ShopHERE website success for Medicine Hat businesses

ShopHERE is a partnership between APEX Alberta, Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce, Invest Medicine Hat, and Google Canada.

Jan and Bruce Dynes have been in business in downtown Medicine Hat for over 40 years and are taking part in the program.

And for the last 11 years, the couple are the owners of The Clay Trade.

Jan says retail shopping is definitely different now, and you have to learn to go with the punches.

Which includes adapting to online shopping and social media platforms.

“Downtown is kind of a forgotten shopping place and so if people can see us online then it intrigues them and they say oh I didn’t even know we had a pottery store downtown so they will come down and they’ll look,” she said.

Jan says she has learned a lot through the ShopHere program.

And adds that she’s not the demographic who would normally want to take on the challenge of building a website.

But since their site launch last month, they’ve had some sales which are a very good sign, “So I’m really hoping that my online presence will not only drive sales there but will also encourage the consumer and customer to come down and see what extra special thing we have in our store,” Jan told Chat News.

The ShopHERE website has also driven business to The Kommon downtown.

Founder & co-owner Kat Gammelseter says it has been an essential part of growing their business, “So it just spread the awareness as to what we’re doing here at The Kommon and we have made some sales too. So it’s definitely been an essential part of growing what we’re doing here.”

Before their new site, she says they had a basic landing page, so this was a major update.

They offer products as well as yoga classes and workshops.

“Since The Kommon is so dynamic, there are so many different elements to what we’re doing the website actually allows people to get all of the information around what we’re offering and how they can get involved,” Gammelseter added.

More on the retail side, Gliteroos Boutique has also had a lot of online success.

Chrissie Mather’s business offers comfy and casual clothing for women.

Before the program she made a quick website, but has since refreshed her online presence, “I can actually even tell if somebody is online and they’re looking in Edmonton, Ontario, or B.C if I look on my back end I can see that they’re online. I don’t know who they are but I can see where they are and that they’re looking at the website at that moment,” she said.

Mather adds she usually does a lot of trade shows but has chosen not to do very many during this time.

So she needed this website and says everyone is shopping online.

“Last month was my best month ever. So I had a few goals and I just about reached them so I was really excited,” Mather said.

The Clay Trade, The Kommon, and Glitteroos stress the importance of shopping locally and hope their online presence will help keep money in the community and local businesses thriving.

Milne adds that APEX and ShopHERE have another announcement coming sometime in the next month which will make it even easier to shop local online.

“I don’t want to give too many spoilers about it but I think it’s going to be another really great program for our local small independent businesses here in Medicine Hat and also our large local businesses,” Milne added.

by Chantal Wagner

ShopHERE website success for Medicine Hat businesses

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