New local online platform takes on big retail delivery service to support local businesses

While online shopping has become a multi-trillion-dollar worldwide industry, a new online marketplace launched in Simcoe County in recent weeks is making it easier and more affordable to keep e-commerce local.

That marketplace is JustSimcoe.ca, which connects consumers with county-based products and provides same-day delivery service in a similar fashion to large worldwide couriers.

“Here in Simcoe County, we spend an estimated $500 million a year on Amazon.ca alone, while we’ve got thousands of amazing local businesses here in our own backyard,” said Andrew de Jong, founder of Just Simcoe.

In addition to de Jong’s website operators, the Just Simcoe team is made up of nine drivers who pick up orders from local stores and deliver them to consumers at a rate of up to $7.50 per order.

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The service operates Monday to Friday. Orders that are placed before 3 p.m. get delivered the same day, while orders placed after 3 p.m. get delivered the next day.

“It’s a way we can stand up as a community and say, ‘we’re not just going to hand a big part of our economy over to monopolistic companies like Amazon,’” added de Jong. “We’re going to fight for our own. We’re going to build our own solution and keep that revenue local.”

Local expert Jesse Kerr says 98 per cent of the Canadian economy is driven by small businesses.

“Then the micro businesses are even less than 10 or less than five [employees and] employ almost about 60 to 70 per cent of the population as well,” said Kerr. “When we give them support, we grow our own communities.”

Just Simcoe has partnered with nearly 100 local businesses so far, such as Kim Andrews’ scented candle business and Shannon Cunningham’s non-alcoholic beverage business.

“They take a lot of care and pride when delivering the products,” said Andrews, owner of THE GOOD WAX candle co in Barrie. “The customer service is amazing and it’s affordable.”

“They have made things a lot faster for us, a lot more convenience for us,” said Cunningham, co-owner of Sober Sips in Barrie. “Our customers have actually come back and reported just how friendly Andrew and his team have been.”

De Jong says he is focused on continuing to grow Just Simcoe across Simcoe County and taking a customer-focused approach, making people more aware of local alternatives to online shopping.