Artisans
Artisans express the cultural richness of all societies. Sadly however, the world is becoming poorer as they and the traditions they embody are disappearing under the social and economic pressures of modernization.
The long chain of commercial middlemen only pays artisans 7 to 9% of the final price. Even through fair trade channels, the artisan seldom gets more than 15%.
PEOPLink is helping artisan organizations improve their income by creating catalogs with its e-commerce platformwww.OpenEntry.com to sell directly to retail and wholesale buyers worldwide.
In addition, PEOPLink is helping selected grass roots artisan groups create specialized network markets and then actively promoting them. Because the direct connection between vendors and buyers is so much more efficient than commercial or fair trade channels, participating producers receive at least twice as much income. Buyers pay the same for items they normally purchase through conventional channels while enjoying a more direct link to the talented artisans.
The producer groups still need help with generating visibility and credibility and, therefore are happy to pay a 12% referral commission that can be a great fundraiser for like-minded organizations >> Fundraise