Belgium/Christmas gifts made in Belgium? The Wimzzi platform brings together over 200 Belgian craftsmen and women

Maybe you haven't found all your Christmas presents yet. If you want to buy more local and sustainable this year, Wimzzi can help. This e-commerce platform makes it easy for craftsmen and women to sell their original creations online. The aim is to support Belgian craftsmanship and the local economy.

"We're mainly targeting artisans and local non-food producers. We really want to showcase them through our platform and offer them a showcase by connecting them to a wider audience ", Laetitia Dangoisse, founder of Wimzzi, tells our colleagues at TV COM.

With her collaborator Jing-Jing Tu, Laetitia started from an observation: our craftsmen and women sometimes find themselves at a loss when faced with the complexities of online sales and the logistical and administrative worries involved. They often struggle to gain visibility online and on social networks, to create a website and juggle, for example, the rules of search engine referencing. " On my own, it's very complicated. Techniques and access to technology are complicated. Today, when you search for locally produced mugs on search engines like Google, you're more likely to come across large international platforms with products made on the other side of the world than the artisan working near you", explains this digital expert.

With Wimzzi, these craftsmen and women come together on a single platform and create a community based on values such as sustainability and short supply chains. Laetitia Dangoisse also emphasizes Wimzzi's accessibility for buyers and sellers. "In just a few clicks, you can create an online store. It's very easy. The platform is really built to be autonomous. Then, for consumers too, it's easy to tailor their search and find gift ideas close to home. "

To register on Wimzzi, artisans and craftspeople must meet a quality charter, can declare labels (an eco-label, a certified artisan label, etc.) and have several formulas at their disposal - free or paid. Currently, the platform boasts over 200 artisans in a wide range of non-food fields (interior decoration, ceramics, stationery, engraving, jewelry, perfumery, cosmetics, baby clothes and toys, etc.). Since its launch, the platform has expanded not only in Flanders, but also in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. "For example, for someone who lives in Couvin, the local can also be northern France."

This initiative joins other platforms of the same type such as E-shops Belges, which lists Belgian e-traders (including food retailers) free of charge, or #jecuisinelocal, an app with over 1,200 producers, sales outlets or artisans near you.

Source: www.rtbf.be/