Dec 15, 2009

New Artisan Economy




In the emerging era of the internet, old could be new again. We can start to have conversations again. Unlike traditional media, the Internet is two-way. This simple attribute has profound implications. It lets us "talk" to the people making our products.

Ethikl is the place where small, independent businesses can stay independent and reach buyers all over the world. This direct selling model means the producer gets to keep almost 100% of the selling price of the product (whereas in traditional distribution anywhere from 50% of the ultimate selling price never makes it back to the producer). This adds a fundamental new dynamic to the small producer business model. The producer gets to keep the lion's share of the profit and the consumer gets a unique product.

And it also brings back tradition.

We believe that the goal of any marketplace, large or small, is to bring together a range of buyers and a range of sellers. Even the smallest of individual actions in a marketplace helps contribute to activity in aggregate. One really simple example is marketing. Each artisanal business has its own marketing activities. You might hand out business cards. You might have a table in a farmers' market. You might have an email newsletter that you send out. These activities bring buyers to your Shop, but they also bring buyers to the marketplaces in which you participate. At first you might worry, "Do I really want to share my customers?" But when you think about it, the answer is an obvious yes. The reason is simple. If there are 50 merchants in a market and you all contribute new customers, then your return on investment is 50-fold. You contribute one set of customers and get 50 in return. This is why marketplaces form in the real world, we are taking that concept online.

We are eager to make it easier to run your business, have a presence online, and support your livelihood. Let me know what is important to you. Send me a message

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