Iowans will have a chance to jump-start their Christmas shopping while supporting local businesses on Shop Iowa Day next week.
Shop Iowa Day is a statewide, exclusively online shopping event that encourages shoppers to support Iowa’s small businesses, entrepreneurial spirit and local economies through the Shop Iowa marketplace. The Iowa Economic Development Authority drives the initiative and is bringing 700 small Iowa businesses together, with an estimated 9,000 products.
“A lot of these small businesses are the heartbeat of the communities that make it a good place to live,” said Cherie Edilson, co-founder and CEO of Member Marketplace, an e-commerce marketplace platform that runs and implements the program on behalf of the state of Iowa. “And so this initiative helps to support them through digital commerce, to give them an outlet on that side.”
Perks of the day
On Oct. 11, the Shop Iowa marketplace will offer site-wide discounts, including:
- 30% discount for all purchases – the coupon code will be posted the day of the event
- A chance to win prizes, including a $500 Shop Iowa shopping spree, or one of four Shop Iowa gift cards. No purchase is necessary, but participants must be an Iowa resident
- Additional one-day markdowns from small businesses across the state
- $5 Shop Iowa gift card for every $25 gift card purchased
- Free shipping specials by select business and local pickup where available
Promotions will run all day until 11:59 p.m., and early access deals will start the night before at 6 p.m., for Shop Iowa email and text list subscribers.
Ms. Edilson noted that with the 30% coupon code, businesses will still get the full amount owed to them – the discount is on behalf of Shop Iowa, to promote the marketplace.
Looking locally
Anne Goddard, owner of A Chocolate Studio in North Liberty, said this year is her first time participating in Shop Iowa Day. To prepare for the day, she is busy stocking up on chocolates and packaging, promoting the event in her monthly newsletter and scouring social media for posts on the day.
“With the recent push to buy local, this program helps tremendously, especially for someone like me who makes unique, handcrafted chocolates right here in North Liberty,” said Ms. Goddard, in an email to the CBJ. “Customers don’t have to look to the larger cities to find something special, but just ‘around the corner’. Also, Shop Iowa Day is great exposure to many, many more potential customers throughout Iowa and the U.S.”
Ms. Edilson added that it’s the uniqueness of smaller businesses that can potentially attract bigger businesses to the area.
“Businesses that exist in our communities, around the state, are what keeps our towns unique. They keep it special. (This initiative) helps to attract brand new, bigger businesses in the community, said Ms. Edilson. “If you want to attract the next, big Collins Aerospace, or somebody else, you need a lot of the small retailers that make it a fun place to live.”
Shoppers can sign up for email and text alerts on the Shop Iowa Day hub: https://www.shopiowa.com/shopiowaday
