Description Cards - why they are important

One of the difficult things about launching a Web site to promote fairly traded items is that you do not always have the chance to talk about the artisan producers with customers one on one. One of the ways we get around that is by including a description card with each and every item we ship out. The description card describes not only the item, but we're usually able to include information about the artisan group as well.

Nonetheless, a description card can only include so much information. That's why we're going to start using this forum to introduce new groups we're working with and to give a little more info on others.

Our first one - which we'll cover in a few days - will be The Corr-Jute Works group from Bangladesh. It's a beautiful story of how these artisan groups have made a livelihood for themselves by creating pretty jute fiber market bags among other items. We've started featuring their bags this past weekend and, as usual, we've already begun getting orders despite the fact that our shipment isn't due until later this week.

I hope you enjoy the regular artisan focus stories! And keep your comments coming - they are refreshing to hear!

www.World-Shoppe.com Participating in GreenFest in Chicago

Greetings, everyone! Well, I'm not blogging daily yet, but I am hoping to get there soon! There is just so much to share and so little time. Running around two little ones under the age of two takes up most of my "free" time! Nonetheless, I did want to start getting the word out that www.World-Shoppe.com will be showing our amazing, beautiful, awesome artisan-made products at GreenFest in Chicago! It's the first GreenFest in Chicago and we're hoping our Chicagoans will make us proud by coming out and supporting the Fest! We'll be sending out notices in our upcoming e-newsletters but we also wanted to get the message out, too!

Thanks again, everyone, for helping make 2006 our best year ever. But that title won't be held for too long - as we're going to top that one in 2007!

See World-Shoppe.com in Person in Chicago!

Although we're a Web-based organization committed to promoting fair trade online, we do have the opportunity to get to meet our customers in person in the Chicagoland area (which is where we are based). We've done a few events throughout the city and the response has been nothing short of amazing. Not only have we had great conversations with customers and supporters of fair trade, whether at a movie showing for Black Gold in Chicago's famous Siskel Center, but we've also nearly SOLD OUT of all of the items we bring to these events, which is pretty awesome.

We still have a few events scheduled between now and the end of the year so if you happen to be in the Chicagoland area, please check us out! We'll be at Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, on December 3, from 1:00-4:00 p.m., at Loyola University's downtown campus on December 5 & 6 and at two more events which we're finalizing this week for the weekend of December 9 & 10.

Thank you again for everyone's support! And have a beautiful Thanksgiving!

-Megy

Megy's New Blog about Fair Trade!

This is my very first blog entry. I'm so excited to share news about fair trade, new developments in third world countries and our artisans specifically. If you'd like to learn more about anything fair trade, simply send me an e-mail!

-Megy