A new online shopping platform has launched in Gibraltar. Gib.shopping has taken four years to develop and offers an “Amazon-type” free listing platform for local businesses, many of which do not have an online presence, to sell their products.

Managing Director Blythe Reeves describes the initiative: “This has become somewhat of a community project where I have several people volunteering their time to help these suffering businesses, many of which do not have an online presence.”

Businesses can list for free on the site and Mr Reeves hopes the platform will boost local spending and retail activity while the economy battles through a second lockdown.

The only current cost is for the payment gateway, such as card transactions. However, clients can even pay cash on delivery, or pay in store and pick up their purchase.

Mr Reeves continued: “This service is only for Gibraltar registered businesses and we have started with those within the Business Improvement District (BID). Gib.shopping is a proud member of the GFSB and value the contributions made by the Federation and its members, and this is the reason why members will have priority,” he explained, adding that the Gib.shopping team will “undertake due diligence” to verify retailers and service providers are legitimate to ensure that vendors from outside Gibraltar “do not unfairly compete with our ‘keep it local’ platform.”

He explained that one key benefit for local shoppers is the ability to search for an item without the ordeal of having to go through every local website, calling or visiting every store.

He adds: “If the pandemic has highlighted shortcomings, it has been poor and outdated online facilities. This is why many decide to visit the larger suppliers in nearby Spain where you can get everything under one roof.”

Another benefit for local businesses, he says, is that listing on the site removes the need for many of them to develop their own websites, together with the costs associated with web development, domain registration and hosting fees. They will also be able to offer products online they may not be able to have in store, as well as advertise high-value or fast price changing products which can be ordered upon purchase.

The Gib.shopping MD says he’s confident the platform will also increase tourism visitors sales once this market slowly recovers: “The right marketing as visitors come in sight of the Rock on cruise ships, as they get on flights to Gibraltar, or whilst spending hours on a coach, will predispose visitors to buy in Gibraltar rather than their next destination, or arrive to Gibraltar already having spent their money. Gibraltar is renowned as a daytrip destination, so visitors only have a handful of hours to see and experience Gibraltar and Gib.shopping will increase the efficiency of how visitors spend their holiday cash.”

Other benefits include the ability for businesses to synchronise their brick and mortar store with their e-commerce store, “back in stock” and price drop alerts and the ability for customers to try on what they are looking to buy with the site’s Virtual Mirror* function.

Gib.shopping has also have partnered up with EBike-Gibraltar for an emissions free delivery service.

You can register your business today on: [email protected]

To visit the site, see: https://business.gib.shopping/

See the App: https://buy.gib.shopping/