Australians were searching for online marketplaces and small businesses more than ever at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Research from data analytics website SEMrush shows top searches included where to buy items online as well as wholesale options. Surprisingly, searches for how to start a small business in Australia increased by 85.71 per cent between Jan 2020 to July 2020.
Online wholesale marketplace Trada has seen an increase of +731.88 per cent over the past six months as retailers try to find new ways of keeping their shelves stocked, according to SEMrush’s search data.
The marketplace features 100 per cent Australian brands and retailers, expanding from 100 to more than 3,000 retailers since launching in November 2019.
“Trada has seen a high rate of adoption from both brands and retailers during the past few months as an increasing number of trade shows are cancelled,” says Trada co-founder Ankit Oberoi.
“Our platform has become one of the only ways that reopening retailers can get access to new stock.
“While we did experience a slowdown during March and April, we also saw many new brands joining Trada as the entire industry began to shift online. Since late May we have seen a massive uptick in both sales and engagement with June sales up 300 per cent.”
Melbourne homewares company Beauty’s Got Soul owner, Leonie Henzell, says the lockdowns have led to great growth for her company and she has received a nice volume of orders from Trada so far, including from remote stores and businesses she would never have been able to find herself.
“Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns in Melbourne have led to great growth for our business,” she explains.
“We have been able to scale quickly and meet the higher demand for home delivered luxury gifts. Interestingly, other online gifting companies have found Beauty’s Got Soul on Trada and this has been wonderful.”
Like many other business owners, Sarah of local Adelaide jewellery business, COEQUA, had high hopes for 2020, intending to grow the jewellery business to reach a wider audience before Covid-19 hit.
“I think most people with a business would probably describe 2020 as the year of the pivot and I think it’s really encouraged me to look into other options of doing business and that was when I joined Trada,” she explains.
“I’ve really had growth since using Trada. I set a target for stockists I was hoping to have for the year and I’ve definitely exceeded it. The revenue I’ve generated through Trada I have had an opportunity to really invest in areas of my business and developing new products.
“I can see this would have taken me longer to achieve on my own particularly for the type of year this has been for business. I have really enjoyed making connections with other small businesses and supporting a ‘shop local’ philosophy, it’s really so much of what I was aiming to do when I started my own business.”
Trada features a variety of products including home, beauty and lifestyle accounting for 30 per cent, and accessories and apparel brands accounting for 25 per cent. The platform also features products for children as well as stationery, with the food and beverage selection also rapidly expanding.
