More than two years after its creation, Le Panier bleu – this website that aims to showcase Quebec products – will become a transactional platform this fall.
The transition from a simple directory of merchants and products to a shopping platform was supposed to take place in 2021, but the task turned out to be more complex than expected.
The detailed blue basket project on Monday morning is a digital ecosystem which will eventually include delivery, warehousing and communication services. defended the general manager of the Blue Basket, Alain Dumas, at a press conference.
We’re not closing Amazon tomorrow. We are aware of it, but we are an alternative for people for whom buying local is important.he pointed out.
Mr. Dumas and the Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, have pointed out on a number of occasions that many Quebecers are familiar with the Blue Basket, but being aware of its existence has not yet translated into increased traffic.
According to a survey by the Academy of Digital Transformation at Université Laval unveiled in March, just over half (52%) of Quebec adults are familiar with the Blue Basket, but 14% had already used it. En parallèle, c’est Amazon qui s’est accaparé la part du lion (48 %) des achats en ligne effectués dans le Belle Province en 2021.
The site in question is already in beta testing phase with a view to launching this fall. Les commerçants sont d’ores et déjà invités à s’inscrire en vue de la période de pointe du temps des Fêtes.
The domain, formerly a NPOwill now be administered by a private entity. The transactional site had to be created. The government did not want to operate this site. It’s Agora, an “inc.” with shareholders, who bought the Panier bleu trademark. The name of the “inc.” is now The Blue Basketunderlined Minister Fitzgibbon. It was necessary to go to the next steps.
However, the Government of Quebec will be one of the shareholders of this company, since it will invest $12 million in it, which will allow it to be a ordinary voting shareholderaccording to Mr. Fitzgibbon.
Traders first
The Blue Basket will focus more on merchants than products to ensure that Internet users frequent the site for as many purchases as possible. It will therefore be possible to obtain objects made abroad.
” We will never make televisions or telephones in Quebec, but I prefer that consumers buy them on the Blue Basket or a local store than on Amazon. “
Le Panier bleu will also offer companies that sell on the platform to take over certain services such as customer service and order tracking. This is the online service company Lightspeed who will be responsible for payment methods during transactions. Elle offrira gratuitement ses services aux commerçants pour les 12 premiers mois de leur présence sur la plateforme.
Neither Alain Dumas nor Pierre Fitzgibbon advanced on how they intended to measure the success of the Blue Basket, but the Minister of the Economy was optimistic. Peu importe le nombre de commerçants, ceux qui vont en bénéficier vont avoir un service qu’ils n’auraient pas eu autrement. Even if there were 2000, 4000 or 20,000, it’s going to be such a success.
Dominique Degré (access to the author’s page)
Source: Radio-Canada
