The wholesale marketplace is no longer a physical space. Buyers and sellers have rapidly moved online to conduct business and connect with each other. But demand drives supply: the shift online has led to a number of different companies offering digital marketplaces. So which is best for your business?The most prominent online marketplaces are FashionGo, Faire, OrderChamp, RangeMe, and Brandboom, which recently launched Brandboom Marketplace. Each platform offers its own pros and cons, so let’s take a closer look:

Faire

Faire stands out with its in-house Net 60 solutions, attracting a wide range of buyers. They offer some perks like 60-day payment terms and free returns on opening orders that appeal to buyers and sellers alike. Their marketplace is also quite broad, trading in apparel, home decor, jewelry, paper and novelty, pets, food, and drink. Sellers, though, pay a steep cost: Faire charges a $10 new customer fee and takes a 15% commission for first orders and reorders, along with transaction fees of up to 5-6% depending on the payout speed.

Faire requires that you sell your products at the same price on their site as you do on other platforms or even your own website.  They strictly enforce this policy and will actively demote or delist your account for violating it.  This can impact the ability of some businesses to sell off platform. There is also over-saturation in the marketplace, making it difficult for sellers to stand out amongst other brands all selling the same things.

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FashionGo

FashionGo is used by over 1,400 sellers. They deal primarily in apparel and accessories; many of their sellers are strongest in women’s fast fashion. FashionGo takes a consistent 5% commission on top of their set-up fee and initial deposit. They strongly encourage buyers and sellers to utilize their FG Pay function, which is powered by Stripe. They recently started offering drop-shipping as well as a consolidated shipping service, where buyers can package orders from different vendors into one shipment and save 16-27% on shipping costs. This option is only available within the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, however, and not all vendors deliver globally.

In addition to the 5% commission fee, FashionGo makes most of its money by charging sellers to boost their product listings on the site. Sellers have complained that many of the listings being boosted on the marketplace come from overseas manufacturers, making it difficult to compete or stand out.

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RangeMe

RangeMe also offers Net 60 payment terms and various financial solutions. They have both free and paid plans, with premium customers gaining access to additional features. They are more focused on non-apparel items, particularly food, beverages, and other consumer packaged goods. In recent years, RangeMe has shifted towards offering a service that matches sellers with potential buyers, rather than a traditional marketplace browsing experience.

Unlike transactional marketplaces such as Faire or FashionGo, RangeMe arranges meetings with buyers for a fee. Some sellers have reported success in being able to secure commitments with retailers, while others have been frustrated by the lack of support in gaining leads or closing deals. Sellers have also complained about paying premium fees to connect with retailers only to find themselves in competition with more sellers than buyers.

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Orderchamp

Orderchamp connects 150,000 international retailers with over 7,000 suppliers, offering free signup. A key feature is their smart-matching algorithm, which helps sellers connect with interested buyers. However, Orderchamp charges a steep 25% fee for first orders and 10% for reorders. The platform supports drop-shipping and covers up to 10% of the order value in shipping costs.

Despite these benefits, the site has been criticized for its limited selection and lack of user-friendliness. Orderchamp has also been criticized for having non-responsive support for both buyers and sellers. Some sellers have complained that Orderchamp’s fulfillment service has declined in recent years, with high damage rates and disappearing stock.

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Brandboom Marketplace

Brandboom Marketplace, formerly known as Brandboom Connect, specializes in apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products. It is the only marketplace to offer line sheets and presentations, which can be created in minutes. The platform syncs with Shopify for easy product uploads, with real-time updates to your products and inventory.Brandboom Marketplace leverages Brandboom’s extensive network of buyers and provides buyers with a premium browsing and purchasing experience. Sellers receive curation and styling tips to optimize their profiles before launching, and once live, they benefit from free marketing campaigns that will showcase their products to tens of thousands of buyers daily at no extra cost.

Buyers are equally drawn to Brandboom, where they can browse beautifully presented line sheets and create purchase orders with ease. As a trusted B2B platform, Brandboom is already familiar to many buyers who interact and transact on the platform every day. Verified buyers not only earn more trust from brands but also get access to additional features such as digital marketplaces and trade shows. The upcoming launch of Brandboom Kids next month will further expand opportunities for sellers.

Brandboom Marketplace charges a low 10% commission on first-time orders and reorders that includes transaction fees.  International sellers are required to pay the foreign exchange fees on the order. The platform handles buyer payments, freeing sellers from the hassle of account collections and giving buyers peace of mind knowing that payment will only be made upon successful delivery.

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Which Site Is Best for Design Protection and Order Management?

When choosing a marketplace, sellers should also consider security and ease of management. Brandboom excels in these areas with its verified buyer feature, establishing greater trust between brands and buyers.

On Brandboom Marketplace, RangeMe, and FashionGo, only verified buyers can see all items from every brand. In contrast, Faire makes some items publicly visible, while OrderChamp allows any registered user to see any item.If managing multiple sites feels overwhelming, both Faire and Brandboom Marketplace offer end-to-end order management. That means order placement, real-time inventory management, shipment tracking, and more are handled in one place.

Each site is better suited to different types of sellers. Faire is best for home goods, while RangeMe is ideal for brands trying to sell to big-box retailers. FashionGo is oriented primarily towards women’s fashion, while Brandboom is ideal for both men’s and women’s fashion.

While each marketplace has its pros and cons, Brandboom Marketplace stands out for allowing sellers to focus on growing their brands and creating new products.  The platform's comprehensive tools provide a secure and thriving environment for sales, particularly for lifestyle and fashion brands.

But Brandboom is more than a marketplace. The all-in-one sales platform saves you money even if you don’t use Brandboom Marketplace. If you find a new buyer in a different marketplace, Brandboom lets you bypass repeat buyer commissions and fees–simply send your line sheet presentation to them via Brandboom link. Brandboom never charges a penny for orders you receive outside of Brandboom Marketplace, so you can sit back, relax, and watch the orders roll in.

‍Check out Brandboom to learn more about how it can help grow your business!

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