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5 places to discover new small businesses online
Holly Tucker MBE co-founded Notonthehighstreet, an online marketplace for small businesses to connect with new shoppers. Now she provides support and advice to SME's via her website Holly & Co and is a UK ambassador for creative small businesses.
Here, Holly shares the best places to discover, shop and support small businesses online this Christmas...
Supporting small creative independents is my life’s work and biggest passion. After starting Notonthehighstreet.com 16 years ago, and now Holly & Co, the golden thread throughout both businesses has been a deep love for this most colourful and creative community. And, I have decided that I will now champion these brilliant businesses that bring colour to our grey world until I am 90 (of course, with an extraordinary amount of jewellery on and epic eyewear!)
The obsession I have for the small business community, would have once been described as ‘niche’ but 2020 (despite being universally recognised as the worst year in recent history!) has been the year which has changed everything for these founders. Now, more than ever, people are wanting to support small and local businesses – those who have taken the brave step to dream big and go out there and build their own businesses!
I think we are all grateful that when the rest of the world retreated home, the greengrocers and the butchers left their lights on and their doors open. Never before have we felt such appreciation for our local high streets and the sense of community which they intrinsically bring. Or that the creative businesses working from their kitchen tables, or studios, continued to make personal and heartfelt gifts for us to stay connected to our loved ones.
Many trend analysts are predicting the biggest small business Christmas ever. And my goodness do they need it because – whilst his year has been the toughest ever for us all – for small businesses it has seen them working harder than ever to keep their dreams alive.
So, it's for this reason that I launched Campaign Shop Independent 2020, and I’m urging everyone to Shop Independent this Christmas!
As consumers, the power is with us all, to vote with our money for the kind of world we want to live in. Christmas is not about convenience and how quickly you can have something delivered, this year, it is more important than ever to spend thoughtfully. Buying gifts with depth, thought and meaning, in a year where we have strived to stay connected.
Of course, when you buy a gift from a small business, it isn't just one gift you are giving but two. One to the recipient and one to the small business owner who you are supporting.
And did you know that for every £1 spent with a small business, 63p stays in the local economy, compared to only 40p from larger stores! They are also the largest employer of jobs nationally and provide the most local jobs to communities!
So, here’s my top places that you can shop independent and support small this Christmas:
BOOKSHOP.ORG
Bookshop.org is an alternative to Amazon where independent bookshops and sellers who don't have an online presence collectively sell their books. They have currently raised over £323k, which will go towards keeping them going through such a difficult time.
RED SHOPS POP-UP CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE
Red’s first virtual Christmas marketplace runs from 4th to 6th December, with 420 handpicked small businesses selling homemade decorations, foodie treats and gorgeous gifts. You can shop small, and support and discover lots of fabulous independent British businesses by registering to shop below now.
HOLLY & CO
Fancy a hand-etched ‘quarantini’ martini glass to cheers on New Year’s Eve? Or perhaps you want to show someone that it’s being broken and navigating the hardest times that make you the most beautiful, with a Kintsugi Kit?
You'll find small but perfectly formed collections supporting everyone from the female founder to the independent small business owners here. There’s even got a collection for our mini future founders!
NOTONTHEHIGHSTREET.COM
I remain NOTHS biggest customer all these years later! Supporting over 5000 small businesses with 250,000 products, there will always be something for everyone with that extra special personal touch here.
LOCAL MARKETS
Local Markets such as Kerbfood.com, who will open from the 3rd December to support food street vendors at Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden, or Peddle.com and directories of markets who support small business stallholders who don’t have markets open to them currently.
For Holly’s brilliant daily blog, follow @HollyTucker. Visit Holly.co for more information around Campaign Shop Independent & stacks of support for small businesses.
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