GlobeIn is a San Francisco-based start-up that lets you buy cultural crafts from across the globe. The site is kind of like Etsy, except for the fact that GlobeIn works with people who either don't know what the Internet is or who don't have the means to set up their own online store. Each artisan on the site has a unique story to tell and no two shops are alike.
Each crafter gets to price their wares as they see fit, and GlobeIn gives 100 percent of the proceeds to the artisan. The start-up is attempting to fight global poverty by giving crafters from around the world an online outlet to sell their goods. GlobeIn recently launched and already it is working with 238 artisans in 29 countries ranging from Austria to Zimbabwe.
Globetrotting Craft Sites
Globein is a Virtual Marketplace for Artisans from Around the World
Trend Themes
1. Online Marketplace for Cultural Crafts - GlobeIn is tapping into the growing demand for unique, culturally crafted items, and creating a platform through which customers can purchase such items directly from the artisans from around the world.
2. Empowering Underserved Artisans - GlobeIn is filling a gap by working with artisans who either don't know what the Internet is or who don't have the means to set up their own online store, thus empowering them to sell their products and lift themselves out of poverty.
3. Global E-commerce Enabled by Local Artisans - GlobeIn is disrupting the traditional global e-commerce model by tapping into local and traditional crafts made by artisans worldwide, and giving them an international platform on which to sell their wares.
Industry Implications
1. E-commerce - E-Commerce companies can learn from GlobeIn's business model that emphasizes local, cultural, and socially responsible products made by artisan communities from around the world.
2. Artisan Workforce Inclusion - GlobeIn presents an opportunity for social enterprise-focused industries to explore ways to engage local artisans within emerging economies through ethical supply chains and ethical sourcing.
3. International Development - GlobeIn is an example of an innovative approach to international development that aims to create opportunities for local artisans to generate sustainable income through e-commerce, thus fighting global poverty.