Chamber to Host “Shop Small” Press Conference; Offering Free Delivery; New Borough-Based Merch

On Thursday, November 17 at 3PM, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Small Business Saturday press conference, which encourages Staten Islanders to support local businesses during the holiday shopping season.

The Chamber and Amazon will also announce the continuation of Small Business Holiday Express, an initiative for Staten Island small businesses launched last year. The initiative, sponsored by Amazon, provides free delivery services for businesses listed on Shop Staten Island, the Chamber’s online marketplace.

Lastly, the Chamber will reveal its new Staten Island “Neighborhood Tour” t-shirts and hoodies, which are available for purchase on the platform. All sales will benefit the Chamber’s workforce initiatives, which connects youth and adults with education and employment opportunities that align with the needs of area employers. The shirts were designed by the Chamber and are being produced for a limited time. The clothing can be pre-ordered now by clicking here.

The press conference will be hosted at Chamber member Sweet Life Bakeshop, located at 1676 Victory Boulevard. To RSVP, email Michele Esposito at mesposito@sichamber.com.

Shop Staten Island, launched in winter 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is an e-commerce platform that allows all of Staten Island’s small businesses – regardless of Chamber membership – to list and sell their products online at no cost. Small Business Holiday Express improves the shopping experience by offering free local deliveries for merchandise purchased on Shop Staten Island. The free delivery service is delivered by local couriers IT Messenger Service at no expense to the merchant or purchaser.

“Since the launch of Shop Staten Island in 2020, we have heard great feedback from merchants that have benefited from the extra sales and exposure the platform provides,” said Linda Baran, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. “This continued partnership with Amazon is another great way to help small businesses reach more customers this holiday season. Since the shop is free and shipping will be free as well, there has never been a better time to get started on Shop Staten Island. We understand how important the holiday season is for many local businesses, so we hope more small businesses take advantage of this wonderful incentive.”

“Today, products from small and medium-sized businesses account for more than half of everything sold in Amazon’s store,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s NYC head of External Affairs. “Their success is our success and we’re proud of the role we’ve played in helping so many small businesses thrive. Shop Staten Island is another innovative channel for local entrepreneurs to reach more customers, scale their operations, and create local jobs and we’re pleased to support this initiative.” 

Shop Staten Island – www.statenisland.shopwhereilive.com – allows Staten Island’s small businesses to create their own personal online storefront, which can contain a business description, details (address, phone number, website, etc.), pictures, and, of course, items for sale. To ensure as many businesses take advantage of the site and the unprecedented delivery offer, merchants can even sell gift cards on the e-commerce site.

All Staten Island small businesses – regardless of Chamber Membership – can list products on Shop Staten Island for free. To start selling, visit Shop Staten Island at https://statenisland.shopwhereilive.com/ and click on the “Sell on the Marketplace” tab to begin creating their own storefront.

Businesses are encouraged to email the Chamber at marketing@sichamber.com or call 718-727-1900 with any questions about the program.