QIC has unveiled Shopindee – a new online marketplace dedicated to helping small and independent retailers achieve a multi-channel business operation by providing them with an e-commerce platform that is cost-effective, easy to integrate and simple to use.
With many of QIC’s small and independent retail partners needing to diversify their distribution channel, Shopindee aims to enhance their modes of selling, building a multi-channel presence and increasing their reach without the need for substantial investment. The new secure online marketplace provides a seamless and sophisticated e-commerce solution for small and independent businesses to gain nationwide exposure and maximise their customer touchpoints.
To turbocharge the launch of the platform, Shopindee will be promoted to QIC’s over half-a-million-strong email subscriber base and social media followers ahead of the peak Christmas trading period. The user-friendly marketplace will be linked from QIC centre websites, which receive almost 150 million website visits a year.
“39% of shoppers use marketplaces as their primary channel to buy online, ahead of company websites and social media,” says Stephen Dewaele, General Manager – Shopping Centres at QIC.
The user-friendly marketplace will be linked from QIC centre websites, which receive almost 150 million website visits a year
“With so many incredible independent retailers servicing their customers in-store every day but needing to boost their online sales presence, we wanted to enable a solution that would help them access this important distribution channel. As the name suggests, Shopindee has deliberately focussed on championing small and family-run businesses to give these sellers the collective advertising-buying power and technological support they need to connect with customers across all touch points.”
“Shopindee also provides QIC with an invaluable opportunity to connect with online-only retail businesses, establishing working relationships that can in turn allow us to convert them into pop-up or short- and long-term leasing tenants within QIC shopping centres.
With usability critical to the success of the platform, the platform provides frictionless integration with a variety of other platforms most used by the third-party sellers, including Shopify, Magento and Woo Commerce. This puts the best e-commerce tools at the disposal of our retail partners without the headache of having to acquire and learn how to implement them from scratch themselves.
An easy-to-use seller portal is at the core of Shopindee, allowing retailers to publish products, upload information, integrate POS connections and print shipping labels for packaging from the one place with an efficient multichannel customer experience in mind.
Shopindee will be promoted to QIC’s over half-a-million-strong email subscriber base and social media followers
A dedicated business development manager ensures retailers are supported throughout the onboarding process, providing one-on-one platform training and marketing advice.
“This is about providing retailers with a ready-made tool that is simple to use and where the legwork has already been done,” adds Dewaele. “It’s a plug-and-play solution that anyone, no matter their level of digital experience, can use.”
“We’ve seen significant retailer uptake so far, including Escape to Paradise, Mistr, Maho Sensory, Yaye, Zoes Kitchen, Uncommon Collective, Berkana, The Ironclad Co. and Sandy Snoots
“This is something our small, pop-up and independent retailers have been asking for,” says Dewaele. “By so easily enabling e-commerce integration for these partners, we allow them to expand their addressable market, while continuing to play our part in the evolution of the Australian retail landscape.”
