Opeongo Soaps Owner Says ShopHERE Program Is A "Godsend For Small Businesses" 

Tammy, the enthusiastic owner of Ontario small business Opeongo Soaps, a hand crafted all-natural soap company. Tammy’s business recently underwent a digital transformation with the help of Digital Main Street’s ShopHERE Program, Powered by Google. 

Tammy has been running this Canadian small business since 2017. Her passion and love for the craft is shown through the quality products she makes; handmade soaps, inspired by nature. Tammy came to own Opeongo Soaps after being a loyal customer of the company for over 15 years. Once she heard that the owners Jack and Laurie were planning to retire, Tammy knew she had to keep the business alive. Tammy has worked hard to expand the business with a new product line and is excited to grow even further with her new Shopify store. 

It has always been a dream of hers to have an online store, but she never had the time or technical skills to do so. That was before the ShopHERE Program. Tammy worked closely with her ShopHERE eCommerce Coordinator to create a free and fully functional and personalized eCommerce website. During the program her Helper was able to create a website with all of the personalization needed to run the online store. 

The cancellation of craft sales and markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decrease in sales. Migrating the Opeongo Soaps business online as a response to the pandemic has allowed for more opportunity for sales now and also created new revenue opportunities for the future. Tammy said that without this program she would never have been able to afford to have an e-commerce store professionally made for her small business. “This program is a godsend for small businesses and artists!” 

When reflecting on her experience in the ShopHERE Program, Tammy said: “All I had to do was send some photos and update my inventory! Now that it is all done, the time I will save in just creating shipping labels is mind blowing! The inventory tracking on the Shopify site is another awesome perk!”

Opeongo Soaps are now available for sale online. Each batch of soap is made by the cold processed method with top of the line natural ingredients, packaged with care and hand carved to deliver the perfect bar of natural and earth friendly soap. Now that Opeongo Soaps has gone digital Tammy can spend more time doing what she loves, making quality locally sourced soap products for her loyal customers. 

Shopify is a one stop shop eCommerce tool for all small business needs. The ShopHERE Program was created as a response to many small businesses being affected by COVID-19. The pandemic has been challenging for businesses, many brick and mortar stores have been required to close due to health and safety concerns. This has resulted in not only businesses struggling to stay afloat, but has emphasized the importance of having and maintaining a strong online presence. Many consumers are now looking to online platforms to purchase goods that they usually would buy in person. 

Digital Main Street, partnered with Google, Shopify, Mastercard and Microsoft to help build and optimize online stores for small independent businesses and artists. The ShopHERE Program is committed to building 50,000 free stores for small businesses, and is providing a quick, easy and no-cost way to get selling online right away! 

If you or someone you know has a small business looking for assistance in building a professional eCommerce website apply for the ShopHERE program now. Find out why your small business needs an online store, and make sure to visit the Opeongo Soaps Shopify website to get your very own specialty handcrafted soap products.