Aireys Inlet Market thrives in virtual setting

FOR many stallholders at Aireys Inlet Market, the move to an online market has been surprisingly fruitful.

Normally, the Aireys Inlet Market is held once a month in and around the Aireys Inlet Community Hall.

For many stallholders, the market is the only place they sell their goods, meaning the coronavirus pandemic threatened to bring a temporary hiatus to their sales. But the virtual market has allowed them with a new outlet, and offered the community continued access to local produce they trust.

Market organiser Libby Stapleton said the stallholders varied greatly in terms of their presence outside of the market.

“It’s really mixed. There’s definitely some who operate at other markets, particularly the food stallholders. But for a lot of the arts and crafts, it is their main site.

“Plenty of them didn’t have any online presence, so some of them have created websites to link into the virtual market. So it’s prompted them to go to that next level. Others had existing shopfronts online and were able to connect with the virtual market. Some don’t have any online presence at all, so the virtual market provides them with a virtual presence they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

The Bearded Woodworker stall owner Digby Williamson was one of those who previously had no online presence.

Before coronavirus, Mr Williamson relied on markets to sell his hand-crafted items, with the Aireys Inlet Market his main outlet.

He said the virtual market not only allowed him to continue selling his work but had also kept him in touch with people who frequented the market.

“I went back to one of them (an online buyer) and said ‘I’m interested to know how you connected with me’, and they said ‘Well I’d seen your stuff and with COVID I thought I needed to support someone local and I was interested in your stuff and I thought of you’.It made me feel really good, but also I think made me realise that it wasn’t just about what you might have there on your website, it’s about continuing that contact with people even though you’re not seeing them at the market every month.

“It’s kept us in people’s minds even though we haven’t been there.”

Photographer Margaret Lacey sells her book Birds of the Great Ocean Road at the market.

While she has other outlets through which people buy the book, she said she had still benefited from the market going digital.

“I had a website. But I didn’t have it optimised.

“For me it actually gave me the props to get the website fixed up, to get a better online presence.”

Ms Lacey also agreed the online market had helped nurture togetherness.

“I like being part of the online market because I’m part of the real market.

“I think it’s great to have another outlet, it makes you feel like the market is still alive.”

To visit the Aireys Inlet Market and its various stalls, head to aireysinletmarket.com.au.