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New Zealand’s First Community Ecommerce Initiative

New Zealand’s First Community Ecommerce Initiative to Launch as Part of Hamilton CBD Revitalisation Strategy

Storbie, an ecommerce software product company, is on board to accelerate retail success in Hamilton, by developing New Zealand’s first community ecommerce initiative for the Hamilton CBD. The initiative will launch in October this year, as part of an overall strategy to revitalise the city centre.

Working with Hamilton Central Business Association, the city’s Business Improvement District which represents the 1,200 businesses and property owners in the Hamilton CBD, Storbie will redevelop the current Hamilton Central website into a Hamilton Central Marketplace. This online marketplace will allow all CBD businesses to be visible online in what is much more than just a directory site, with products and services from all the different businesses able to surface together in a single location.

Storbie CEO Shane Bartle says that a marketplace such as the one being built for Hamilton is the ideal solution for organisations which support the success of groups of businesses through collective strategies. “With a single online destination representing such a large number of businesses, Hamilton Central can maximise their marketing spend on promoting the Marketplace and drive consumers to buy from these stores, whether online or in store, from within Hamilton or anywhere around the country”.

“Hamilton businesses are supported by the collective power of a single central online hub. People can find out about businesses, events and news, browse products and services from all of the businesses in the Hamilton CBD and purchase from multiple stores. A future release will even include a unified checkout so only one payment is necessary”.

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“Businesses with existing ecommerce websites will have extra exposure in a thriving community ecommerce platform, while businesses without an online presence at all will have a simple and cost-effective way to sell online, with a Storbie ecommerce store”.

There are already a number of businesses in Hamilton using Storbie to run their online business. With over 100,000 products across all Storbie websites and millions of dollars being transacted via the websites on the platform, Storbie is fast becoming New Zealand’s leading provider of DIY ecommerce websites.

“We’re really looking forward to launching the Hamilton Central Marketplace and seeing the next evolution in our ecommerce product”, adds Bartle.

Ecommerce is a cornerstone to the overall strategy to revitalise the Hamilton CBD, a project being undertaken by international consultancy firm First Retail Group.

Managing Director Chris Wilkinson believes a community ecommerce solution will spur business activity among locals and customers farther afield.

“We know locals want to support local businesses, but often these stores just don’t have digital visibility or online transaction capability. Now they’ll all be represented in one place — the Hamilton Central Marketplace”.

“Ecommerce is a core component of the Hamilton CBD revitalisation strategy to help retailers reach beyond their traditional boundaries, particularly for businesses servicing the wider central North Island area, and wider still. The Hamilton CBD really is a pivotal location to work from”.

Hamilton Central Business Association General Manager Sandy Turner agrees that the Hamilton Central Marketplace will excite both retailers and shoppers. “The businesses in Hamilton are highly engaged and ready for collaborative action. We can see the Marketplace becoming a vibrant information hub and online shopping destination”.

“We’re already working with local parties to help get more Hamilton businesses online and will be looking to partner with further people in order to hit the ground running, starting with the launch of the Hamilton Central Marketplace”.

Come October, Hamilton Central may well be a trending topic on the web.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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