The City Of Cape Town Launches New Online Market Place For Small Businesses
The City Of Cape Town Launches New Online Market Place For Small Businesses. The City of Cape Town (COCT) has launched an online market that sells items from informal traders, vendors, and crafters.
Grant Twigg, the COCT’s Mayco Member for Urban Management told Venture Burn some insight into what led to the creation of the new online market. “I am excited to see the City pilot this online market initiative. Reason being, last year July, when the City engaged with the leadership of all informal traders’ associations under the theme, ‘Trading and living amid Covid-19’, we made a commitment to finding innovative ways of doing business and assisting the informal sector with increased economic opportunities to minimise the negative economic impact caused by the pandemic. Today’s launch is that commitment in action, and so we call on the public to support these small businesses by browsing and shopping at the Cape Town Online Market.”
Taking place from 27 May until 9 June 2021, the online market will showcase over 400 products from 110 informal traders, crafters, and vendors. Items that will be on sale include baby clothes, pet goods, home décor, beauty items, kitchenware, and more.
Twigg also told Venture Burn that the COCT is committed to supporting local entrepreneurs and SMEs. “Through such initiatives as the pilot online market and the My Cape Town physical market, we hope to provide an economic opportunity for traders to supplement their income in these trying economic times and hopefully contribute towards sustained livelihoods. We also hope that the online market will present an opportunity for our traders to be recognised and supported by a much broader audience and buyers beyond the borders of Cape Town and South Africa. This market is also a tool that will introduce traders to the online market space and hopefully give them the confidence to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and explore online opportunities beyond the 9th of June 2021.”
With the Covid-19 pandemic still in full effect, this marketplace will assist a lot of small businesses that need clients. This initiative is bringing these businesses to the forefront to boost their economic value in the market place.
