Virtual markets a boon to local makers
Online craft fairs help offset pandemic losses in crucial holiday shopping season
Jill Brenkevitch loves her work, but misses the people. The Victoria woman who designs and makes her own jewelry from home is one of the thousands of artisans from up and down the Island who are only seeing their customers virtually as craft fairs and markets have disappeared because of the pandemic.
“We spend a lot of time alone in our studios and often the best part of what we do is reacting with the public at fairs,” says Brenkevitch, founder of Loops Jewellry. “I miss it, when you hear the whole story about why someone is buying for their grandmother or a family member.”
Craft fairs and markets were some of the first casualties of public-health orders, which restricted large gatherings to stem COVID-19, forcing organizers and artisans to shift to virtual marketplaces.
The Christmas season is especially lucrative for producers, in some cases accounting for an entire year’s worth of income. But both vendors and organizers say the virtual shift is offsetting some of the losses as the public continues to embrace online buying as the pandemic persists.
Laurie McDermid, manager of the Sidney Street Market, saw the popular event cancelled earlier this year, but pivoted to an online platform for vendors to sell their products.
McDermid’ wanted to continue the momentum with an online Christmas fair to make it easy for people to shop local with the vendors they would normally see at Christmas craft fairs. She said the 100 Days of Christmas, running to Dec. 23 at westcoastimpressions.ca, is also an alternative for customers who don’t feel comfortable attending markets in person.
“The pandemic has been hard on all local business, but it has been particularly hard on market vendors who were faced with cancellations or greatly reduced, modified markets,” said McDermid. “Having worked in the market industry for more than 25 years both as a vendor and as a manager, I have acquired a great deal of admiration and appreciation for these entrepreneurs and I wanted to provide them an option and opportunity.”
McDermid said the Sidney Market will return in the spring, likely for Mother’s day, and will be switched to Sundays from the usual Thursday nights, and be located at the Mary Winspear Centre parking lot.
Bethany Wilson, the owner and producer of the Out of Hand Craft Fair — one of the largest and high profile in B.C., would normally be handling overflow crowds at the Victoria Conference Centre and Crystal Garden this time of year.
Instead, her 32nd annual curated event with dozens of artisans has launched online continues now to Sunday.
Wilson still provides the connection for vendors as customers are directed to individual websites to make purchases.
“It’s quite something and I’m impressed with creative people who have had to pivot,” she said. “For event organizers it’s a sad reality, but it’s nice to have this connection with the makers and for them to connect with shoppers.”
Wilson had to cancel Out of Hand’s Spring Market at the Saanich Fairgrounds in May because of the pandemic, but quickly went online to assist its vendors with a sales platform. At the time, she said a survey of the artisans said they could lose up to 90% of their revenues because of the pandemic.
But Wilson said many have “rebounded” with virtual sales.
Brenkevitch agrees.
She said the pandemic has nudged many artisans who were on the fence about online platforms into the virtual sales world.
“In the long term, it will be good for business,” said Brenkevitch. “Customers are now looking for an online presence.”
She also credited fair organizers who “stepped up” for artisans.
Brenkevitch, whose rings and earrings are also sold in private retail outlets on the Island, said despite the cancellation of in-person events, there is momentum to support local home businesses.
“We’re encouraged in that we are still seeing sales, even though it doesn’t have the depth of the [live] market,” she said. “People are showing up through social media and sharing that way. It doesn’t replace the in-person event with food, music and friends doing impulse buying, but we’re thankful people are shopping local.”
The Owl Designer Fair, a fixture on the Christmas craft show scene for 14 years in the Fernwood neighbourhood, shifted to an online platform. A city-wide craft tour in artisan’s yards and homes was cancelled with new health orders last week.
Owl organizer Stephanie Keroack, the maker behind Dottie Handmade of new and upscale clothing for children and adults, organized a Facebook market and an ongoing event on the Owl Fair website, owlfair.com, so shoppers can view offerings and find links for how to purchase products directly from about 90 artisans at any time.
Another popular craft fair, A Touch of Saltspring, was recently cancelled. It was to have featured more than 230 vendors from across B.C. and Alberta.