Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and Amazon Announce Small Business Holiday Express
By MICHAEL ANDERSON, Content Development Specialist
On Thursday, October 28, the Chamber – alongside several small business owners, elected officials, and representatives from Amazon – gathered at a press conference to announce a major new initiative: Small Business Holiday Express.
Small Business Holiday Express will provide free delivery services for businesses listed on Shop Staten Island, the Chamber’s online marketplace. Shop Staten Island, a 'Shop Where I Live' e-commerce marketplace, 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 will improve the shopping experience by offering free local deliveries for merchandise purchased on Shop Staten Island. The free delivery service will be delivered by local courier I.T.S. Messenger Service at no expense to the merchant or purchaser.
The new initiative, which launches November 1, 2021 and will run through December 31, 2021, is sponsored by Amazon.
Shoppers can purchase items from small businesses by simply visiting Shop Staten Island at https://statenisland.shopwhereilive.com/.
The press conference was hosted at Chamber member Élan Hair & Nails, a full-service salon at 1605 Forest Avenue. The salon was one of the businesses that benefited the most from Shop Staten Island during last year’s holiday season. In November 2020, Élan Hair & Nails created its online storefront and received extra sales and exposure by selling hair care items and gift cards for shoppers.
“We want to thank you for expanding our reach on Shop Staten Island by giving us the opportunity to get more clients, especially when we were struggling last year after being closed for 3 months. So, it really did help us get over that bump and keep going,” said Stacie Koutras, who co-owns Élan Hair & Nails with her sister-in-law, Penny Koutros.
“Since the launch of Shop Staten Island last year, 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 new 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.”
More than half of the products sold on Amazon.com are from small and medium-sized businesses. When Amazon joined the Chamber earlier this year, the mutual goal of the two groups was developing unique ways to benefit our local community.
“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.”
“Small businesses are the backbone of our community. What makes Staten Island so unique is that we have so many small businesses and entrepreneurs that rely on us,” said Assemblyman Michael Tanoussis, who attended the press conference to lend his support. “Now is the time to give back to our restaurants and our small businesses to make sure we say thank you to them for the work they do.”
“When there are opportunities for employment, opportunities for people to start businesses like this, and when people feel good about their neighborhood and the ability to live here, they’re much less likely to get involved with crime. We know that and the data supports that,” said Andrew Crawford, Director, Community Partnership Unit at the Office of Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon. “That’s why we’re here today to support efforts like this because it helps build a sense of pride about where they live.”
The announcement also served as the perfect opportunity for the Chamber to celebrate and promote Small Business Saturday. Every year, the Chamber participates in Small Business Saturday as a Neighborhood Champion, encouraging Staten Islanders to shop locally throughout the holiday season. Shop Staten Island allows all Staten Islanders to participate in the season – in-store or from the comfort of their own homes.
“It’s not just about Small Business Saturday and the holidays. When we support our small businesses in this area and they do well, the community benefits,” said Baran. “They’re the ones that donate to the local Little Leagues, PTAs, and other causes. It’s all about putting money in the hands of those of us who live here in Staten Island.”
“Small businesses are not just about the owners, but about the employees and everybody else that benefits from being a part of something local,” said Koutras.
“What is so important right now is the small business community needs our help and assistance. We see it and we’ve seen people who are resilient. Staten Island is a very resilient place. And I think that’s why we’re here today because we need to keep supporting our small businesses,” said Dean Balsamini, regional director of the Staten Island Small Business Development Center at the College of Staten Island.
Others attending the press conference included Javon Parnell, Senior Advisor Assemblyman Charles Fall, as well as Chamber members Dr. Vladimir Barayev (Rivertowns Pediatrics of Staten Island), Mike Bloomfield (Tekie Geek), and Teresa Cirelli (Eden II Programs).
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 and restaurants take advantage of the site and the unprecedented delivery offer, merchants have the option of just selling gift cards on the e-commerce site.
All Staten Island small businesses 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. You can also follow Shop Staten Island’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Businesses are encouraged to email the Chamber at marketing@sichamber.com or call 718-727-1900 with any questions about the program or the Shop Staten Island website.
