An online directory and marketplace for small businesses in rural areas of Australia affected by the recent bushfires and drought has launched.
Spend With Us is the brainchild of Sarah Britz, a web designer who realised that many small businesses in these towns did not have the knowledge, skills, time or money to create an online presence.
“Once I started speaking with business owners who were unsure how they would be able to pay their rent or staff due to the complete lack of tourism trade, which these towns rely on so heavily during the summer months, I knew I had to do something to help,” Britz says.
“I would love for this site to be able to make a difference to every small business that is suffering within these communities.”
Spend With Us provides a platform for small business owners to create a free website store listing to tell their story, promote their business or services and to accept online payments.
The aim is to provide customers with an accessible site to discover and purchase local products, accommodation and services. It also gives a convenient method to pay it forward with gifts and donations for Bushfire and Drought impacted businesses.
Small business owner Ann Orchi appreciates the help and contacted Britz to ask if she could help with setting up a directory for Myrtleford and other towns in North East Victoria as she was concerned about how all the local businesses are going to survive this summer and the fire season.
She couldn’t register her business on other sites that were only focusing on specific Bushfire affected regions.
“Spendwithus.com.au can be used by everyone, you don’t need your own website, or to be tech-savvy, a directory listing is simple to set up, and all you need is a PayPal account if you want to receive payments or donations,” she says.
