A Wilds Cooperative of PA
Online Sales Experience
ABOUT THE (VIRTUAL) EVENT
NOVEMBER 5-6, 2022
You MAKE things in the PA Wilds.
Here’s an opportunity to SELL them!
This online exhibitor event features products only found in the Pennsylvania Wilds.
WCO Creative Makers are invited to showcase their products and services on the PA Wilds Marketplace.
Show off your WILD things!
November 5-6, 2021
And by WILD things, we mean your amazing products, services and experiences that reflect our region’s natural beauty, bounty and rural traditions. The PA Wilds Makers Market is a virtual event designed to help you connect with new audiences and sell more products.
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
CREATE A STOREFRONT
Creative Makers interested in participating in the PA Wilds Makers Market must be a seller on the PA Wilds Marketplace (ShopThePAWilds.com). This allows shoppers to easily buy from all the participating artists in one place. The Marketplace is free to join – visit the Branding Assets page to sign up.
SHARE A VIDEO
This year’s PA Wilds Makers Market will not be live. Instead, artists will have an opportunity to create a pre-recorded video that will be added to a playlist of videos. That playlist will be released on event day! Interviews, demonstrations and studio tours are all welcome! These videos help shoppers get to know the artists behind the products.
SUBMIT PHOTOS
Whether you work with our team to create and submit a video or not, all participating sellers are invited to share photos that can be used in promotional materials. If you do not want to create a video, we can create a simple slideshow of your work.
Where does the event take place?
The PA Wilds Makers Market is a virtual event that currently takes place 100% online. This year’s event will take place on our new maker marketplace, ShopThePAWilds.com.
- The event features a series of videos so shoppers have an opportunity to get to know the artists behind the products they’re purchasing.
- PA Wilds and the WCO promote the event and participants leading up to event day.
- A special WCO Directory is created to display only members who are participating in the PA Wilds Makers Market.
- On event day, the playlist featuring videos created for the event will be displayed on the Marketplace.
Is there a fee to participate?
Yes, there is a fee of $25 to participate in this event. The $25 fee covers advertising your business on social media and other operational fees for the event.
What are the minimum requirements to participate?
To participate, you must:
- be a Creative Maker member of the Wilds Cooperative of PA
- set up a seller storefront on ShopThePAWilds.com. (This can be done through the WCO Branding Assets page once logged into your WCO account)
- be willing to update your WCO profile (Profiles should include photos of your work, have a completed “business card” section,” and clearly state how shoppers can place an order with you.)
- pay a $25 fee (note: a portion of this fee covers individualized advertising for your business on social media for the event)
- help promote the event on your own platforms
Participating sellers are encouraged to:
- Work with us to create a video for use during the event — this can be an interview, a tour of your studio, or a demonstration of how you craft one of your products. Artists may submit one or two 30-minute videos.
- Offer a deal or discount on either a specific product or all of their products during the event. Let us know your plans, and we can announce your deal(s) in the promotional materials.
- Consider adding a new product to your storefront specifically for the event. It can be a new or existing product, but it should be new to the Marketplace. Let us know what your plans are, and we can use this in the promotional materials.
Do I need to have an online shop to participate?
Yes! To participate in the 2022 PA Wilds Makers Market, you must be willing to set up and manage an online shop tied to the PA Wilds Marketplace (ShopThePAWilds.com).
There is no cost to create your seller storefront on the PA Wilds Marketplace. There is a simple 15% referral fee that is deducted from orders.
WCO Creative Makers can easily set up a seller storefront. Simply visit the WCO Branding Assets page once logged into your WCO account to access the portal.
WHAT WCO MEMBERS ARE SAYING
The Makers Market has been a great way to get my business’ name and the Wilds Cooperative name out, and I’ve had a lot of success with my participation. Despite not being able to take part in an in-person event, I’ve surpassed my sales expectations for 2020 by participating in these!
I personally enjoyed seeing all the other artisans who participated…. And this event led to two new customers for me, ones I would never have met locally.
MARKET GOALS
- Create opportunities for rural entrepreneurs to sell products and services to help offset loss of festival opportunities caused by COVID-19 pandemic
- Raise awareness about the PA Wilds as a place and the Wilds Cooperative of PA as a resource for finding locally-crafted products, services and experiences
- Invest in sense of community among rural entrepreneurs in the PA Wilds during this challenging time
THE FINE PRINT
WHO ARE THE MAKERS:
- PA Wilds Makers Market participants are members of The Wilds Cooperative of PA (WCO). The WCO is a network of more than 350 artisans, businesses and organizations based in the PA Wilds that seeks to connect regional visitors with products, services and experiences only found in the region. The WCO helps members leverage the PA Wilds brand to grow their operations and it is free to join. Learn more here.
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EVENT:
- The PA Wilds Maker Market is an online event designed to help people source products, services and experiences only found in the PA Wilds from the comfort of … anywhere.
- Vendor content must comply with WCO eligibility standards (i.e. no use of political statements, nudity, clip art, etc.). All users are asked to be respectful and not post spam.
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PA WILDS:
Purchases at ShopthePaWilds.com support rural small businesses and producers. Ninety percent of products are made in the Pennsylvania Wilds by artisans and producers. You may also donate to the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) upon checkout, which financially supports the 29 state parks and 8 state forests in the Pennsylvania Wilds!