Do you know what a purpose-driven or values-based marketplace is?
Today’s consumers are increasingly shopping through their ‘values’ lens. With 80% and climbing, Generation Z and Millennials are shopping from businesses that reflect their values.
“Values-based marketplaces are emerging to promote local, small businesses on a global scale. These online hubs enable consumers to find products based on what matters to them most. They are the digital equivalent to knowing the maker down the street, and they might just be the antidote to Amazon’s war on small business.”
This article by Entrepreneur touches on what the world could look like if Google were to buy Amazon (scary and insightful for us as small business owners and consumers). Learning how to shop with our values, might just save us from this kind of future – food for thought !
Here are some values-based marketplaces in Australia worth checking out.
Our first values-based marketplace is BuyNatural
BuyNatural is a community for shoppers who love and value natural, organic & eco-friendly products. They specifically support Australian regional and small businesses.
BuyNatural is more than just an eCommerce marketplace for Australian natural, organic and eco-friendly products. The BuyNatural business model includes an export pathway into the Chinese and Middle Eastern markets.
If you haven’t accessed the 1.4 billion Chinese market, then trying to expand into China as a small business is like an ant attempting to climb The Great Wall Of China, or similar. The affordable and simplified pathway that BuyNatural has developed for Australian small businesses is an amazing initiative in supporting and exporting natural, organic & eco-friendly Australian products.
So if you offer natural, organic & eco-friendly products have a look at BuyNatural as this is another distribution channel that is affordable for small businesses.
I’M PLASTIC FREE is also an Australian values-based marketplace
I’M PLASTIC FREE is an online marketplace offering the most comprehensive range of plastic free, upcycled and ethically sourced products from trusted and responsible suppliers. The marketplace draws suppliers from Australian ethical and sustainable small businesses and connects them to consumers through a one-stop guilt free marketplace.
I’M PLASTIC FREE makes upcycled, recycled and reusable look so cool, on trend and on-point, which it is, but this is next level. You can filter products by values, such as carbon neutral delivery, closed loop, vegan, recycled, as well as by accreditations such as, GOTS, PETA, Orangutan Alliance and choose cruelty free.
The vision for I’M PLASTIC FREE is of a future where all materials and products are treated as valuable, a future where the circular economy has become an integral part of our society, a much less wasteful and consumerist society.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to make a difference in this world and support small independent Australian businesses, I’M PLASTIC FREE, the conscious living marketplace, is the right place for you to shop.
Another worthy Australian marketplace is Buy From The Bush.
Back in October 2019 after the success of social media campaign “Buy From The Bush” PayPal reached out to founder Grace Brennan. Fast-forward 12 months and the “Buy From The Bush” already has a 450,000-strong following on social media and has joined forces with PayPal to launch this new marketplace.
“Grace explained her goal was to create long-term economic opportunity for rural small businesses – which is aligned with our own values and mission,” PayPal said “the new Buy From The Bush Marketplace is now an easy-to-use, safe and secure gateway to discover and buy beautiful and unique products while supporting rural small businesses.”
If you are a small business in rural Australia you can sign up to sell on Buy From the Bush Marketplace here.
If you need help with your core values you can read more here.
