THE Christmas Market is an annual joy for shoppers who love the gluhwein, browsing and jingles, but although Covid-19 has put paid to that this year, one Scottish company will ensure you get your fix without leaving home.
Super Market Events, who have been running in Glasgow since 2017, are going online this year with their Virtual Festive Edition.
Featuring more than 150 of Scotland’s best independent makers and retailers all under the same virtual roof this year’s market will cover more of the country than ever before.
Traders from Glasgow, Paisley, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife, Dundee, Perth, Inverness, Elgin and the isles of Arran and Iona will all be represented.
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And the eager Christmas shopper will be able to pick up anything from art and design, fashion, gifts, jewellery, candles, ceramics, food and drink, eco and sustainable products, plants and flowers, vintage, homeware are and children’s gifts. And even Christmas trees!
The idea is that you can move through virtual market spaces, explore their work, hear a voice message from the trader, and then stock up your basket.
There is a minimum spend of £20 at traders (with some a little more) which will ensure that there are no extra postage costs.
Founder Kelly Conway said: “The beauty of this is that you can even do it in your pyjamas and walk around the virtual market at your own pace. And if you’re a two in the morning shopper you can do it then.
“We have a playlist and creative workshops for people to get involved in and make it as interactive as possible, and hopefully the future of it is that you can get local food and drink delivered and make an evening of it.
“The hope is that we can get markets back, but until then we can do both. It just makes it really accessible so that if you live in the Highlands you’re not going to travel for a market but this way you can still be involved.”
Super Market Events are confident that the virtual event will meet a surge in demand to buy local which has come to the fore during lockdown.
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Conway said: “It is this idea that Scottish people and people who live in Scotland will really want to help their local community and Scottish small businesses and Scottish crafts and this is just a way of bringing that all together.”
The company insists that the virtual event will retain its human touch with Conway adding: “Each trader on the stall has a piece of audio so they will welcome you to their stall, tell you a little bit about themselves.
“We can also link people directly to the traders and they are happy to talk over the chat.
“It’s as interactive as it’s going to get without us being actually in your living room. ”
Launched today, Super Market Virtual Festive Edition will run for three weeks until Sunday, December 13, and will be free entry.
Visit www.supermarketevents.com.
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