4 eCommerce Alternatives to The Grommet for Getting Your Innovative Products Found
The closure of The Grommet, a popular eCommerce platform known for showcasing innovative products, has left many entrepreneurs looking for alternative avenues to promote and sell their products.
The Grommet was the go-to online shop offering a selection of creative and ingenuous products made by growing businesses. It was a special place where inventors and entrepreneurs could showcase their creations to a community of people who loved discovering new and exciting products and gifts. In fact, some of our favorite items at Hidden Path Creative — the Rumpl blanket and Lake Art 3D maps started on the Grommet.
Today the Grommet is getting a revival of sorts, after being bought by Giddy Up, a partner marketing firm. But, it’s not the marketplace it was before. So this begs the question, what online storefronts are shoppers flocking to find new items and novel gifts?
In this blog post, we’ll review four eCommerce alternatives that can help inventors and entrepreneurs reach a wider audience and navigate their entrepreneurial journey with success.
Uncommon Goods: Curated Discoveries for the Unique and Socially Conscious
Why Uncommon Goods?
Imagine walking into a shop that has a perfectly, unique and thoughtful gift for everyone on your list. That's what Uncommon Goods is all about. They carefully select unique items to feature on their website, so you know that everything you find there is of high quality and truly one-of-a-kind.
Uncommon Goods is perfect if you have an original product that aligns with their focus on sustainability or making a positive impact on the world. They have a socially conscious audience, which means people who care about things like the environment and making the world a better place. When you're featured on Uncommon Goods, you'll get exposure and credibility for your brand.
Pros
Curation and Recognition
Uncommon Goods selects products with great care, ensuring a high-quality and unique collection. Being featured on their platform can provide exposure and credibility for your brand.
Socially Conscious Audience
Uncommon Goods attracts a socially conscious customer base, making it an ideal platform for products with a sustainability or social impact focus.
Marketing and Promotion
The platform actively markets its products through email campaigns, social media, and curated collections, to drive traffic and sales.
Cons
Limited Product Scope
Uncommon Goods primarily focus on categories like home decor, gifts, and personal accessories. If your items fall outside these categories, they may not be a fit for the platform.
Vendor Selection Process
Uncommon Goods has a rigorous evaluation process for vendors, ensuring their products meet their quality and ethical standards. Meeting these requirements may be challenging for some businesses.
Who Is Uncommon Goods For
Uncommon Goods is ideal for entrepreneurs who have unique and socially conscious products. If your innovative products align with their standards and target socially conscious consumers, Uncommon Goods is a great marketplace choice.
Goldbelly: Nationwide Reach for Gourmet and Regional Food Products
Why Goldbelly?
Do you have a talent for creating delicious treats? Then Goldbelly might be the perfect platform for you! Goldbelly is all about gourmet and regional food products. It's a virtual marketplace that connects food lovers all across the United States with delicious goodies.
The great thing about Goldbelly is that it gives you the chance to reach a nationwide audience. Their loyal customers are all over the country who are eager to try mouth-watering treats from different regions. So if you have an innovative food product that you want to share with people from coast to coast, Goldbelly can help you do that.
Pros
Nationwide Exposure
Goldbelly has a broad customer base and extensive reach across the United States, allowing you to tap into new markets and sell your unique food products nationwide.
Storytelling and Branding
Goldbelly emphasizes the storytelling aspect, enabling you to share the story behind your culinary creations and establish a connection with customers.
Support for Small Businesses
Goldbelly actively supports small and local businesses, allowing you to gain visibility and compete with larger establishments.
Cons
Niche Market
Goldbelly primarily focuses on the gourmet and regional food industry. If your innovative products do not fall within this niche, they may not be a fit for the online store.
Fulfillment Challenges
Shipping perishable food products can present logistical challenges, such as maintaining product quality and temperature during transit. Ensuring proper packaging and shipping methods are necessary for a 5-star customer experience.
Who Is Goldbelly For?
Goldbelly is perfect for entrepreneurs in the food industry, particularly those offering gourmet and regional food products. Goldbelly can help you reach a wider audience and expand your culinary business if your innovative creations fall within this niche.
