Shop Iowa Marketplace – Empowering Iowa Small Businesses
Fulfilling a pandemic era need and evolving into an on-going small business resource.
About Shop Iowa
Shop Iowa is a statewide online marketplace that connects Iowa’s small businesses with shoppers across the state and beyond. Powered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and managed by Member Marketplace, Inc., Shop Iowa provides a platform for local businesses to sell their products, expand their reach, and connect with new customers—all in one convenient location.
An Immediate Solution Becomes a Lasting Resource
In 2020, Iowa’s small businesses faced an unprecedented challenge—store closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many retailers lacked an online presence, limiting their ability to reach customers beyond their local communities.
To provide an immediate solution, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) partnered with Member Marketplace, Inc. to launch Shop Iowa—a statewide online marketplace where small businesses could continue selling despite physical store closures.
What started as a crisis response quickly became a long-term opportunity. Shop Iowa has continued to serve as a valuable marketing and sales channel for Iowa businesses, helping them expand their reach and showcase the incredible products made and sold across the state.
More Than Just E-Commerce—A Way to Market & Grow
Unlike a traditional online store, Shop Iowa not only helps businesses sell but also increases visibility and engagement. It provides small retailers with a turnkey solution to reach shoppers across Iowa and beyond, without the heavy lifting of managing their own e-commerce sites. And those that already have their own sites, Shop Iowa can pull in their products and sync their inventory to help make it easier to expand online.
Businesses on Shop Iowa benefit from:
✅ Statewide Marketing & Exposure – Shop Iowa actively promotes participating businesses through digital marketing, social media, and influencer partnerships.
✅ Seamless Online Selling – Retailers can easily list products, manage inventory, and process orders, with Shopify and Square integrations for added convenience.
✅ Sales-Driving Shopping Events – Initiatives like Shop Iowa Day generate excitement and encourage consumer participation.
✅ Dedicated Business Support – Member Marketplace, Inc. provides ongoing training and guidance to help businesses succeed in online sales.
Supporting Iowa’s Economy & Small Businesses
Beyond just helping individual businesses, Shop Iowa plays a key role in promoting Iowa’s economy and local entrepreneurship.
The platform is integrated into IEDA’s broader efforts to showcase the state’s businesses and the high-quality goods they produce. It also partners with local chambers of commerce and business organizations, like the Iowa SBDC, to help more small businesses take advantage of online sales opportunities.
A Model for Community-Driven E-Commerce
Since inception, over 900 businesses have participated the marketplace. Nearly 15,000 products sold to customers from all 50 states. Shop Iowa continues to be an important resource, with many businesses making their first-ever online sales through the platform, reaching new customers and growing their brands.
Shop Iowa has demonstrated how a statewide marketplace can serve as both a business tool and a statewide showcase, connecting local businesses with shoppers who want to support them. For other states, economic development groups, and chambers of commerce, Shop Iowa offers a blueprint for how an online marketplace can drive local business growth—not just during a crisis, but for years to come.
What the Iowa Economic Development Authority has said:
“We recognize the importance of giving small businesses the visibility and support they need to succeed, which is why we created Shop Iowa. The online platform has positively impacted small businesses in all 99 counties across Iowa, and we look forward to building on that success.”
Explore Shop Iowa!
See how the Shop Iowa is supporting local commerce. Discover how local businesses are leveraging the platform to promote their products and gain new customers across Iowa and beyond.
Visit Now: shopiowa.com
Additional Examples of our E-Commerce Marketplaces:
