Recent research indicates that an increasing number of Australian consumers prefer to purchase products from small, local retailers; not only to show support for local products and businesses, but also to help these retailers which are reeling from both the pandemic and current economic challenges, such as supply-chain issues and inflation.
As a result, there is growing interest among Australian consumers in where they can find the right channels to buy products from small, homegrown brands. Here are some of the best platforms consumers can visit to show their support for these small brands.
Spend With Us
The Australia-made, online Spend With Us – Buy From a Bush Business Marketplace offers an extensive directory of rural and regional small businesses and their products. Spend With Us aims to support rural businesses that have been affected by bushfires, the pandemic and inflation, and are struggling to compete due to location, size and technological challenges. It provides them with a platform where they can reach more people.
Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace that focuses on selling handmade items and craft supplies, many of which the sellers create themselves. These items fall under a wide range of categories, including jewellery, bags, clothing, craft supplies and tools. The app is a haven where artisan brands and entrepreneurs can showcase their creations and build a following from the many visitors who browse the platform each month.
MyDeal.com.au
MyDeal.com.au is a proudly Australia-made online marketplace that connects millions of customers to thousands of retailers, with a focus on smaller brands. The app specifically focuses on brands and items related to the home, from furniture to homewares to garden items to toys. MyDeal also offers a unique feature wherein it provides small-business loans to sellers needing financial assistance, giving sellers not only a place to market their products, but also an alternative financing facility.
Gumtree
Gumtree is regarded as Australia’s ‘local marketplace’ and it has become the default go-to place for people looking to buy or sell just about anything within their local community. The app boasts over 3 million listings across hundreds of categories, a facility that has prompted many sole traders and start-up brands to list their products and services on the site to get the word out about their offers and establish a customer following from there.
eBay.com.au
While eBay is a popular mainstream eCommerce site, it is also a platform for buying from local businesses. This is made possible by the Australian Made campaign, which has its own hub inside eBay. There, shoppers can find, in one convenient location, all products across a wide range of categories that bear the iconic ‘Australian Made’ logo, providing consumers with the peace of mind that they are buying from genuine homegrown brands.
Amazon.com.au
As the most recognisable brand in global online retailing, Amazon has been an attractive platform for brands of all sizes, with many small brands having achieved growth since establishing their presence on it. Amazon offers more than 100 million products in a wide range of categories and the availability of Prime membership and Fulfillment by Amazon services has enabled sellers to deliver their products speedily and efficiently.
This article first appeared in issue 42 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
