The Future of Retail

It is not easy to write an end-of-year post for 2020! A strange year that negatively influenced so many people across the world. My heart goes out to all the hard-working entrepreneurs worldwide who were forced to pause, or even close their business. But, as I wrote at the beginning of the lockdown, 'every obstacle carries with it the seed of an equal, or even greater, benefit' (words of Napoleon Hill).

While the Eco Market events had to be canceled and all our work came to a standstill, we decided to take our own advice and find a new solution. And we are very excited to finally able to announce the launch of our new project. 

 

This concept was conceived years ago as a long-term objective, something to be achieved in the distant future. However, when Covid hit, we immediately realized that it was time to bring it to life. 2020 changed the face and nature of the consumer's purchasing behavior as online stores, together with cash-less transactions, became necessary for their safety and convenience. Creating an online business suddenly appeared to be the only logical thing to do. The future of retail is clearly online.

Coral is a multi-vendor online marketplace that features a myriad of products from many different businesses and artisans in Malta. What makes this online store really unique is the fact that all the products featured on it, possess specific common aspects – they are all good for the body and good for the planet. 

Coral is the ideal shopping platform for the health-conscious and eco-conscious consumer. Everything is marked according to our sustainability criteria, which ensures that each product has the right benefits. For instance, if you are vegan, you can search according to this criterion, and your search results will only show you vegan-approved products. There are 25 different sustainability criteria, which allows the buyer to discover and choose products according to their ethics, beliefs, and preferences. (click to enlarge)

A little background story on Coral

Coral is probably one of the most visually beautiful elements of underwater life. Sadly, corals around the world are dying, in most of the cases through what is called bleaching. This crisis is a result of elevated sea temperatures which ‘bleaches’ the coral; it loses its algae and becomes white. We already lost more than half of the world’s coral reefs to bleaching. Scientists predict that by 2050, all coral reefs will be in danger, if global warming is not tackled seriously.

Recently, I watched the documentary 'Chasing Coral' on Netflix. If you have not yet watched it, I highly recommend you do. We are in awe of this magnificent organism and its qualities. Did you know that Coral properties are used for the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and cancer? Did you know that Malta is home to the deepest and most precious Coral in the world? You can tell how it influenced us :) 

The platform contains several other innovative features. First of all, it gives the buyer the convenience of finding everything in the same place. The site is extremely user-friendly, dynamic, and intuitive, with a myriad of categories including Fashion & Accessories, Baby & Kids, Health & Beauty, Home & Office, Travel & Outdoors, and Food & Beverage. 

Buyers can create their own accounts, leave their own reviews on their purchases, and create wish-lists, whilst enjoying 100% buyer protection and safety. 

We invite you to discover Coral for yourself by going to coral.shopping

Interested in becoming a vendor on Coral? 

You can apply from HERE