E-commerce platform for local artisans launches in Western Cape, KZN

Essentially, it is a hybrid approach to retail – making ordering and paying easy, whilst allowing people to still enjoy the experience of visiting their local artisans to collect their products. It is online and offline convergence; the convenience of advance ordering and payment and the experience of going to the places your goodies are created and meeting the people who make the magic happen.

Advance launches to the public today, 15 May 2017, in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape and features local producers such as Boschendal, Richard Bosman’s Quality Cured Meats, The Velvet Cake Co., The Glenwood Bakery, Eat Your Home and more. Advance will launch in Gauteng soon and new artisans are coming on board regularly.

Buying local made easy

“The company mantra is ‘buying local made easy’ and, whilst it is about making it easier for people to buy from local producers and for local producers to increase their customer base, it is also a bit of a cause,” says Jared Krause, co-founder of Advance. “We want to improve what people buy with their money and help people to spend more responsibly. Buying locally made, good quality items is so much better for you and the local economy than buying from some massive producer. We pride ourselves on our association with vendors who value individual relationships and not just producing ‘bulk’.”

“We have good small-scale farmers, bakers, butchers, brewers, distillers, coffee roasters and the like, who have eschewed traditional retail and production models in order to create the best products they can because it is the responsible and sustainable thing to do,” says Will Edgcumbe, co-founder of Advance.

“We want to enable them to reach their customers better, grow their businesses and spend more time doing what they love – making small-batch products. If you are making something you are proud of, you should be on Advance. It is free to list your store and we will help you with some marketing,” he concludes.