Amazon Helps One Small Business Travel Farther
Personal frustration led to business success for Kristin Rae, founder of Inspire Travel Luggage in Bloomington, IL. As a frequent traveler, Kristin couldn’t find a good leak-proof toiletry case that could hold full-size beauty products. So, she designed her own prototype and eventually found a manufacturer to mass-produce her new toiletry bags.
That’s when things got hard. Kristin worked tirelessly to launch her products through traditional retail markets – with no luck. Discouraged and struggling to keep the business afloat, Rae turned to Amazon and its online marketplace filled with millions of customers. She was selling her products within days of joining Amazon and, in 18 months, sold thousands of toiletry cases. To streamline logistics, Kristin joined Fulfillment by Amazon, which guarantees 1-2 day delivery and handles all of her packing, labeling, shipping, and delivery needs, at a very affordable price. Thanks to Amazon’s many services, Kristin’s business that struggled out of the gate is now thriving.
“Amazon has democratized retail, so even small retailers like myself can compete with industry giants like Away,” said Kristin.
Inspire Travel Luggage continues growing as Kristin unveils new products and sales increase. But she’s worried about proposed laws from Congress that could make selling on Amazon harder, which would be devastating for the business she’s worked so hard to grow.
“Instead of harming companies like Amazon that have helped me and many other small businesses succeed, Congress should be making it easier for small businesses to access online marketplaces that help drive revenue. It’s simply reckless to pass laws aimed at tech giants that will rebound against small businesses,” said Kristin.
