New e-commerce solution for independents unveiled
Design
|Nov 14, 2022
QIC has launched a new e-commerce solution for independent retailers ahead of Black Friday and the peak Christmas trading period. The multivendor online marketplace – Shopindee – is a cost-effective and simple-to-use platform for small and family-run businesses looking to diversify their distribution mix.
Developed in response to feedback from QIC's independent retail partners, Shopindee gives sellers the collective advertising-buying power and technological support they need to grow and compete with big-name retailers.
More than 50 Australian businesses are already registered on the beta version of the marketplace, including resortwear specialist Escape to Paradise, men's grooming retailer Mistr, Indigenous bath and beauty brand Yaye, homewares store Zoes Kitchen and canine clothing label Sandy Snoots. Products on offer range from women's apparel, gifting solutions and gadgets to pet accessories and garden furniture.
Stephen Dewaele, General Manager – Shopping Centres at QIC, says: “This is something our small, pop-up and independent retailers have been asking for. By enabling e-commerce integration, we allow them to expand their addressable market while continuing to play our part in the evolution of the Australian retail landscape.” He adds: "It’s a plug-and-play solution that anyone, no matter their level of digital experience, can use."
An easy-to-use seller portal allows 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. The platform offers frictionless integration with a variety of popular e-commerce plugins, including Shopify, Magento and Woo Commerce, liberating sellers from the hassle of researching and acquiring these tools by themselves. A dedicated business development manager is also available for one-on-one platform training and marketing advice.
“This is about providing retailers with a ready-made tool that is simple to use; where the legwork has already been done.” – Stephen Dewaele
To turbocharge the launch of Shopindee, the site is being promoted to QIC’s 530,000-plus email subscribers and 564,000 social media followers, and can be easily accessed via shopping centre websites that collectively receive close to 150 million website visits per year.
The e-commerce initiative enables QIC to connect with pure-play retailers and potentially support them through the transition to a pop-up, short-term or long-term physical presence in some of Australia's busiest shopping centres.
