A unique online trading site is celebrating reaching a milestone of having over 50,000 products for sale by independent retailers across the UK.

The Neartoo.co.uk website was launched to the public in March and has been designed to capture shopping trends and help independent stores recover from the pandemic.

The platform already has hundreds of stores signed up which has allowed them to complement their physical stores but also offer them a chance to build and grow their business either by helping them go online for the first time, or to assist their current online offering by giving them a bigger and broader platform.

For shoppers, it has also allowed them to know they are shopping local as each Neartoo seller has been carefully vetted by the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) who are behind the website. It also allows them to find out what shops they are 'near to' and encourage them to explore more local shops to where they live or are visiting.

Jayne Weldon, e-commerce manager for Neartoo.co.uk said: "We are just thrilled that we now have over 50,000 products available for our shoppers to browse and buy on our website, which has been live for just over four months now.

"What is really encouraging is that we have not just great gifts, toys, clothing and home items, but also quite niche and rare products such as unusual lego bricks, books and even beers - so there is certainly a taste for it.

"We are going to be continuing in building on the products available along with signing up more independents up and down the country and also raising our profile so more people become aware of us and show their support for smaller businesses in their communities."

The website ensures each retailer has its own individual profile, and allows shop owners to either sync their existing online sales profile, or create their own through the platform if they haven't been able to afford to create an online presence yet.

Bira's CEO Andrew Goodacre added: "We were conscious that this platform was owned by independents and addressed both societal changes but also gives them access to open up new ways of selling to their customers, and one that is profitable for them.

"It's been so encouraging that we already have so many products on offer and weekly have new stores sign up so we hope to continue with this upward trend over the summer months and make this site successful for our important indies who keep our high streets alive."

For more details visit www.neartoo.co.uk