MENDOCINO Co., 12/2/20 — It’s been a rough year for many Mendocino County small businesses, which is most of them since the majority of businesses in Mendocino County are considered small or “micro businesses.”
As a locally owned businesss ourselves, we at The Mendo Voice understand the importance of shopping local: even a small purchase can make a big difference, and every dollar spent at a small local business has a multiplier effect as your dollar stays local and circulates through our community.
This year, shopping local and staying safe is especially important, and there’s a new opportunity for local business owners to showcase their goods this holiday season.
West Business Development Center has set up an online holiday marketplace for local business owners “featuring uniquely Mendocino products, experiences, and arts and crafts,” with a business summary, images, and links to an online store. West Center will be promoting the site, and can help you set up online sales as well (details below).
Here’s how to get involved, and where to check out Mendocino County’s unique products while you’re shopping this season:
FORT BRAGG, Calif. – November 23, 2020 – West Business Development Center (West Center) is excited to announce the launch of its first online Holiday Gift Guide at www.westcenter.org/holiday-marketplace. In an effort to give an assist to local businesses that have a robust e-commerce presence, West Center has developed a dedicated page on their website featuring uniquely Mendocino products, experiences, and arts and crafts. Each listing features a selection of images, a short description of the business offerings, and a direct link to their online store.
Small businesses across Mendocino County––around the world––are suffering due to the continued onslaught of the pandemic. New shelter-in-place orders and shutdowns are forcing businesses of all stripes to limit access by the public, revise their operational strategies, and rethink how to survive the coming winter months. West Center recognized an opportunity to assist the small businesses in Mendocino County during what will surely be a holiday season like no other. West Center’s CEO, Mary Anne Petrillo, noted, “This holiday season will be a challenge for us all, and particularly our business community. Our solution was to develop an online ‘marketplace’ that could bring in a little extra revenue and showcase some of our businesses successfully demonstrating their e-commerce capabilities.” West Center plans to promote the site with a digital marketing campaign to the Bay Area and Sacramento markets. “We want to reach those people who love Mendocino and couldn’t make a trip this year but now they can make a purchase and share a Mendocino memory.”
The marketing goal is to drive traffic to the West Center portal and, in turn, send potential buyers to Mendocino County businesses during a season when shoppers will be reluctant to go out unnecessarily and instead choose to shop from the safety of their homes. This year, projections are that 2020 holiday shopping is expected to increase by 1% to 1.5%, amounting to up to $1.152 trillion during the November to January time frame.
West Center has opened this seasonal online opportunity to Mendocino County businesses with an online store that accepts payments via credit or debit card, or other payment methods, such as Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, Google Wallet, etc. Businesses who would like to be listed are encouraged to contact Alison de Grassi, Director of Marketing at [email protected] who will assist with getting the business listed. West Center is not able to accept listings advertising alcohol or cannabis. If businesses don’t yet have an online store but would like to get one set up, they should contact West Center at 707-964-7571 for assistance.
