On September 18, the official launch of gourmandeboutique.com took place at the Comptoir gourmand du Centro (now Gourmande boutique) in Sherbrooke.
For the occasion, media and suppliers were invited. The event was a great success.
The Estrie Biofood Industry Council, better known by the Cantons-de-l'Est flavor creators label, was on site. Its director, Mr. Ghislain Lefebvre, took the opportunity to announce his organization's contribution to the promotion of regional products by adding a page to its website redirecting Internet users to the producers' transactional sites. regional and partner boutique spaces, including Comptoir gourmand du Centro.
Why an online store?
Firstly to offer better service to our customers. Demand from customers was becoming more and more pressing.
An online store obviously meets the needs of customers who cannot travel to make their purchases on site. But also, it is increasingly recognized that an ever-increasing proportion of customers consult business sites before traveling. A recent CEFRIO study showed that 8 out of 10 Quebec Internet users look for information on the Internet before going to a store to make their purchases 1 .
The online store therefore becomes a digital showcase of the store on the street.
Then, the online offer of local and regional agri-food products is relatively limited. It is important to make the products of these artisans who do not always have the time and resources to set up a transactional site accessible.
The creation of the online store also responds to an economic imperative. It is increasingly a question of survival for businesses regardless of their size. Indeed, an increasingly large share of the market is moving to the Web. A survey carried out by the CQCD published in March 2018 revealed that 63% of Quebecers made online purchases in 2017 2 . As a trader, this is a major trend that we cannot afford to ignore.
Finally, by creating an online store, we are proud to contribute to expanding Quebec's online offering. Currently, according to CEFRIO, only $1 out of every $5 spent online by Quebecers is spent on a Quebec site 3 .
What makes Gourmandeboutique.com unique?
Gourmandeboutique.com stands out for its desire to highlight local products and for the original combination of products it offers. Products that are selected for their quality, authenticity and originality.
Gourmandeboutique.com is also the online store offering the widest selection of Eastern Townships flavor creator products. It is therefore deeply rooted in its region.
By collaborating with numerous regional producers, gourmandeboutique.com makes it possible to group together products from multiple sources in a single purchase, therefore in a single invoice and a single delivery.
Finally, gourmandeboutique.com also offers the possibility of combining these products to offer gourmet gifts of regional products. The Créateurs de flavors gift boxes that it offers are very popular examples of this.
- What were the online purchasing habits of Quebec adults in 2017 , NET Tendances 2017, vol. 8, no 7, CEFRIO, April 25, 2018, p. 14
- The purchasing behavior of Quebecers – Telephone survey , Quebec Retail Council, November 2017, p. 32
- What were the online purchasing habits of Quebec adults in 2017 , NET Tendances 2017, vol. 8, no 7, CEFRIO, April 25, 2018, p. 19