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Second Life farmers' market gets real with home deliveries
Miranda Bryant9 Sep 2009
A virtual farmers' market based on computer game Second Life is going online.
The 3D website will offer food from up to 300 small producers across the country and will deliver to customers' homes.
Shoppers will even be able to wander around the web market and talk to producers about their goods before buying them.
The site was created by former cattle farmer Marcus Carter, who attempted to boost his business by starting an online market on Second Life - where gamers "live" through virtual personae called avatars.
Despite investing £10,000 setting up the market, Mr Carter, of Kilburn, found users were put off because they could only buy in bulk and he had to close it.
Mr Carter's new website will feature products normally only available from small producers or markets.
He bought his goods in bulk from independent producers across the country, including natural Anglesey sea salt, Snowdonia cheese and Irish smoked salmon.
Customers will be able to watch 90-second video clips of producers speaking about the food, and see cooking demonstrations.
A basket at the bottom of the screen will show users how much money they spend. All the goods will arrive in a refrigerated box, delivered by courier.
Mr Carter, 45, came up with the idea when he was working for his family's business, Patchwork Traditional Foods, selling handmade patés at a farmers' market in Chelsea.
He said: "I was standing at the market and I thought if I took that online I could sell so much more."
Mr Carter believes he can open up the internet for independent producers, giving them exposure to a new audience used to shopping for food online.
"At a normal farmers' market you can only reach a certain number of people a day. But when you take it online, you can reach thousands more who don't normally go," he said.
"My passion is to help independent producers sell more food to more people.
"There's a huge market out there for independent producers on the internet, but the problem is distribution.
"You're not going to go on a random website to buy Cumberland pork pies, but you wouldn't think twice about buying it from Ocado."
The website will launch in the next few weeks. Users will not need to register, and will be able to buy as little or as much as they want for the same £12 delivery fee.
Mr Carter believes he could not have set up the website without testing the model on Second Life.
He said: "Quite a few successful businesses are developed on Second Life and are making a lot of money selling virtual land and products."
Reader views (2)
£12 delivery fee?? tesco's is only like 4 quid delivery so lets face it, who would you choose when shopping online??
- Becky, Manchester, 11/09/2009 11:00
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THIS IS AMAZING I LOVE IT.
- Paul, Birmingham, 10/09/2009 16:26
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