Build a local marketplace for your town's shops and makers
Give local shops, producers and makers one online store where residents can browse everything nearby, check out once, and pick up or get it delivered. You run it; they keep selling.
Who builds local marketplaces
| Organizer | Typical goal |
|---|---|
| Shopping districts and business associations | Bring footfall and online sales back to the high street |
| Towns, councils and tourism offices | Promote local businesses and products from the region |
| Cooperatives and buying groups | Pool marketing and logistics across members |
| Community platforms and media | Turn an audience into a shop-local marketplace |
| Entrepreneurs | Build a regional alternative to the big platforms |
Made for small local businesses
Easy for shop owners
Onboarding in one link, product listing from a phone, and a portal in their language.
No double work
Shops already selling on Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix or Squarespace connect their store; stock stays in sync.
Local pickup and delivery
Each shop sets its own rates per area, and Garnet combines them at checkout when a customer buys from several shops.
A directory of local businesses
Every shop gets its own page, and residents browse a directory of all shops.
Direct contact
Residents message a shop before buying.
Fair funding
Cover your costs with a commission, a monthly membership for members, or both.
One checkout for the whole town
A resident buys a cheese from the farm shop, a book from the bookstore and a candle from a maker in the same cart, pays once, and each business receives only its part of the order. Garnet splits payments and pays each shop on the schedule you set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about building a local marketplace? We have answers.
Ask a QuestionWhat is a local marketplace?
A local marketplace is an online platform where businesses from the same town or region sell together. Residents shop from many local sellers in one place, with local pickup or delivery.
How do I start a local online marketplace?
Start with 20 to 30 committed shops, agree on delivery and pickup, and set a fee that covers your costs. Then add Garnet to a Shopify store and onboard shops with one link.
What is a community marketplace?
A community marketplace is a platform where members of a community, a town, an association or a shared interest, buy and sell to each other. It can include businesses, makers and individuals.
How do local marketplaces make money?
Usually a small commission per sale, a monthly membership for participating businesses, or public or association funding for the platform.
Can shops keep using their own website?
Yes. Shops with an online store connect it to the marketplace, so their products and stock stay in sync in both places.
Put your town's shops online, together
Book a demo and tell us about your community. We'll show you how a first group of shops can go live in weeks.
