RWRetailWire
Back to Discussions
DISCUSSION

TOMS Offers a Different Way to Shop

Written by Guest contributor

TOMS, the company that gives one pair of shoes away for every pair purchased, has broadened its horizons. The company has found like-minded companies to participate in an online marketplace.

"When we started seven years ago, we basically created the one-for-one model," TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie told VentureBeat. "People thought it was stupid and crazy, but since then we have sold 10 million shoes and seen social entrepreneurship growing as a movement. But there is still no centralized place for consumers to shop for products with purpose behind them."

A message on The Marketplace home page reads: "We believe commerce can be about more than just profits. But it takes more than belief to make this a reality. So we're giving other social entrepreneurs a platform right here on our site to help them succeed. Introducing The Marketplace, a new destination for making a difference."

Companies participating in The Marketplace, according to TOMS, are "social entrepreneurs" offering products in a wide variety of categories including accessories, bags, clothing, home goods, jewelry, sports equipment, tech and more. Thirty different brands are offering 200 products for sale on the site.

[Image: TOMS Marketplace]

Shoppers can go on The Marketplace and read about participating companies and watch videos before deciding which sellers to support. The search function enables shoppers to find items by brand, product category, region of the world, and social cause.

Discussion Thread0