Welcome to Shetland Market, your local online shop!
Our Mission
To make money, surely? Well, not exactly! Shetland Market has been set up for local businesses. I have lived in Shetland for just 6 years, since university and have been living on a croft in Eshaness and working in Lerwick. I now do seasonal work that allows me more free time to work on other projects such as this one. I also design websites and do graphic design work under my company AW Design.
Shetland Market has started from a passion for these islands and I want to see more local companies thriving and less of businesses like Tesco and Amazon, who, with their incredible buying and selling power seem to be able to undercut everyone! I want the site to eventually be the hub for Shetland's finest products, and a showcase for products available in Shetland, even if they're available slightly cheaper on Amazon or from Tesco!
To market the site and attract more people to use it I will be advertising on the internet and in magazines, newspapers and brochures. I also hope to one day be in a position to sponsor local business events like craft fairs and showcases. While the site is certainly focussed on businesses it has to pay for itself. In the first 2 years of the sites operation though (until May 2012) I will be spending every penny of revenue on marketing and publicity, with site maintenance and my hours being entirely provided at no cost. So businesses joining can rest assured that the small commission taken for their sales, stays within the project for now.
How the site works
Shetland Market is a new approach to community websites, and to online shopping. We aim to link you directly to suppliers throughout Shetland so that you can do all your local shopping in one place. Unlike most online shops, we don't keep a single bit of stock. Instead we've asked businesses of all sizes throughout the islands to list their products on the site. You can then browse products from all these businesses as if it was one shop, add as many different things to your basket and pay once through our secure payment gateway.
Once your order is placed, we'll let all the businesses you've ordered from know, and they will then get in touch with you to confirm your order and then send out your goodies! It's really that simple!
For now we've only got a limited number of local businesses listed on the site, but we're constantly getting more businesses on board so please spread the word and keep checking back for updates.
Our aim is to benefit Shetland as a community, and we're encouraging the following businesses in particular...
- Small businesses with no current online presence
- Niche or specialist businesses who need to reach the rest of the UK
- Shetland's major retailers - list your special offers on the site and encourage people to buy online locally, not from larger websites that don't benefit Shetland businesses
- Crofters, who would like to sell produce directly but don't have an outlet. List fresh meat selections, local vegetable boxes etc.
- Arts and Crafts producers who could benefit from visitors re-ordering products they bought while on holiday
We hope you enjoy using the site, and keep us in mind for when you're shopping online next - you never know, you might be able to find the same products much closer to home.
How to Pay
We use Paypal to process your credit or debit card details on the site. Paypal is a secure way to pay online and you don't need to have a Paypal account to pay on the site. Simply follow the instructions at the checkout.
We currently do not offer any other forms of payment for products.
Delivery
All the products listed on the site will be sent to you using the most efficient delivery methods available and our suppliers will always aim to get items to you in 3-5 days. However, sometimes they can't manage that for reasons beyond their control so please allow 14 days for delivery.
The obvious exceptions are items that are custom made or too large to be sent by normal post. Please contact us before ordering if you're not sure, but most products will state delivery times in the description if they differ from above.
Delivery Costs
When you buy from Shetland Market, you are buying from local businesses directly. Each business that you order from will add postage and packaging costs to the order at the checkout. However, we strongly encourage our suppliers to offer free delivery on their items to simplify your shopping experience. Take a quick look at your basket when you add items to see how much the delivery will be.
Returns
Returns are dealt with by individual suppliers, not Shetland Market. If you wish to return an item, please contact them directly using the email address they contacted you on when they confirmed your order. Once your return has been accepted by the supplier, they will contact us and we will arrange a refund if necessary.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback. Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page to get in touch, or write to Shetland Market, Ure, Eshaness, Shetland, ZE2 9RS
