Independent businesses in North Essex encouraged to take advantage of new selling scheme
A new click and collect and delivery scheme has been launched in the area
Independent businesses in North Essex are encouraged to take advantage of a new selling scheme.
The North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) has introduced the Click It Local scheme to the areas it covers, including Colchester and Tendring.
It allows local independent shops to showcase their products to customers in the area.
People can purchase items from numerous participating stores and have them delivered in one package, or pick them up themselves via click and collect.
Click It Local will collect sold items from local businesses and take them to a hub, where they will be packaged up before delivery.
To accommodate the expansion of the scheme, which has been running in Uttlesford since November 2020, new hubs are being set up in Chelmsford and Colchester.
Kaye Thurgood, owner of Sincerely Yours in Shenfield, has been using Click It Local for her business since early this month, which has been helpful while her shop is closed.
She said: "We've only been trading for five-and-a-half months out of 12, so it's been very difficult because we've been very restricted in the time we're allowed to be open.
"It's a great idea, a fabulous scheme. We're thoroughly enjoying having it, and that's during lockdown, I expect it's going to be even busier when we do open.
"Customers can shop with their local shops that they know and have it delivered or collect, so it gives us another outlet we can use to reach out to our customers. It's been very, very helpful."
NEEB is funding the first six months of membership to Click It Local for participating businesses, after which there will be a 7.5% commission on sales.