A new study by Statistics Canada found that 7 million Canadians went on an internet shopping spree in 2006, spending $7.9 billion on goods and services, including travel arrangements, reading material and electronics. These are startling numbers that represent a 163% increase from $3 billion in 2004. These purchases were made by 41 percent of Canadians who used the internet. Obviously for companies to have an e-commerce capability is essential in this new environment and those without that capability are losing out on a vast sales potential.
Up to now the high cost of moving from a passive web site to a full online trading capacity has discouraged many small retailers which make up the mass of Vancouver Island companies.
Now a Victoria based company, Shop in the Village has launched a low cost, ‘paint by numbers’ approach to get into the global market. Using the system which has been under development for over a year, even the smallest of businesses can be up and running, promoting and selling to the world in less than an hour – and without the need to pay thousands of dollar up front or massive ongoing fees. Val Bersenev of the Shop in the Village says that since the company strategy is to get small firms online fast to build capacity it starts new members on a 3 month no-charge basis following which they will pay less than $40 monthly to maintain their site.
Tara ****** of In Bloom Floral Boutique says “This new option is a great addition to my already existing web site. With the pulling power of hundreds of other retailers on Super Sales I am attracting web business that my site wouldn’t normally attract on its own.”
For their small monthly fee anyone with a product or service gets a dedicated site on the network, with the opportunity to load pictures, logos company information and testimonials as well as ongoing help support when needed. Bersenev’s goal is to have several hundred Vancouver Island companies on the network gaining their share of the regional and global marketplace. More information can be found at www.shopinthevilage.com
