Almost 5,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas sell their products through the Amazon store, 30% of all Spanish SMEs present in their store. From them, More than 40% sell worldwide and more than 60% export their products to the European UnionThis allows them to reach millions of customers, grow their business and promote economic development in their communities. This reached 5,000 SMEs More than 300 million euros in international sales in 2022which represents a cumulative annual growth of 30% over the last five years.
This is confirmed by the data published by the company as part of the project presentation. “Shaping repopulation”which aims to raise awareness of the potential of e-commerce in rural areas and was developed in collaboration with Catalan designer Andreu Carulla as part of the Madrid Design Festival.
Data shows that e-commerce is a key factor in boosting the economy and small businesses in rural areas. According to a recent Ipsos survey on The impact of electronic commerce, More than half of Spaniards believe that e-commerce has created new business opportunities for small rural businesses, while 54% confirm that it has equalized access to goods and services for citizens in urban and rural areas. , which helps stop depopulation (43%).
»Since Amazon arrived in Spain more than twelve years ago, we have invested in the infrastructure to reach every corner of the country, as well as in tools that help small and medium-sized Spanish companies sell beyond their hometown. Through initiatives such as the Despega program, we provide free training to companies interested in making the leap to online sales and creating new business opportunities in and for rural environments.“, Comments Xavier Flamand, Vice President of EU Business Partner Services at Amazon.
Making a connection to depopulated Spain with Andreu Carulla
With the aim of reflecting on the challenges of depopulation in Spain and possible solutions, Amazon collaborated with the designer Andreu Carulla in the project ““Shaping repopulation”. For the project, Carulla temporarily relocated his studio to the small town of Gistaín in Huesca, with less than 150 inhabitants and a rich artisanal heritage, from where he continued his creative work using tools purchased on Amazon, elements from the environment itself and working with locals Artisan specializing in leather and wood.
«For us, design is not just a tool to create aesthetically beautiful products, but we firmly believe that it must have an intention and serve on a different scale, it is our responsibility. This project shows that this philosophy can become a reality and that design can and should play a crucial role in preserving a country’s cultural and craft heritage. Technology and electronic commerce play a key role in the repopulation of rural areas and the survival of new businesses that may emerge, shortening distances, connecting communities, bringing people closer together… all while taking advantage of privileged natural environments.“, explains the designer Andreu Carulla.
All these design works will be exhibited in the installation created by the same designer as part of the project from February 15 to 25 at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (P.º del Gral. Martínez Campos, 14, Madrid) as part of Fiesta Design , the festival’s special program where professionals, brands and the general public discuss design in an experiential, knowledge and idea-sharing environment for two weeks. Along with the various pieces created, a documentary will be shown about the designer’s experiences working outside his studio in this Alto Aragon city.
Build networks to change society
In its proposal together with the Madrid Design Festival, Amazon is also promoting the exhibition Weaving networks The aim is to look beyond the big cities and celebrate the designers and entrepreneurs who, from more rural areas, continue to be connected to the world of design and “forge those networks” that, through innovative proposals, are transforming our society and revitalizing many of our cities contribute .
In addition to the works of artists such as Sara Regal, Idoia Cuesta, César Rivas or Marina Fernández Ramos, in the exhibition you can also see a selection of the works of rural entrepreneurs and Amazon Handmade artisans such as Debosc, Cestería Aparici, Tuquinos or Geometrik Design that you have opted for e-commerce to reach beyond their location.
- Debosc (English, Girona): Project developed by the Bosch Roura family in Anglès around wood crafts and with products made related to technology: accessories for laptops, mobile phones, screens, etc. Debosc has been selling through Amazon since 2018, giving them a visibility that otherwise is difficult to reach. “Two days after uploading the products, they placed our first order from Germany,” they remember.
- Tuquinos (Granda de Arriba, Asturias): This project combines two passions of its founder, Jana García: carpentry and education. Jana creates handcrafted toys from certified wood that promote the development of coordination and mobility in children. For this artisan, selling on Amazon has become a key element in making a name for herself and allowing her to reach France, Italy and Germany.
- Aparici basketry (Aielo de Malferit, Valencia): With more than 40 years of history, this small Valencian family business is dedicated to the manufacture, sale and transformation of natural materials into objects. According to a manager of the company, Amazon, where they have been selling since 2016, has allowed them to reach different corners of the world, where they currently devote a large part of their efforts.
- Geometric design (Sant Pere de Ribas, Barcelona): a family business born from a mother and daughter’s passion for design and decoration. It all came about when they decided to convert the former chocolate factory in Sant Pere de Ribas into their home and studio. Since then, handmade decorative elements have been created that are now sold in more than 30 countries.