What do you get when you combine the homemade selling power of Etsy and
the global small-business support of Kiva? Sprinkle in a little bit of
Deepak Chopra and a subscription box similar to Birchbox and you’re left
with the iOS app, GlobeIn. At its core, GlobeIn is a very human driven app that lets you purchase
handmade items from artisans in developing countries.
Unlike Etsy, however, GlobeIn allows artisans to list their products without a listing fee. Instead, GlobeIn adds a small amount to the total the seller is selling the item for. Another difference is that GlobeIn sellers have regional managers that assist with the shipping of the items and the money transfers. A great help for artisans in smaller areas that might not be familiar with these processes.
"Many [artisans] who are on our site would not normally be on the Internet; they don’t even know what the Internet is," […] "You can look at different parts of the world and see what people are doing right now — what kinds of traditions they’re preserving, what kind of new art forms they’re creating." – Vladimir Ermakov, CEO
GlobeIn focuses heavily on the human aspect of their sellers. It’s as much about their story as it is buying hand made craft items from them. To really hammer this point in, GlobeIn has partnered with Deepak Chopra to bring interested parties a subscription box similar to Birchbox or LootCrate, but with an additional twist. For $30 a month, you get three items from a country (that alternates each month), and with the items, comes stories and experiences from the artisans.
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GlobeIn is continuing to add artisans to their ever growing pool, and their partnership with Deepak Chopra will only help solidify their position. At the time of this writing, you can shop through GlobeIn’s market via their iOS app or their website. It would be nice to see an Android app developed and made available, but having the option to order and browse on the website alleviates some of that inconvenience.
