MadeClose, Marketplace to Buy Local, Launches with E-commerce Website
New York, NY (PRWEB) January 06, 2014 -- MadeClose, a marketplace to discover and buy local goods, today announced the launch of its website, MadeClose.com. With MadeClose, shoppers can buy products that have a positive impact on their community, empowered with the knowledge of where and how the goods are produced. MadeClose lists hundreds of brands curated by locale, quality, and production practices, with the goal of becoming the largest marketplace for consumers to shop local.
“MadeClose looks forward to serving as the leading platform for consumers and businesses with an appreciation for American-made products to congregate,” said Zachary Terzis, CEO of MadeClose. “Ultimately, MadeClose is about driving deeper connections between the buyer and the seller, whether that’s because consumers are interested in supporting their local community or because they feel good about what they’re buying given the knowledge of how it was produced.”
“As U.S. manufacturers, we understand firsthand the benefits that buying local provides - customers get an exceptional product, jobs are created, and the local economy is supported,” said Dan Genco at Shwood, a company based in Portland, Oregon that makes eco-friendly, handmade wood and stone sunglasses. “We look forward to bringing our product to a community of conscientious shoppers who take pride in their purchasing decisions through MadeClose.”
MadeClose’s GeoMapping feature allows users to search for a wide range of products and categories based on their location. The site also lets users explore new neighborhoods by populating a map around a given location with locally made goods. A sampling of the brands represented on MadeClose include:
• SW Basics, based in Brooklyn, New York, which makes eco-friendly skincare products only using ingredients certified organic or fair trade, and acquired from small family farms or American craftspeople
• Surname, based in Queens, New York, which produces bicycle accessories like fenders, baskets, and handlebars, made by hand from reclaimed wood sourced from around the New York City area
• Mi Ola, based in Manhattan, New York, a swimsuit line that marries form and function by staying put on woman’s body, and made with UPF+50 fabric for sun protection
“Research shows that consumers overwhelmingly want to support local businesses, but that they lack the accessible resources to do so,” said Peter Smith, COO of MadeClose. “We’re thrilled to provide our users with an avenue to shop for a superior quality of goods and with a level of transparency. We’re also excited to share the positive stories behind hundreds of authentic U.S. brands with the public.”
According to eLocal.com, local businesses reinvest close to twice as much in their area compared to national chains, driving economic growth, employment, and an increased sense of community. If residents of an average city shifted 10% of their spending from chains to local businesses, it would bring an additional $235 million per year to their community’s economy.
MadeClose plans to add at least a thousand more brands to the site in 2014, and will also unveil a number of social, mobile and e-commerce features to provide consumers with a one-stop tool to buy local. For more information, please go to MadeClose.com.
About MadeClose
MadeClose is a marketplace to discover and buy local goods, empowering consumers to make informed purchasing decisions based on where and how products are made. The website features hundreds of American-made brands, curated by locale, quality, and production practices, with the goal of becoming the largest marketplace for consumers to shop local.
Peter Smith, MadeClose, https://madeclose.com/, +1 646-552-8170, [email protected]
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