Products made here are now easier to find on Amazon. Many Quebec SMEs are salivating at the visibility offered by one of the largest retailers on the planet.
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“Amazon accounts for almost 50% of online purchases in Quebec,” says Elfi Morin, who has just signed the partnership with the Amazon team. The Québécoise has led Les Produits du Québec since its creation 22 months ago.
The NPO’s “made in Quebec” certification mark can be found on the packaging of Masdel (the Magic Bag), Unscented Company, Adrien Gagnon and 152 other local companies.
On Amazon, the products of 36 Quebec SMEs bear the PDQ logo. “The customer wants to know where the product comes from,” summarizes the boss of the Amazon distribution center in Montreal, Jean-François Héroux.
The shelves that move by themselves from Amazon, seen during the visit to the Montreal distribution center, Monday February 19, 2024.
photo julien mcevoy
This is done for cleaning products from Attitude or Biovert, soaps from Unscented Co., Face4 Games, joint health supplements from Genacol or Nail Creation accessories, all of which are members of PDQ and whose the products are sold by Amazon.
Partnering with the NPO makes a lot of sense for the giant, which can only increase its sales. For Elfi Morin and his team, this is the consecration: their members will distinguish themselves with a “made in Quebec” seal in the heart of global traffic.
“You have to be where the people are. I am delighted with the progress of Quebec Products,” declared the minister responsible for the NPO, Christopher Skeete, Monday, at Amazon in Montreal.
Robots everywhere
The announcement of the partnership was an opportunity for local SME bosses to visit YUL2, the 180,000 sq. ft. distribution center2 opened by Amazon in Montreal in 2020. The robots far outnumbered the diners.
Josée De Lafontaine was among the guests. “We could never do what they do here,” the Magic Bag sales manager exclaimed with admiration after visiting the factory with 400 employees and thousands of machines.
Amazon employs 400 people in Lachine.
photo julien mcevoy
Masdel already makes 10% of its sales on Amazon. The ease with which Quebecers will now be able to find its products gives great hope to the Anjou SME.
The no 1 Mondial is launching a Les Produits Du Québec page, in addition to its Fleurdelysé boutique, the section dedicated to small local businesses which already exists.
The power of Amazon is often useful for small local players, Elfi Morin insisted on Monday. Everyone wins when the giant delivers the products.
Christopher Skeete, Elfin Morin and Jean-François Héroux
photo julien mcevoy
The power of the giant for the little ones
Board game creator Joel Legrand could talk about this for a long time. “Canada Post prices are exorbitant. It’s impossible to survive without group prizes,” says the man behind Jeux Face4.
With his partner – also a teacher – and their two children, they have enjoyed great success thanks to On the edge of the 20, a budding genius type knowledge game. Roughly 15% of its 5,000 to 10,000 sales per year take place on Amazon.
The new inscription Produits du Québec appears at the bottom of the product sheet on Amazon.
screenshot of product page on Amazon.ca
“It’s mainly to make yourself known. Amazon offers delivery and takes less margin than an ordinary retailer,” explains the entrepreneur.
Amazon joins Walmart, PDQ partner since November. The NPO has 155 member companies for 65,000 certified products. Less than 2000 are on Amazon at the moment.
And the Blue Basket?
Everyone is wondering what the presence on Amazon of the Produits du Québec logo means for the Blue Basket. Elfi Morin, who did not want to comment, attributes the success of his NPO to its “carrying message” about buying local.
Minister Skeete finds the comparison between the NPO and the Blue Basket “unfair”. Quebec is big enough for both, he says. It’s the promotion of “made in Quebec” that counts.
No one reminded us of the Blue Basket on Monday. The company has just appointed a new boss after more than three months without direction.
The Blue Basket has been out of the hands of the State for 12 months. Created by Quebec in 2021 to stimulate local purchasing, $4 million in public funds were pumped into it before privatizing it. Even there, Investissement Québec accounts for 12 of the $22 million invested.