In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Anne-Claire Morel, International Marketing Manager at Faire, to uncover what’s trending in wholesale and retail buying ahead of Christmas 2025.

We dive into the data-driven insights behind what retailers are actually searching for and buying right now – from vintage Christmas décor and cosy classics to the rise of the “little treats” trend. Whether you’re a brand selling on Faire or looking to reach more stockists, this conversation will help you understand how buyers think, what’s performing well, and how to make your products easier to discover.

You’ll learn:

• What’s driving Christmas 2025 wholesale trends

• The top product categories and colour palettes performing on Faire

• How to optimise your listings with keywords and filters

• Why low minimum orders and seasonal refreshes matter

• How to use Faire Direct and marketing tools to grow your wholesale sales

Perfect for product-based business owners, makers, illustrators, and designers who want to increase wholesale orders, attract more retail buyers, and plan a strong Q4 sales strategy.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and Guest Welcome

02:10 – Overview of Faire and Its Role

02:56 – Defining and Identifying Trends

03:48 – Global Trends and Regional Differences

04:40 – Christmas Trends and Popular Products

07:02 – Little Treats Trend

10:48 – Using Filters and Keywords Effectively

15:57 – Faire Direct and Marketing Tools

18:00 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

• Download the Faire Forecast – the latest trend report for brands and retailers:

  https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/VxX7Pa

• Retailers: Get 50% off your first order (up to £100) when you sign up via this link:

  https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/qzdYjN

• Brands: Join Faire and start selling to more stockists:

  https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/19AJYx

• Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

• Learn more and work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

If you’ve ever wondered how to make wholesale work for your product business, this episode is for you.

In this behind-the-scenes look at Sales Growth Lab, I’m sharing real results from real brands including how they moved from feeling stuck and inconsistent to becoming confident, organised, and fully in control of their wholesale strategy.

You’ll hear stories from makers, illustrators, and designers who have:

• Doubled or even quadrupled their stockists

• Built repeatable systems for pitching and follow-up

• Grown wholesale sales by up to 900%

• Gained confidence at trade shows and in buyer conversations

• Made wholesale the main part of their business

We’ll talk about what changed when they decided to give wholesale the attention it deserves, and why this shift is the key to building a more consistent, sustainable income from retail partnerships.

00:00 The real reason wholesale keeps getting pushed down your list

01:05 What Sales Growth Lab actually is and who it’s for

02:20 Kate from Factory Floor Jewels: from uncertainty to 50% wholesale growth

03:45 Deb from Tall Order: from Etsy-dependent to confident seller with 900% sales growth

05:10 Sarah from Little Black Cat: 20 to 300 stockists in under three years

07:00 Antje from Soloko: finding structure, clarity, and confidence in outreach

08:35 Kate from It’s Our Planet Too: finally giving wholesale the focus it deserves

09:45 Catherine, Elizabeth, and Charlotte: doubling, tripling, and finding consistency

11:10 What really makes Sales Growth Lab different

13:00 Final reflections and what happens when you give wholesale the attention it deserves

14:00 How to apply and take your wholesale growth seriously

Ready to give wholesale the attention it deserves?

Apply now for Sales Growth Lab or book a free discovery call to see if it’s the right fit for you.

Apply to Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab

Book a Free Discovery Call →

https://tidycal.com/smallbusinesscollaborative/sgl

If your Instagram strategy is not converting, your SEO is not bringing sales, and your email marketing feels pointless, this episode is for you.

I am Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. After 17 years in the home and gift industry, I have seen hundreds of product businesses struggle with the same cycle: chasing one marketing strategy after another without ever building consistent sales.

Here is the truth that no one talks about. None of those strategies will work until you can sell.

In this episode, I share:

• Why marketing strategies fall flat without sales skills

• How selling actually teaches you what buyers want

• The mindset shift that makes selling feel natural, not pushy

• The ripple effect of mastering sales on your content, emails, and website

• How Sales Growth Lab helps you build a repeatable wholesale system

Applications are open now.

Apply here: Sales Growth Lab

Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Why Your Marketing Strategies Aren’t Working

00:13 Meet Therese: Your Guide to Wholesale Success

00:50 The Problem with Constant Learning and No Sales

01:51 The Importance of Learning How to Sell

03:14 Overcoming the Fear of Selling

03:52 The Benefits of Mastering Sales

04:27 Introducing Sales Growth Lab

04:48 Taking Action: The Key to Success

05:45 Sales Growth Lab: What You Will Learn

06:43 How to Apply and Join the Community

07:14 Conclusion: Take the Next Step

You’ve already sold to shops. Maybe you’ve got a handful of stockists, or you’ve had some one-off wholesale orders that felt exciting at the time. But now things feel inconsistent. Reorders are patchy, outreach slips to the bottom of the list, and wholesale doesn’t feel like the steady revenue stream you thought it would be.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

I’m Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Sales Growth Lab, my 12-month group programme designed to help product-based business owners grow their wholesale sales in a clear, structured, and sustainable way.

