On Friday, May 10 eBay launched its first concept store in the UK. The month long pop-up shop is eBay’s latest commitment to the City of Wolverhampton, where in September eBay announced a partnership with the City Council to help boost 64 local businesses via its Retail Revival program.
The new space has been designed with the theme "Home Grown by Wolverhampton." A place where botanical garden meets first-class retail space, it stands as a physical symbol of the important role that homegrown businesses play in their communities. Local businesses help give a community its own identity and character. The space aims to celebrate eBay’s work to help Wolverhampton’s businesses combat the challenging retail climate and evolve for the 21st Century, showing how online and offline retail can co-exist and work in harmony.
In the shop, eBay is bringing together 40 small businesses part of the Retail Revival program and showcasing their products and personal stories. The selection of businesses featured will change each week and will include businesses such as Tony’s Deli, a local deli selling his food hampers online, HomeSmart Blinds, a Wolverhampton based window blind installer and White B Gifts, a business selling illustrations inspired by local history.
Visitors and local residents will be able to visit the shop to learn more about local entrepreneurs and small businesses, take advantage of special promos and discounts to shop their products, collect eBay orders and attend a number of events. Local businesses will be hosting a series of free workshops for the public ranging from a floral arranging masterclass to a tote-bag design session.
“The small retailers taking part in Wolverhampton’s Retail Revival have already shown that physical and online retail can survive – and thrive – together. They have achieved more than £2 million in sales as of March, and many have employed more staff as a direct result of the partnership," said Rob Hattrell, Vice President of eBay UK. "This pop-up store aims to take that growth, and the value of this program, to the next level. It will explore how stores of the future could combine technology with that vital human connection to powerful effect – whatever the size of the business.”
Home Grown by Wolverhampton will be open every day from 10am-7pm until June 6.
For more information on Home Grown by Wolverhampton visit ebaypopup.co.uk.