Viva Terra: Showcasing Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Innovations
Why Viva Terra?
If you're passionate about the environment and creating products that are good for the planet, Viva Terra is the marketplace for you. Viva Terra is all about eco-friendly and sustainable products. They attract environmentally conscious customers who actively seek out products that are kind to the Earth.
Being featured on Viva Terra shows that your product is committed to sustainability, which can enhance your brand reputation and attract customers who prioritize eco-friendly choices. Viva Terra actively supports their vendors by promoting their products through marketing campaigns and social media posts. This can help increase your visibility and reach more customers who care about the environment.
Pros
Targeted Audience
Viva Terra attracts environmentally conscious consumers actively seeking sustainable and eco-friendly products, providing you with a niche audience that aligns with your brand values.
Brand Alignment
Being featured on Viva Terra demonstrates your commitment to sustainability, enhancing your brand credibility and attracting customers who prioritize eco-friendly choices.
Dedicated Marketing Support
Viva Terra actively promotes its vendors and their products through marketing campaigns and social media exposure, helping increase your visibility.
Cons
Limited Product Range
Viva Terra focuses specifically on eco-friendly and sustainable products, so if your innovative creations fall outside these categories, they may not be suitable for the platform.
Competition
As a specialized platform, Viva Terra attracts many eco-conscious vendors. It means you'll be competing with other sellers offering similar products. Standing out may require additional effort in terms of branding and product differentiation.
Who Is Viva Terra For?
Viva Terra is an excellent choice for product entrepreneurs focused on eco-friendly and sustainable innovations. If your innovative products align with their eco-conscious categories, Viva Terra can offer you a platform to showcase your creations to a like-minded audience.
Etsy: A Creative Marketplace for Handcrafted and Artistic Products
Why Etsy?
Are your products really special and hand-crafted, like unique pieces of jewelry, beautiful paintings, or handmade clothing? If so, Etsy, the online maker marketplace might be right for selling your products.
Etsy is like a big community of artists, crafters, and makers who come together to share and appreciate each other's creations. It's a place where people who love handmade and artistic products can find and support talented entrepreneurs like you.
Pros
Creative Community
Etsy is a bustling marketplace that celebrates creativity and craftsmanship. It attracts a community of artists, artisans, and makers who appreciate and support handmade and artistic products.
Wide Product Range
Unlike other marketplaces, Etsy is not limited to specific product categories. You can find everything from handmade jewelry and clothing to home decor, artwork, and even digital downloads. It's a platform that encourages diversity and welcomes a wide range of innovative products.
Seller Control
Etsy provides sellers with tools and features to manage their shops effectively. You can customize your storefront, showcase product photos, and set your prices. It gives you the freedom to present your creations the way you want and build a unique brand identity.
Cons
Increased Competition
With a vast number of sellers on Etsy, competition can be fierce. It requires effort and strategic marketing to stand out among the crowd. You'll need to invest in high-quality product photography, SEO-driven descriptions, and targeted promotion to get your products noticed.
Seller Responsibility
As an Etsy seller, you're responsible for various aspects of your business, such as shipping, customer service, and managing inventory. While Etsy provides support and resources, it requires you to take an active role in handling these aspects.
Who Is Etsy For?
Etsy is an ideal platform for entrepreneurs who create handmade, artistic, and one-of-a-kind products. If you're passionate about your craft and want to connect with a community of like-minded individuals, Etsy offers a platform to showcase your innovative products to a global audience.
Conclusion
The closure of The Grommet highlights just how important it is to have multiple channels for new customers to discover your products. When you take the time to build relationships with eCommerce shops and marketplaces, you'll have many opportunities to gain visibility with new customers.
Uncommon Goods, Goldbelly, and Viva Terra all sell to very specific niches and audiences, and getting your products into one of these marketplaces can increase your customer base quickly. Before pitching to these eCommerce stores, consider their pros and cons and choose the best marketplace with your product offerings and target market.
These alternatives can help you reach a wider audience, gain exposure, and continue growing your business in the ever-evolving eCommerce landscape.