For over a decade, Katina Washington, creator of the S.H.E. Event, has been the middleman between local business owners and shoppers searching for locally made products. Now, with the S.H.E. Marketplace, Washington is cutting out the middleman, connecting vendors and customers year-round.
“The idea for the marketplace came about because we had to cancel our event on April 4 because of the pandemic,” Washington said. “We had to find a more efficient way to get our vendors out there in the community, so we came up with this virtual idea.”
The marketplace was supposed to launch Sept. 12 at the most recent S.H.E. Event. However, Washington’s responsibilities as organizer and safety supervisor left her too busy, and the launch is delayed until Black Friday. The new date provides more time to accept applications and gives shoppers a good excuse to shop locally for the holidays.
The day of the launch, Washington will go live on Facebook to showcase some of the available items — which range from home and beauty, fashion, food products and jewelry — and give reviews.
There are no qualifications necessary to apply, and business owners just need to pay $60 to be included in the “Amazon for local businesses,” as well as provide a copy of a driver’s license — a safety measure put in place to avoid scammers. Once approved, owners can upload photos to display their products.
Applications for the S.H.E. Marketplace are open now, and local businesses will be able to apply at any time after the launch.
Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
To apply to be a vendor on the S.H.E. Marketplace, visit sheeventmarketplace.com.
Cost is $60 to be included on the database.
