Marketing the exquisite wood products made by talented Solomon Islands wood carvers.
In a recent article, I commented on how I thought the exquisite wood products made skillfully by talented Solomon Islands wood carvers might be sold to potential buyers overseas.
It was my suggestion that JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization an Independent Administrative Institution established by Japan Export Trade Research Organization as a nonprofit corporation in Osaka in February 1952, might possibly of help with marketing and sale of the range of wood carvings in Japan.
Since my article was published I have received information from Canada which suggests selling the products on Ebay, Etsy and Facebook could bring benefits quickly.
My correspondent wrote, quote:
“I've gone on to the Ebay site and put in 'Solomon Islands Carvings' and found items there being sold from Australia, Hawaii and the mainland United States.
“These items are made in the Solomon Islands, but are being sold by others, not the artists themselves.
“The same is true of Etsy - Solomon Islands items being sold from France and Australia.
“I truly believe there is a market out there, but you have to go to the world and not rely simply on tourists coming to you.
“If there is someone, or a small group of people, who could present the artists works on some of these websites, you could reach people across the world.
“Tourists are already spending lots of money, and they may not be able to purchase the items when they're travelling. But from home, people have more time and money to shop on the internet.
“Actually, in Canada and the United States, many retail stores are closing because more and more people are using the internet to make purchases for almost everything.”
I hope the additional advice will aid the local wood carvers and trust that when the Solomon Islands starts to benefit from the improved internet and computer services promised for later this year, or early next year, a good deal more internet sales of local products will prove beneficial to a great many Solomon Islanders.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
