Local artisans are heading online to boost sales during the pandemic

By: Michelle Poirier

The word of the year for businesses in 2020 is “pivot,” and local artisans are pivoting from traditional face-to-face sales to posting their wares online.

Bill Major, owner of Live Edge Woodcraft in Port Bolster, has spent a lot of time and money to post his one-of-a-kind handmade woodcraft pieces for sale online.

“It’s a whole new world to us,” he said. “It’s a challenging undertaking when you didn’t grow up with computers, and we have had to learn everything as we go.”

For his e-commerce website, Mr. Major signed up for the Digital Main St. ShopHERE program, which helps create online stores for small businesses and artists at no-cost and is funded by the federal government, province of Ontario and corporate sponsors.

Mr. Major said once he went through the program and got the help he needed, he was eligible for the One of a Kind virtual show, the largest craft show in Canada, with over 700 vendors from around the country.

“For us, these are very big steps to be able to develop an e-commerce site and to be able to take part in a national online virtual show for nine weeks,” he said.

Though Mr. Major has started to see online orders pick-up for Christmas, he still wants everyone to know that his shop is still open for in-person sales with all COVID-19 precautions in place.

Jennifer Anderson, Executive Director for the Georgina Chamber of Commerce, said she has seen a definite shift in the way businesses are operating during the pandemic.

“We find that businesses are pivoting and adapting to do what they can to maintain sales, and so, especially at this time of year, they’re looking at online options and looking at social media,” she said.

Brett Hill, owner of the Black River Letterpress Co. in Sutton, is looking to online sales to make up revenue lost during the pandemic.

His graphic design service has taken a big hit, with clients closing down or scaling back. And, with weddings postponed or cancelled, his wedding design and printing service has only done one job this year.

“The greeting card business has been okay, we’ve managed to pick up some new wholesale accounts, but again, with lockdowns and restrictions being different across North America, it’s hard to gauge sales,” he said.

This year, Mr. Hill was accepted to the wholesale website Faire.com. But it took several months to complete the platform’s onboard process. He also said he stepped up his Etsy shop and his website as well.

“Being a one-person shop, it’s a lot to manage; three selling platforms online, managing orders, printing and creating new products. I’m slowly learning to create new work processes to make things easier,” he said.

Mr. Hill is also putting together 8-pack holiday cards at a reduced price to boost sales during the holiday season.

“I think a lot of people will be cutting back, but hopefully, they will support small businesses and buy local,” he said.

The Georgina Chamber of Commerce, which is spearheading the Shop Local campaign for the Town, has recently published an online gift giving guide for residents.

The 2020 Georgina Holiday Gift Giving Guide makes it easier for local businesses to showcase their holiday goods and services.

“The reason that we’ve created the gift guide is we want to encourage people to shop local, and it’s hard for them to do if they don’t know the options that exist,” Ms. Anderson said.

The Chamber has opened the guide up to all local businesses, not just its members, and since it’s online, it hopes to grow its offerings as the season progresses.

“We want people to know that they don’t have to go south of Ravenshoe to find everything that they need. That chances are there are businesses in town that have something to offer them and, if they can’t find it, then they can give the Chamber a call because we are almost like little elves here,” she said.

You can find the guide at www.georginachamber.com/sl-holiday-gift-guide.