Small Business News

Facebook Brings Small and Digital Businesses to Select Macy’s Stores

Over the past few years, Facebook has tried to cozy up to small business owners by pitching ways that the Silicon Valley social media giant and entrepreneurs can work together. These efforts have included holding seminars to teach business owners various digital skills and promoting products such as “Find Wi-Fi” that gave entrepreneurs new ways to highlight their businesses on the platform. Now Facebook is teaming up with Macy’s to put some small and digital businesses in select locations.

As TechCrunch reports, Facebook and Macy’s will offer items from 100 different small business at nine stores. This promotion comes as part of The Market @ Macy’s initiative the retail chain launched earlier this year, creating temporary pop-up shops for brands. The Facebook-backed pop-ups have now come to life in New York City, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle with each display scheduled to run through February 2nd.

Interestingly, neither Macy’s nor Facebook will take a cut of the revenue, with merchants retaining all of the money made from sales at the Macy’s locations. Additionally, while The Market @ Macy typically charges exhibiting businesses a one-time fee, Facebook is covering the tab for this promotion. This essentially means that Facebook isn’t directly making money off of the pop-ups, although TechCrunch rightly notes that the effort could convince participants and other small businesses to spend more on the platform, including running advertisements on both Facebook and Instagram.

In a statement regarding The Market @ Macy’s pop-ups, Facebook’s Director of North America Marketing Michelle Klein said, “All over the world people are running businesses, big and small, that have inspiring stories and we want to help them succeed. We are thrilled to be partnering with one of the world’s biggest retailers to bring some of those businesses to a physical store this holiday season.” She added, “Macy’s shoppers will have the chance to meet businesses like Love Your Melon that sells hats and apparel to help in the fight against pediatric cancer, or Charleston Gourmet Burger Company that started from a backyard barbecue and has expanded to reach customers in all 50 states.” Offering an entrepreneurial perspective, Two Blind Brothers co-founder Bradford Manning said of the Facebook and the promotion, “Facebook has been a core partner in our growth. For Bryan and I, touch is such an important sense and why softness is a hallmark of our brand. For Two Blind Brothers and the majority of businesses participating, the experience will allow consumers to experience our brands and quality in a physical store for the first time ever.”

Although the scope of this promotion is relatively small, for those businesses selected to participate, it could actually be a game changer. After all, with displays expected to be run until February, these small businesses will have their products in front of shoppers during the busy holiday season. More importantly, this latest effort just demonstrates the lengths Facebook is willing to go to prove themselves as a small business ally. At a time when press surrounding the platform hasn’t been the best, perhaps this (mostly) generous act will earn them some a few “likes.”

Other Articles by Jonathan Dyer