How I Got My First Wholesale Order on Faire as a Small Candle Business Owner

https://brittsdecorativecandles.faire.com

Getting my first wholesale order on Faire was one of those moments that made me realize my business was moving into a new chapter.

When I started Britt’s Decorative Candles, I knew I wanted to eventually grow beyond individual retail sales. I wanted my candles, wax melts, and other products to be carried by boutiques, gift shops, salons, and other businesses.

Wholesale felt like the next step.

But like many small business owners, I didn't know exactly when that first opportunity would happen.

Then I joined Faire.

Not long after being accepted onto the platform, I received my first wholesale order—and it was much bigger than I expected.

My first Faire customer ordered 120 pumpkin-shaped wax melts.

I was excited, nervous, grateful, and immediately ready to get to work.

Why I Decided to Try Faire

Before joining Faire, I had already been working on different ways to get my products in front of businesses.

I had contacted flower shops, salons, spas, boutiques, bookstores, and other businesses to introduce Britt’s Decorative Candles and talk about wholesale opportunities.

Some businesses took my information. Others told me to email them. Some conversations didn't lead anywhere right away.

That's part of being a small business owner.

You have to keep putting your name out there even when you don't immediately see the results.

Faire interested me because it gave independent brands like mine an opportunity to connect with retailers that were already looking for products to carry in their stores.

Instead of only reaching out to businesses one by one, I could create a wholesale storefront where retailers could discover my products.

Getting accepted onto the platform felt like progress.

But getting that first order made it real.

Seeing My First Wholesale Order

When I saw that someone had actually placed a wholesale order, I was incredibly excited.

Then I saw the quantity.

120 pumpkin wax melts.

This wasn't someone purchasing one or two items.

A business owner was trusting me to create products that she planned to offer to her own customers.

That made the order feel completely different from a regular retail sale.

There was a responsibility attached to it.

The products had to look good.

They had to smell good.

They needed to be packaged professionally.

Most importantly, I needed to complete the order by the required shipping deadline.

I immediately started planning what supplies I would need.

Preparing for a Larger Production Run

One of the first things I learned was how different wholesale production can be from making a few products at a time.

Making 120 wax melts requires organization.

I had to make sure I had enough wax, fragrance oil, dye, packaging, tins, and other supplies to complete the order.

I also had to think about consistency.

The order was for pumpkin-shaped wax melts, and I wanted them to have that beautiful fall appearance.

During production, some of the pumpkins came out in different shades of orange.

Some were brighter, while others were deeper or softer shades.

I actually liked the variation because it reminded me of real pumpkins during the fall season.

At the same time, the experience taught me something important about wholesale.

When a retailer orders a large quantity of one product, consistency matters.

Now I understand that using the same dye and process throughout an entire wholesale batch can help create a more uniform product.

That's one of the many lessons I wouldn't have learned the same way without actually completing a larger order.

Managing the Deadline

Another major part of my first Faire order was learning how important production deadlines are.

With a retail customer, you may have more flexibility depending on your shipping policy.

Wholesale is different.

The retailer may be purchasing your products for an event, a seasonal launch, customer gifts, or inventory they need by a specific date.

That means your production schedule isn't only affecting your business.

It's affecting theirs too.

I had to pay close attention to when my supplies would arrive and how quickly I could complete production.

There were moments when I was waiting for additional materials and trying to make sure everything came together in time.

It taught me to think ahead about inventory.

As I continue growing my wholesale business, I want to keep more of my essential supplies available so I'm better prepared when larger orders arrive.

The Excitement of Shipping It Out

After all the pouring, preparing, packing, and organizing, there was something special about finally seeing those boxes ready to leave.

I had created 120 products for a retailer in another state.

That was a milestone.

I printed the shipping labels, packed the order, and shipped it through FedEx to Texas.

For me, it represented more than shipping wax melts.

It represented the idea that something I created at home could travel to another state, enter another business, and potentially be purchased and enjoyed by customers I had never met.

That's one of the things I love about entrepreneurship.

Your business can begin very small, but your products can eventually travel much farther than you ever expected.

What Happened After Shipping

My first wholesale experience wasn't perfect.

The order was traveling to Texas during extremely hot summer weather, and some of the wax melts were affected by the heat during shipping.

That experience became an entirely separate business lesson for me about hot-weather packaging, shipping materials, and preparing wax products for southern temperatures.

But something important also happened.

The retailer told me that the fragrance smelled amazing and that she believed her customers would enjoy the products.

She also gave me constructive feedback about the packaging.

Instead of looking at that situation as the end of the experience, I looked at it as information I could use to improve.

That's what business ownership has taught me.

You celebrate the wins, but you also learn from the problems.

What My First Faire Order Taught Me

My first Faire order taught me more than I expected.

It taught me about production planning.

It taught me about inventory.

It taught me about consistency.

It taught me about wholesale customer expectations.

It taught me about shipping deadlines.

And it taught me how important communication is when something doesn't go exactly according to plan.

But most importantly, it gave me confidence.

Someone saw my products on Faire and decided they were worth bringing into their business.

That matters.

Just the Beginning

Getting my first wholesale order didn't mean I had figured everything out.

I'm still learning.

I'm still improving my products, refining my packaging, reaching out to new businesses, and discovering better ways to operate as I grow.

But I will always remember that first order.

120 pumpkin wax melts headed from my small business in Michigan to a retailer in Texas.

It reminded me that every email, product photo, listing, test batch, and business decision can eventually lead to an opportunity.

For anyone building a small product-based business and wondering whether wholesale is possible, my experience has taught me one thing:

You don't have to have everything figured out before you start.

You just have to be willing to learn when the opportunity arrives.

My first Faire order was not a perfect experience—but it was an important one.

And for Britt’s Decorative Candles, it was only the beginning.