PA Wilds launches a local marketplace to connect socially-conscious consumers with products proudly made in the Pennsylvania Wilds Region.
About The Client
The PA Wilds Marketplace is part of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is managed by the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship (PA Wilds Center), a regional nonprofit in Pennsylvania. This ecosystem is built around the place-based brand of the PA Wilds, and it includes physical gift shops known as PA Wilds Conservation Shops and the Wilds Cooperative of PA (WCO), a value chain network of more than 350 artisans, craftspeople, creative entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations.
Marketplace Request
Build a robust marketplace where makers in the PA Wilds region can manage and sell from their own storefront. Makers have their own abilities to add and manage products and ship their own orders. The PA Wilds Center is to earn a commission on each sale. PA Wilds Center is to have tools available to monitor seller products and sales, as well as control to market the site and manage content pages and blogs. PA Wilds Center is working with MakerPlace as the platform solution as there is a shared vision of building local wealth, investing in underserved communities, and helping to strengthen market opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.
Marketplace Solution
Building the PA Wilds marketplace on the MakerPlace platform allowed for a flexible marketplace solution that allows the client to be in control, while not having to worry about managing a back-end system.
The marketplace allows for makers in the PA Wilds region to create seller accounts, add their own products, manage their own stock, respond to customer inquiries, and manage their own sales and returns. Putting the ownership of overall product management on the seller, rather than the marketplace owner.
Building a robust local/regional marketplace on the MakerPlace platform also allows PA Wilds to focus on what is important to their mission; building their ecosystem of sellers to support their region and push for economic growth. MakerPlace allows them to focus on their marketing efforts to support their mission and increase visits and revenue to their marketplace by managing the back-end system. The marketplace also promotes tourism sales to the region by allowing tourists the opportunity to purchase products seen in their gift shops at a later date. To support the PA Wilds mission, MakerPlace takes on the back-end; managing payment processors, taxes, paying sellers for orders, as well as platform and site development. MakerPlace also manages the seller relationship, helping to educate and problem-solve, and offers customer service support. By building their marketplace with MakerPlace, PA Wilds can fully focus on growth and economic development within their region.
View the marketplace: shopthepawilds.com
