A new marketplace is due to launch for sellers in the Scottish Highlands to support Highland makers of quality handmade products. Highland Hiddle is hoped to be a lifeline for local businesses in times of uncertainty and interestingly coincides with the cancellation of Aboyne Highland Games which caused the launch of Aboyne Highland Games Traders Facebook group, a place for sellers to share their products with those who may have bought them at the games.
Sources state that the Highland Hiddle marketplace which focuses exclusively on creatives in the Scottish Highlands and Islands will list jewellery, home furnishings, fine art and toiletries. Providing a platform exclusively for native artisans is an interesting way to help businesses get their presence online. Since Coronavirus native seller exclusive marketplaces have been opening up all over the place, displaying more traditional items of a particular society and culture. It lets consumers ‘visit’ and experience the artisan makes of another country, city or town, support their economy and businesses without needing to travel.
“Since moving to the Highlands, I have been amazed by the number of talented artists and makers in the region. Their original, quality crafts are hidden treasures which deserve to be showcased on a dedicated website.
“Highland Hiddle will offer consumers an alternative to buying mass-produced and homogenised products with more individual, eco-friendly and ethically produced products, which have been made to last. I was already working on the concept before coronavirus, but obviously in light of the restrictions this has placed on makers and the wider impact on tourism in general, this site is needed now more than ever.”
– Harriet Fletcher, Founder, Highland Hiddle
Highland Hiddle is due to launch this summer and applications are now being considered from makers and more information is available by emailing [email protected].
2 Responses
Great Stuff.
As they are in the Highlands and normally at a disadvantage when it comes to shipping costs, I hope they can get together to secure a great postage deal!
This is a great opportunity, I speak to smaller online stores in the highlands and they really struggle with the remote areas they operate in. This will be very valuable for them and will help bring them together in a stronger way. Like Rachel comments shipping costs for them are often killing their ability to be competitive with the rest of the country, if they can combine their buying power in this area it will be a big success for them.