Last spring, I was inspired by the feverish negotiations underway in the US Congress as they wrestled with the nuances of what became the Cares Act. At that time, I was concerned that people with disabilities would be left out of the rescue package, as was the case during the Great Recession. Those among my peer group of entrepreneurs were also in danger of missing out on their slice of the bail-out pie, because most small or micro businesses do not support a traditional payroll. These business owners either manage their businesses on their own, have employees who work on a part-time basis, or who are independent contractors. Too small to take advantage of the Payroll Protection Plan or a business loan, and with questions about eligibility for the $1200 stimulus check, my apprehension over the fate of my friends, and in particular, entrepreneurs with disabilities, compelled me to action.
With the limits imposed by the nationwide lockdowns intended to flatten the curve, and slow the spread of the Coronavirus, and with several gift-giving occasions on the horizon, people from all walks of life needed an accessible and simple way to shop from their home. If they could not go to the mall, I decided, I would bring the mall to them. I wanted to find a way to connect small businesses with the customers who needed them. Let’s Go Shopping Virtual Events was born.
Let’s Go Shopping is an online, accessible, virtual mall crawl where shoppers can hear product presentations and make purchases from the comfort of their couch and smartphone. Or, from their laptop or landline telephone. Access is managed through the Zoom platform, and the event runs on a published schedule. All of the participating vendors are required to make the purchase process as easy and as frictionless as possible, which means that they cannot hide behind their website. They must provide a phone number, email address, or make themselves available via social media so that anyone, no matter the circumstances, can place an order.
Coming up next week is the fourth of these Let’s Go Shopping events. With an emphasis on holiday gifts, there are 18 vendors to explore, offering everything from artisan crafted jewelry to fashion, food, gadgets and gizmos, pet products, personalized gifts, beauty and skin care, home fragrance and decor, craft kits, bags and leather goods, and technology. It’s a great opportunity to get all of your holiday shopping finished, discover new places to shop, and support a small business. Plus, the entire event will be recorded, so if you miss any sessions, you will be able to shop from the recordings, which will be posted over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Please join us for the Let’s Go Shopping holiday Gift Event, November 10 and 11, 2020, starting at 8AM Pacific Time.
The Let’s Go Shopping Holiday Gift Spectacular promises to be the biggest and best LGS event yet, so be sure to share the Let’s Go Shopping goodness with your friends!
Get early access to the vendor list, special sales, promotions, door prizes, news and updates! Please join our announce-only email list. No avalanche of messages in your inbox, no flame wars, no mindless chit chat. Just relevant details about what you can expect from the big holiday event. Most importantly, it’s where you’ll get your Zoom virtual shopping mall invitation!
Subscribe by sending a blank email to:
lgs+subscribe@groups.io – and you will be added to the list. Best of all, no mask needed! Be sure to use the tag, #LetsGoShopping when tweeting about the event.
Let’s face it, 2020 has been rough for everyone. It’s time for some holiday cheer! Ready for a little retail therapy?
Let’s Go Shopping!
LL