'Mixing business with pleasure' took on a new dimension recently, when new shopping portal shopiom.com sponsored a Women in Busienss (WIB) event at The Courthouse on Athol Street, in Douglas.
‘Making Time for your Retail Therapy’ was the theme of the evening, as over forty women from different professional backgrounds were shown the benefits of a local shopping experience.
As well as a presentation from Beatriz Bolton (pictured, left), the UK director of a New York fashion label who offers private shopping sessions on the Island, guests also received a helpful demonstration of how to use shopiom.com.
The online directorys provides links to a large growing number of local retailers, offering a convenient alternative to the stresses of high street shopping - ideal for anyone leading a busy and demanding lifestyle.
As Lisa Underwood from the Department of Trade and Industry acknowledged, "Most women enjoy some retail therapy but don’t always have the time to browse our local shops during normal opening hours.
"Shopiom.com makes our local retailers available 24/7, which increases the opportunity for us all to choose local wherever possible."
"The website demonstrates all of the great products the Island has to offer and it may even introduce you to shops and products you didn’t know were available on your doorstep."
Debbie Aspden from Jules Ladies Fashion, one of the many retailers now registered with shopiom.com, also emphasized the importance of making women aware of the great variety of choice available to them locally.
"We have attracted more footfall into the shop as a result of having a website on shopiom.com," enthused Debbie.
"I would recommend it to any local independent retailer with products to sell. The DTI team have been very helpful with any queries we have had and Venda, who provided the software to develop our site through the DTI assistance scheme, have provided a great deal of practical support.
"It is definitely working for us - especially with our occasional wear section. With the current economic climate it is important that people can dress an outfit up or down - making savings as a result."
The secretary of WIB, Kate Lord, added, "We are all busy people and whilst many people would prefer to shop locally, it's not always easy to find the time to visit shops in person."
Since its launch at the beginning of September 2009, over 10% of the Island’s population have visited the directory.
In the current economic climate, buying locally has become more important than ever and according to advice issued recently by the Office of Fair Trading, there are also many advantages to the consumer of doing so.
With the Christmas shopping season fast approaching, shopiom.com is not only a great way to save your time and energy, but also to demonstrate your support for local businesses, jobs and the economy.
Kate concluded, "We thank Lisa, Beatriz and everybody who attended and look forward to hosting similar events for WIB in the future."
