MARQUETTE -- There are plenty of goods across the U.P. There are also plenty of vendors willing to sell those goods for a profit.
And there's one company dedicated to helping those vendors get their products to both remote and local consumers: MIUpperHand, an online marketplace for U.P.-made goods.
The business challenge that MIUpperHand faces is that 100 percent of their sales depend on people visiting their website. That's why their main marketing goal is to direct as much traffic online as possible.
The company went online in November 2010. By selling online, they're changing the marketplace from a local one to a global one. The website boasts over 600 products from over 60 vendors, ranging from small pieces of jewelry, to maple syrup, to log homes, all from the U.P.
"We do have a wonderfully growing list of vendors who recognize the benefits of marketing their products and services through a retail Internet outlet like MIUpperhand," said E-loft President David Saint-Onge.
E-loft, an entrepreneurial consulting company, hopes to demonstrate its expertise in operational management by now joining forces with MIUpperHand. Together, they see a brighter future.
"There's probably a thousand different places that you can actually put your marketing money, and we're looking for the two or three that are going to give us the biggest bang for the buck. And we hope that E-loft will help us to do that," said Stu Bradley, CEO of MIUpperHand.
With so many products to sell, MIUpperHand will rely on E-loft to ensure smooth operations and higher profits.
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