Iowa-based e-commerce company Member Marketplace recently hit a milestone for its company, processing $1 million in online sales for small businesses.
Member Marketplace engineers a national network of shop local e-commerce marketplace websites, including the statewide Shop Iowa Platform. Small businesses use its platform to sell their products online, and its user-friendly interface enables residents to easily shop local.
Shop Iowa Day
For Shop Iowa Day on Oct. 11, sales increased 120% over last year’s event and was the all-time highest one-day visitor record. Orders came in from 198 different cities across Iowa, and from 24 additional states.
Ashley Hahn, owner of Six Seasons Apparel in Riverside, said Shop Iowa Day was a huge success for her business.
“I sold about 75 tees and sweatshirts in just the one day, which broke my personal record of an individual day’s sales by about 2.5 times!” she said in an email to the CBJ. “I will DEFINITELY be participating in the event next year!”
Keeping dollars local
The $1 million accomplishment underscores the company’s commitment to supporting and empowering small businesses to increase their online sales, which helps drive local economic impact and keeps dollars local. To date, Member Marketplace has directly processed:
20,620 orders
40,965 products sold
1,014,987 total sales, providing direct revenue for U.S. small businesses beyond their normal sales channels
“We are thrilled to have achieved this incredible milestone of $1 million in sales for small businesses on our shop local e-commerce platform,” said Cherie Edilson, CEO of Member Marketplace Inc. “This achievement is a clear indication that our efforts are making a positive impact and driving success for communities and small businesses who use our platform.”
Apart from the $1 million in direct sales, the marketplace platform offers other methods for customers to connect with businesses. Customers can directly contact businesses on the platform through an inquiry system, phone, or email, as well as referral clicks to their own website.
More than a platform
Member Marketplace works closely with cities, economic development entities, small business development centers, main street organizations and chambers of commerce to launch the local marketplaces, which it manages. In addition, it provides personalized support for small businesses and collaborates with partners on marketing strategies, as well as promotional offers to incentivize shoppers to buy local.
“We are so thankful for all of our partners, whose dedication and desire to help their small businesses succeed in an ever-changing competitive business landscape is what makes what we do possible,” said Ms. Edilson in a press release.
Member Marketplace Inc. is based in Iowa and has employees in Des Moines, Waukee, Windsor Heights and Marion. It recently launched a new ‘Member Connection Marketplace’ platform to complement its e-commerce offering, providing chambers of commerce and other member-based organizations a modern, more interactive way to promote their member businesses to their communities online.
