Why Faire DMs Stopped Working
Let's start with the uncomfortable truth: Faire's built-in messaging was supposed to be your direct line to buyers. In practice, it's become noise.
Every brand on Faire is blasting the same DM inbox. Your carefully written message about your new spring line sits next to 50 other nearly identical messages. Buyers have tuned out. Response rates have been declining steadily, and if you're relying on DMs as your primary outreach channel, you're fighting a losing battle.
It's the same dynamic that killed mass cold email. When everyone has access to the same channel and uses the same playbook, nobody stands out.
The brands that are growing on Faire have figured out something different: reach your buyers where they already pay attention -- their email inbox, their phone, sometimes even a direct call. This guide shows you exactly how to do that.
Step 1: Build Your Buyer Contact Database
You can't reach buyers directly if you don't have their contact information. Most Faire brands have zero buyer data outside the platform. That's the first problem to solve.
Here's how to build your database ethically and without violating Faire's terms:
Mine your packing slips and invoices. When you fulfill Faire orders, the shipping information includes the store name and address. That's your starting point.
Research the stores. Take every store name from your order history and look them up. Most independent retailers have a website with a contact page, an Instagram with a DM option, or a listed email address. This takes time, but it's gold.
Use LinkedIn. Many boutique owners and buyers are on LinkedIn. A connection request with a genuine note about their store is a natural way to build the relationship.
Leverage trade shows and markets. If you're doing wholesale markets or trade shows, every in-person interaction is a chance to collect a business card, an email address, or a phone number. Keep a simple spreadsheet or CRM and log every contact.
Ask directly (when appropriate). Once you've built some rapport -- maybe after a second or third order -- it's perfectly reasonable to include a note with your shipment: "Love working with your store. Here's my direct email if you ever need anything."
The goal isn't to have thousands of contacts. Start with your best buyers -- the ones who reorder, who buy your full line, who you'd fight to keep. Even 20-30 solid contacts is enough to start.
Step 2: Segment Your Buyers
Not every buyer deserves the same outreach. Once you've got your contact list, sort it into three buckets:
VIP Buyers (Top 20%): These are your repeat purchasers. They order consistently, they buy a wide range of your products, and they're your most profitable accounts. These get personal, high-touch outreach.
Active Buyers: They've ordered more than once but aren't regular yet. The goal here is to move them into VIP status through timely, relevant outreach.
Lapsed Buyers: They ordered once (or a few times) and went quiet. These need a different approach -- re-engagement, not nurturing.
Step 3: Choose Your Channels
Here's where most brands get it wrong. They either stick with Faire DMs (which don't work) or they blast a generic email newsletter (which also doesn't work). Effective outreach is personal and channel-appropriate.
Email is your workhorse. It's professional, expected, and every buyer checks it daily. Use it for new product announcements, seasonal reminders, and personalized check-ins.
Text/SMS is for your VIP accounts and time-sensitive messages. A quick text before reorder season or about a limited product run feels personal and urgent. Don't overuse it -- once or twice a month maximum.
Phone calls are for your top 10 accounts. Yes, actually picking up the phone. A five-minute call to ask how a product is selling, whether they need to restock, or if there's anything you can do for them -- that's the kind of thing retailers remember. It's old school because it works.
Handwritten notes with shipments are a small touch that punches above its weight. A quick "Thanks for the reorder, we included a sample of our new line" goes a long way with independent store owners.
Step 4: Time Your Outreach to Buying Cycles
Random outreach is spam. Timely outreach is service. The difference is understanding when your buyers actually need to hear from you.
Track reorder timing. If a buyer orders every 45 days, reach out around day 35-40. "Hey, just wanted to flag that your bestsellers are in stock and we're running a reorder promotion this week." That's not a sales pitch -- it's a reminder they'll appreciate.
Align with retail seasons. Boutique owners are planning their holiday inventory in August and September. Spring orders happen in January. If you reach out during their planning window, you're helpful. If you reach out during their busiest retail week, you're annoying.
New product launches. When you drop a new collection, your existing buyers should hear about it before the general Faire marketplace sees it. Give them first access, a preview, or an exclusive window. This makes them feel like insiders, not just customers.
Post-purchase follow-up. Two weeks after a shipment arrives, send a quick check-in. "How's the new collection selling? Anything I can help with?" This is when buyers form their opinion about whether they'll reorder from you. Be present.
Step 5: Write Outreach That Gets Responses
The biggest mistake brands make with direct outreach is writing like a marketing department. Your buyers are small business owners. They're busy, they're practical, and they can smell a mass email from a mile away.
Rules for outreach that works:
Be specific. Don't write "Check out our new products!" Write "We just launched three new scents based on what sold best in boutiques last quarter -- thought they'd be a fit for [Store Name]."
Be brief. Three to four sentences maximum for email. One to two sentences for text. Nobody wants to read your newsletter -- they want to know what you can do for them.
Be useful. Every message should either solve a problem, save them time, or make them money. "Our top seller from last season is back in stock" is useful. "We're so excited about our brand journey" is not.
Be human. Use their first name. Reference their store. Mention something specific about their business. This is the entire advantage of direct outreach over Faire's algorithm -- you can be a real person talking to another real person.
The Compound Effect
Here's why this playbook matters: direct outreach compounds over time. Your first round might feel awkward and produce modest results. By month three, your buyers expect to hear from you. By month six, they're replying before you even reach out. By month twelve, you have a genuine wholesale network that no algorithm change can disrupt.
The brands that build this system see reorder rates 2-3x higher than brands that rely solely on Faire's platform. Not because their products are better, but because they're impossible to forget.
This is exactly the system we build at Smoothed -- the contact databases, the outreach sequences, the timing engine. If you'd rather have someone build it for you than figure it out from scratch, that's what we do.