The SIU Alumni Association is launching a new Saluki Market website this spring. The association says the website will help connect Salukis by showcasing the large number of Saluki entrepreneurs and their products.
Molly Hudgins, Executive Director of the SIU Alumni Association says the Shopify ecommerce platform will be the backbone of the site. This allows businesses to easily connect their stores to the new website. The project is a unique way to market Saluki Made products.
Hudgins says, "This will create a space for Salukis to share their products. Give alumni, students and friends a way to engage and connect with each other and then find new ways to show Saluki pride."
Hudgins says the website allows them to host vendors who may have only one or two products to sell as well as vendors with a large variety of items.
Another positive for Hudgins is the opportunity to give shoppers the chance to find saluki made products, "This gives you the chance to support other Salukis. It is giving people around the country to shop SIU first."
Students will also be involved in the project - from selling their own products, to marketing, to even reviewing the analytics of the marketplace.
According to Hudgins, "It gives our students a vision that your alumni association can be a part of your life as a student, and it can be, and it will be a part of your life as you go on and graduate and start your own business or get into your career."
The alumni association will start with a small number of vendors for the website's launch. They say this is like any other small business and they want to make sure everything’s running smoothly before ramping up too much.
If you’re interested in selling your products - or even buying them on the marketplace, go to the website salukimarket.com and sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date before their March launch date.