The Yimeng Zhenpin Alliance Product Selection Center, based in Linyi's Luozhuang district, has launched a resource-sharing platform to help local small businesses expand sales channels and promote agricultural specialties and traditional cultural products.
The center encourages businesses to attend exhibitions while inviting buyers to visit local producers, helping local products reach customers across China.
The center has already helped local businesses expand their online sales. Jia Zhaocheng, brand manager of a local producer, said the company's online sales exceeded 5 million yuan ($740,000) within six months of joining the platform, surpassing its offline sales. Before joining the platform, the company mainly relied on offline distribution and faced long payment cycles. Livestreaming has since become one of its major sales channels.
Li Jinfang, head of the Yimeng Zhenpin Alliance Product Selection Center, said many small businesses were unable or unwilling to afford the high costs of exhibitions and business travel, making it difficult to promote their products and reach new customers.
To address the problem, the center adopted a system in which it allowed businesses to share exhibition costs and resources while inviting buyers to visit local producers. The center also follows strict selection standards and encourages participating businesses to cooperate and share market opportunities.
The Yimeng Zhenpin Alliance has introduced a weekly resource-sharing program for businesses to exchange market information and business opportunities. The center now brings together 20 local companies and more than 200 specialty products through product selection, livestreaming and business matchmaking.
Looking ahead, the center plans to apply for provincial recognition while attracting more traditional and organic products to further expand its market.
Customers browse and sample local specialties at the Yimeng Zhenpin Alliance Product Selection Center. [Photo/Linyi Daily]
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