I'm still not entirely sure how it happened, but I've been invited-leaned-on to help a couple of delightful Thai ladies with the creation and development of a NEW MARKET here in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, where I live.
Thailand may well be the global capital of markets, where people buy most everything from roadsides, temple markets, weekend markets, evening markets, food markets.... After covid? A LOT of people in financial hardship, few monied customers about, a remaining neurosis about catching viruses and germs, and a deep desire to work together.
What better project to fire up the local economy than a NEW MARKET!
Tao Eid Market. Every Saturday and Sunday, 8am till 2pm.
The site is a privately owned piece of land in a PHENOMENAL location on 2 main roads, one of which runs up to 3 big local tourist attractions. Great visibility! The site is an old brickworks and what you see here are the old kilns.
We've been fortunate to have recruited a few "draw card" vendors - Lanna Botanicals being one: a local, organic cannabis business with a focus on cloned specialty varieties acclimated to the Thai climate, and growing merchandise and advice.
Legalized cannabis is still relatively new in Thailand, and everyone WANTS to grow at home but few people actually know how. So there's quite a few people coming on down with their questions and special fertilizing needs etc.
Mostly we've been trying to secure niche vendors with a focus on organic, natural, hand made and craft. We've been really fortunate that the site owner has invested in some cool little bamboo stalls - keeps the sun and any light rain off and protectsw the merchandise - and keeps the customers cool!
Khun Pamela is making her own range of natural cleaning products and, in my opinion, will be a great drawcard. The pineapple spray cleaner for yoga mats? Brilliant. Personally I LOVE the pineapple enzyme dish soap!!
The traceable eggs? I LIKE being able to see where the organic chickens spend their days, and how the supply chain looks in real life.
Quality hand made and natural? There's a lot of people doing some VERY cool things, but convincing them to come and sit at a market consistently when the customers are still sparse? It's a challenge.
Driving FOOT TRAFFIC is number one, so this coming weekend we have TWO consecutive events running on the market site, which is huge.... 😆
Busy weekend ahead, we hope!
I was initially asked to be a regular vendor, and I said no. My business has grown beyond me personally being able to be at a market. But my curiosity was piqued and the following week I went to take a look, and conceded to the Thai organizing team that I'd be happy to give 35% of sales to SOMEONE ELSE selling my products. Which has meant the last 3 weeks I have been at the market 🤣 showing the Thai lady, Khun Patty, what's what, what sells and letting her observe how we talk to customers.
So far, direct sales have been very small and it's like pulling teeth to get new vendors. Chicken and egg. Everyone wants a great spot at a busy successful market, but few want to be the leaders and the way-showers in developing something new.
On the plus side, the flurry of social media pics and different images to what we usually post HAS boosted our direct online sales. And I've got some nice pics other people have taken of me, that I can use and cost me nix.
This coming weekend I'm only going to be at the market on Saturday. And letting the Thai lady take over from Sunday.
The goal has always been to have HER selling for us, every Saturday and Sunday, with social media support from us. We get new sales and new customers, and another Thai lady struggling to make it all work economically has a new income.
Each Friday she will pick up the stock box and the accounting sheet. Each Sunday afternoon-evening she transfers our share of the money to us for sales, with an image of her sales sheet. And each Monday-Tuesday she drops the two product boxes back to our office for top up, checking and accountability.
Next week each sale will get a card with a discount coupon inviting the new customer to buy again from our online store.
Trial and Error. New Beginnings. Committed to Community.
But me? I'm TIRED. Came down with some sort of NOT-COVID head-cold-flu. Urgh. Working all week and being at the market Saturday and Sunday, 3 weeks running, is not for sissies.
So this coming Sunday will find me at a mountain resort with a girlfriend who is in town from South Africa, and my social media support will be over a leisurely coffee, in silence, gazing over the beautiful Mae Sa Valley.
Tao Eid Market
Every Saturday and Sunday, 8am till 2pm
https://goo.gl/maps/cBsXaYKDMtNkeSTi7
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