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The Chambers County Development Authority announced an e-commerce marketplace that will allow local retailers to sell their products online. The program, titled “Shop Where I Live Chambers County,” gives each county retailer their own page that they can market and sell their goods.

On the business’s individual page, the retailer will be able to list 25 items at a time.

“In our office, we are challenged to think outside the box for methods we can use to help

our local businesses grow and succeed,” Director of Recruitment Kimberly Carter said in a  press release. “On numerous occasions, I have held conversations with small business owners about the evolution of technology and the global marketplace. With that thought, I challenged myself to discover cost-effective ways we could help grow our small businesses in a way that is user friendly.”

Carter is leading the project, which is the first of its kind for any county in the state.

The program is a way that the CCDA can help local businesses that have been hit by COVID-19. It also gives local businesses a chance to expand their reach outside the county, state or even the country.

For the first year, the program will be able to accept up to 400 businesses without a cost to those businesses. Training and support will be given as well as tracking data to help measure sales.

Restaurants will also be able to participate in the program, as they will be allowed to post menus and guides for delivery or pickup orders.

“In today’s world of retail, if you don’t have an online presence, you don’t exist to many people,” Chris Busby, the CCDA’s Director of Commercial and Community Development said in a press release. “However, we realize that many small businesses don’t have the capacity to maintain a website to effectively sell their goods. That’s why we are so excited about this platform, and regardless of the shift in consumer behavior due to the pandemic, this is an amazing opportunity to offer our businesses. Kimberly’s vision and work on this project has been remarkable and it will have a significant impact for our retailers.”

The websites will go live at a later point this summer, but development will start within the next few weeks.

If you are interested in participating in Shop Where I Live Chambers County or want more information, you can contact Carter by phone at 706-590-0291 or via email at kcarter@chambersida.com.