You’ll learn:

• What Sales Growth Lab actually is and how it works

• Who the programme is for (and who it’s not for)

• Why wholesale often feels unpredictable and how to fix that

• The results and transformations past students have achieved

• The role of community, accountability, and feedback in building wholesale momentum

Applications are open now.

Apply here: Sales Growth Lab

Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Who Sales Growth Lab is for

04:30 What Sales Growth Lab includes

09:10 Student results and transformations

12:40 The community and ongoing support

16:20 How to apply and next steps

Catherine, founder of Moonshine Candle Co in the Orkney Islands, shares how she grew from roughly 30 stockists to 60+ in just a year. We talk about elevating her brand, smart risks like custom screen-printed bottles, what trade shows really do for a small brand, how consistent follow up turns maybes into orders, and the systems that let her take a three-week trip in November without derailing Christmas.

Catherine — Moonshine Candle Co

Design-led home fragrance inspired by the wild beauty and calm moments of island living. Small-batch candles, diffusers, wax melts, organic soaps, and those much-loved car perfumes.

• The brand refresh that unlocked confidence to pitch and sell

• Taking a calculated risk on custom packaging and why it paid off

• Trade shows as insight and relationship builders, not just order days

• Faire optimisation, email pitching, and the power of follow up

• Prepping for time off in peak season with wholesale systems

• Growing beyond the local market and thinking seasons ahead

• Simple POS that helps retailers merchandise and sell more

• Reorders, relationship building, and why silence is not a no

• Website: moonshinecandleco.com

• Instagram: @moonshinecandleco

• Faire Direct: https://moonshinecandleco.faire.com

📍 Upcoming Workshop

I’m hosting a free workshop on Wednesday 24th September at 11:00 AM UK time called Cracking Christmas. It’s all about creating your sales plan for the final quarter of the year so you can really smash your wholesale. Sign-up here.

Catherine is part of my program Sales Growth Lab, and doors will open again right after the workshop. Attendees get first access on the 24th before it opens up to everyone else on the 25th.

👉 Find out more about Sales Growth Lab here

• 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

• 03:00 Catherine’s Business Journey

• 07:00 Branding and Wholesale Growth

• 12:00 Challenges and Risks in Business

• 17:00 Trade Shows and Expanding Reach

• 23:00 Preparing for Time Off

• 28:00 Building Relationships with Stockists

• 34:00 Future Plans and Product Development

• 40:00 Proudest Moments and Final Thoughts

• 45:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Workshop

Are you relying only on emails, Faire, or Instagram to grow your wholesale sales? In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m sharing why traditional sales skills are making a big comeback - and why buyers are craving human connection more than ever.

I’ll walk you through what I’m seeing in the home and gift industry right now, and how you can use simple, old-school sales actions to stand out from the noise, win more stockists, and build repeat wholesale orders.

00:00 – Introduction: Why traditional sales skills matter today

01:12 – What sales looked like when I started in 2008 (fax orders, handwritten notes, manageable inboxes)

03:05 – How digital has changed wholesale sales and why buyers feel overwhelmed

04:32 – Why trade shows feel quieter - and what buyers are really looking for

06:15 – The comeback of human connection in wholesale

07:48 – BookTok, physical books, and what this trend teaches us about selling wholesale

09:10 – The emotional side of sales: trust, familiarity, and connection

11:22 – Handwritten notes, catalogues, and why they still work

13:04 – Curated pop-ups, markets, and the rise of experiential retail

15:37 – What Korea teaches us about retail theatre and brand activations

18:45 – How UK farm shops, garden centres, and big destinations use small brands to drive discovery

21:12 – Examples of activations: Molly Mae’s coffee van, Jellycat pop-ups, and why they work

23:08 – Action steps: how to bring a more human touch to your wholesale sales this week

25:00 – Invitation to Cracking Christmas free workshop on 24th September

26:10 – How Sales Growth Lab can help you build a repeatable wholesale system

• Why buyers are overwhelmed by digital pitches and inbox clutter

• How traditional sales actions like handwritten notes, phone calls, and catalogues can cut through

• Examples of curated pop-ups, markets, and brand activations shaping retail trends

• The emotional side of wholesale sales - why trust, familiarity, and human connection drive orders

• Practical ways to blend modern sales tools with personal, relationship-driven wholesale strategy

On 24th September, I’m hosting a free live workshop called Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet. We’ll map out 5 proven moves to boost your wholesale sales, reconnect with buyers, and finish the year strong. Sign up here

If you’re ready to stop relying only on third-party platforms and finally create a wholesale sales system that works every single month, come and join me inside Sales Growth Lab.