Launched in July, Ship My Plants is up and running, and increasingly, more vendors are joining in. Currently, they have over 4,000 SKUs that are listed and have consumers in 48 states in the US. They are aiming to become more than a platform as they are also bringing on influencers in the platform as well as videos, more information, and inspiration. So, it is more like a community marketplace. This is explained by Clint Albin, Director of Business Development for the platform.
Extra sales channel
Ship My Plants is an extra sales channel for growers and sellers. "It is not an either-or proposition, but it is an and-proposition. Growers who already sell to, for example, Home Depot, Ikea, Walmart, garden center chains, or any other retailer can also decide to sell their plants via Ship My Plants.
Advantage for the seller
So what are the advantages for the seller? Clint: " There are several, both for the seller and buyer. For the sellers, there is less effort from their side as Ship My Plants handles the transactions, sales tax, and advertising. On top of that, online plant sellers had to create their listings from scratch using their own photos and information they could find on the internet. Now, with Ship My Plants and the NetPS plant database, they can use a very large commercial plant database that is built into the seller dashboard experience. With nearly 40,000 unique plants and counting in the database, plant sellers are supported by the platform with correct cultural information on the plant as well as professional photos for their instant use with no fear of copyright issues."
Advantage for the buyer
And for the buyer? "On the consumer side, the broad assortment is appreciated, as well as the information shared. On top of that, the consumers have a new outlet for buying their plants. In the US, 18 million new consumers entered the market during the pandemic. During that time, growers all of a sudden had a website. However, when things started to normalize, these websites went offline all of a sudden, leaving some buyers empty-handed. And the platform isn't just about commerce; we're building a community hub for plant lovers to connect, explore, and learn."
A lot of potential
Clint sees a lot of potential for growth in the future. "We just started, and we are already overwhelmed with the positive reactions were received. And when looking at the fact that Forbes is expecting the online retail purchases will jump from 20.8 in 2023 to 24 percent in 2026, hopes are even higher."
For more information:
Shipmyplants.com
Email: [email protected]
www.shipmyplants.com