invoicing Tool 

Before the show, we sat down and asked ourselves, “What’s the most important thing we need when taking an order?” The answer we came up with was “accurate pricing and live stock levels.” Managing this manually with pen and paper seemed risky, especially since mental math isn’t our strong suit! So, we opted to use the Faire invoicing tool because it keeps everything digital, accurate, and efficient. 

Pros of Using the Faire Invoicing Tool 

  1. Ease of Use 
    The platform is incredibly intuitive. You simply build an order and enter the customer’s details like their store name, email, phone, and address. You can then instantly send the invoice with just a few clicks. 

  1. Live Stock Levels 
    Faire wholesale marketplace automatically tracks what’s in stock and what’s on pre-order. This helps us manage retailer expectations, letting them know what they’ll get when they make a purchase at that time. 

  1. Pre-Orders Simplified 
    We could create Faire invoices that included both in-stock and pre-order items. This helped us to set clear shipment dates. 

  1. Accessible to Non-Faire Users 
    Even if a retailer didn’t have a Faire account, we could still use the invoicing tool as a standalone system. 

  1. Tracking & Follow-Ups 
    Faire marketplace provides a clear list of all invoices, their statuses, and an easy way to send reminders. 

  1. Promotions & Upsells 
    We could quickly add promotions, such as free shipping or discounts, to encourage buyers to make larger orders. 

Challenges We Encountered When the Faire Invoicing Tool 

While we enjoyed multiple advantages when we opted to create invoices using Faire’s tool, we were faced with a few challenges that we think are worth sharing. 

  1. Internet Issues 
    The trade show’s Wi-Fi was unreliable and this made it difficult to use the tool in real time. Our backup? A spreadsheet with stock levels and pricing. 

  1. Retailer Preferences 
    Some retailers weren’t comfortable using Faire, even though we assured them they didn’t need an account. In these cases, we had to manually process orders after the show. 

  1. Lack of Personalisation 
    The invoicing tool is very transactional. While it allows for product recommendations, we would have liked a space to add a personalised note. 

  1. Some Retailers Prefer Traditional Methods 
    A few customers wanted to place orders via phone or email, which meant extra work for us to recreate invoices manually. 

Wrapping Up: Lessons Learned & Next Steps 

Overall, Faire’s invoicing tool was a fantastic asset at the trade show. Most of our confirmed and paid orders came through Faire, highlighting how seamless the process can be for retailers who are already on the platform. However, for our next trade show in July, we’ll refine our approach by: 

  • Ensuring we have a better offline backup, like a more interactive spreadsheet. 

  • Better communicating to hesitant retailers how Faire invoicing tool works without needing an account. 

  • Exploring other tools to complement the Faire system in case of internet issues. 

Faire has mentioned that they are committed to supporting in-person trade shows, so we’re hopeful that new features will roll out to enhance the experience further. 

If you have any questions about using Faire at trade shows or wholesale strategy in general, drop us an email at hello@candidfounders.com. At Candid Founders Agency, we manage multiple six-figure brands on Faire marketplace, including our very own sock brand, Bare Kind.  

We aim to help you grow your business on Faire by dropping weekly tips to keep you ahead of the game. If you found this post helpful, stay tuned for more tips on growing your business on Faire. Thank you for reading and we’ll see you in the next post!

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