eBay is giving SMBs from Akron, Ohio an opportunity to display and sell their products on a much bigger stage.
The e-Commerce giant sent 17 SMBs to set up shop in The New Stand, a retail concept store in New York City with locations in Brookfield Place and the Union Square subway station, to bring shoppers a new collection of original items from Akron. The products will remain on sale at Brookfield Place through Aug. 24.
Earlier this year, the city of Akron and eBay piloted Retail Revival, a mentorship program designed to support the growth of more than 100 of the city’s local businesses by providing its entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to keep their businesses running online.
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“We’re bringing the best of Akron’s entrepreneurs and artisans to New York City to help them expand their reach to new audiences,” said Chris Librie, Head of Global Impact at eBay in a statement. “Through the power of eBay’s platform and shoppers in New York and beyond, we’re committed to making a positive impact on the growth of local retailers and their communities.”
For shoppers who can’t make it to either of the locations, eBay is offering a “Taste of Akron” — limited edition boxes that include fair-trade coffee beans, hand-drawn cards, sustainable fruit snacks, augmented reality (AR) gaming devices, and an all-natural beeswax moisturizer, all of which are produced by companies in Akron. The limited-edition boxes, which retail for $35, will be given away to the first 10 shoppers who visit each New Stand store.
eBay also plans to expand the Retail Revival program to its second city, Lansing, Mich. in the coming months.
