The e-commerce giant Amazon has just inaugurated a new Marketplace dedicated to the excellence of Made in Italy artisan products. Florence is the first city to appear on the new portal, featuring a large section where it is possible to find the best of Tuscan artisanship. Picchiani & Barlacchi is one of the many companies involved, offering its services to the 285 million Amazon users throughout the world.
This new initiative was launched at Palazzo Vecchio, in the spectacular setting of Salone dei Cinquecento, in the presence of Francois Nuyt, Country Manager of Amazon Italy and Spain, Francois Saugier, director of EU Amazon Marketplace and Dario Nardella, mayor of Florence. The shop window itself is dedicated to the Tuscan capital city, the first city in the world to be dedicated an ad hoc window by Amazon. The platform already boasts a hundred or so artisans from Florence and a dozen or so other cities, for a total of 5,000 products. Customers can find specific information, images and descriptions of the workshops where the products have been produced, as well as the techniques used. Soon, it will also be possible for some of these to be personalised.
“Today, we’re pleased to present the store dedicated to Italian artisanship. Made in Italy is one of the most well-known brands throughout the world, and this new store will be sure to thrill our international customers. Through the Amazon Marketplace, Italian artisans will have the opportunity to present and sell their products, outside their region and across national borders. During the last 12 months, the number of Italian companies exporting their products through Amazon has grown by more than 90%. Through Amazon.it Marketplace, these same companies have invoiced more than 133 million Euros in exports alone,” declared Francois Saugier, director of EU Amazon Marketplace, while Francois Nuyt stated: “We hope that the collaboration between Amazon.it and the Municipality of Florence, together with local institutions and artisans, can help stimulate the growth of the local economy, offering artisan producers easy and immediate access to a global market for the sale of their products. The Municipality of Florence is therefore a pioneer in a project that will continue to attract an increasing number of Italian regions, contributing to the growth of Italian exports.”
“We are proud to be the first to present the typical products of our artisan culture to Amazon’s vast portfolio of customers,” stated Dario Nardella. “For Tuscan artisans, this store represents a well-earned opportunity to reach a broader public, allowing them to expand their business. Thanks to the Amazon Made in Italy store, it will be possible for many more people to discover and appreciate Florentine and Tuscan artisan products, as well as reach foreigners that have already shown interest in our high-level workmanship, through their visits dedicated to Florentine art.”
Sources: Il Corriere Fiorentino, ANSA