Tue, 30 Jul 2019
Categories:
Welcome to ShopIOM. We thought it’d be useful to talk a bit about ourselves and what we do.
ShopIOM is an online local directory – a website that lists businesses within specific categories. Online local directories allow business owners to get their information to their customers quickly and simply, focusing the World Wide Web on local communities, and helping to make local businesses more accessible and more visible to the customers that use them.
Established by the Department of Economic Development as part of an initiative intended to help local retailers take advantage of the burgeoning global marketplace, its initial appeal was somewhat reduced by the fact that only retailers with existing websites were able to take advantage of the free directory listings, cutting out a lot of smaller businesses and fundamentally limiting the site’s usefulness to both customers and business.
In December 2011, 3Legs Ltd took over responsibility for running and developing the site under licence from the Isle of Man Government. Although the site was kept updated and maintained, it was obvious that it could offer so much more than was originally intended. This required thorough redevelopment of the site, though, so had to wait until we had access to greater resources. This happened when we joined forces with Orvis Ltd…
...which brings us to where we are now. A new, redesigned site. Easier to use and clearer to navigate. And open to all businesses on the Island – not just those with their own website, and not just retailers.
The directory features three levels of listings, from Free through to Platinum, all offering a variety of useful ways to help customers engage with businesses. We intend ShopIOM to be a dynamic, growing community – we like to think of it as a "virtual high street", somewhere you can linger and browse at your leisure, discovering intriguing curios and essential purchases alike. Hopefully, too, our virtual high street will lead you to the real high streets of the Island, with all they have to offer.
The Island's independent retail sector is of immense importance to our local economy, providing both residents and visitors to our beautiful island with a varied and unique shopping experience. It provides valuable jobs and adds to the vibrancy of our towns and villages, and we want ShopIOM to reflect this. We want ShopIOM to become a community in itself but, more than that, we want it to be a part of our Island community. We want it to be the first place you turn to when looking for local businesses and we want to make sure that we have the answers you need, when you need them.
We hope to see you soon
The ShopIOM Team
