What are the advantages for customers with fair trade products?

The main intent of fair trade is of course to provide advantages to the producers, which results in only indirect advantages for the customers. Still, a bit more stability for the globalised world, a better conscience, and of course taking part in making this world a better place, aren't things to be sneezed at.

But there are also some direct advantages: Fair Trade production relies mostly on handcrafting, which results in each piece being unique. Similarly, the resources of Fair Trade foodstuff and cosmetics aren't grown by industrialised farming (heavily using chemical fertiliser and pesticides); instead, it is not uncommon for these products to be certified organic. Also, a big part of Fair Trade (if not the main part) is the information about the products and the producers, which every salesperson in a Fair Trade shop should be able to provide.

To me, the best thing about buying in a Fair Trade shop is the choice of singular 'gems' you rarely find in other shops. Ever heard of purple rice? Or of wild coffee? The weird (but tasty!) chocolate creations by Josef Zotter (Austria) are AFAIK available outside of Fair Trade shops, but I first saw and savoured them in the Fair Trade shop where I work as a volunteer.