News

JuniperMarket’s RISE pavilions created dynamic new synergies between physical and digital markets, resulting in hundreds of new connections and business-building sales, for 18 participating women-owned brands in July. Through the pilot program, a curated selection of brands now live on JuniperMarket by IMC, the industry’s new B2B ecommerce platform, also exhibited in-person as part of showcase presentations at the summer 2022 editions of IMC’s Atlanta Market and Las Vegas Market.

“RISE was a perfect way to solidify the link between IMC’s physical and digital markets,” said Bill Furlong, CEO of Juniper by IMC. “The RISE pavilions in Atlanta and Las Vegas served as places of discovery, education, community and commerce for buyers and sellers alike.”

Atlanta Market and Las Vegas Market buyers embraced the RISE brands, placing nearly $71,000 in orders from the 18 participating sellers. RISE participants also reported some 450+ connections made at the markets, from leading retailers such as Loop & Tie and Uncommon Goods, as well as member-based organizations such as the Fair Trade Federation and Museum Store Association, setting up a pipeline for additional post-market sales on JuniperMarket.com. The RISE pavilions also offered sellers invaluable exposure to trade and consumer media including Good Morning America and Oprah Daily.

Positive Reactions from Brands

Overwhelmingly, the RISE brands deemed the Atlanta Market and Las Vegas Markets as positive experiences with nearly all of the 18 women-owned brands planning to continue to exhibit. Collectively, brands reported the RISE experience was “life-changing, collaborative, enlightening, encouraging, supportive, community driven, empowering and inspiring.”

Showing at the Markets made real impacts for these small-businesses. “RISE was so much more than I expected. I not only have cash on hand which opens opportunities, I also received incredible feedback from industry veterans. RISE has proven to me that I have a viable product and business,” Veronika Payne of jewelry brand Ora Ana said. Payne reported making 84% of her brand’s annual recurring revenue at the markets over the course of nine days.

“The RISE program gave my business a huge boost by supporting our first wholesale market. This is an experience that would not have been financially feasible for my small business otherwise. I came back from the market ready to fulfill orders and to dream bigger!,” Cathy Gomez of 700 Rivers, seller of soaps hand-crafted by Bangladeshi artisans who have escaped human trafficking, added.

RISE Exhibitors

Summer 2022 inaugural RISE exhibitors were:

• 700 Rivers
• Amy Zhang
• ANOVÉ
• Ardor Bin
• Becalia Botanicals
• daph.
• Duebest
• EATABLE
• Gleam Eyewear
• JJ Paperie & Co
• Modern Theory
• Naked Bar Soap Co.
• Ora Ana
• Ordinary Habit
• Salut, Soil to Studio
• Us Two Tea
• Verve Culture

The 18 brands – 15 of which are led by women of color – joined JuniperMarket as part of IMC’s acquisition of the Dough ecommerce platform in early 2022. The brands were selected and mentored in market preparation for RISE by JuniperMarket by IMC Vice President of Social Impact Vanessa Bruce. These RISE brands are live now at JuniperMarket.com, collectively bringing 3,000+ products (personal care, specialty food & beverage, home textiles, jewelry and fashion accessories, gifts, social stationery, housewares and more) to the ecommerce platform.

Launched in January 2021, JuniperMarket is a multi-line B2B ecommerce platform powered by International Market Centers (IMC), which allows home décor, gift, furniture and apparel buyers and sellers to connect anytime and anywhere. JuniperMarket features a breadth and depth of gift, home and lifestyle product from many of the most trusted brands in the marketplace. New sellers and new products are added daily to JuniperMarket, keeping offerings fresh year-round, and enabling buyers to diversify assortments and maintain a competitive edge.

“RISE furthers IMC’s mission to support values-based commerce and to bring new perspectives to our community of brands,” said Bob Maricich, CEO of IMC. “We plan to build upon the success of our inaugural efforts by repeating – and expanding – this showcase of women-owned brands at future markets.”

Winter Markets

The winter 2023 markets run Jan. 11-18, 2023, at AmericasMart Atlanta, and Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2023 at World Market Center Las Vegas.