# Virtual Shopping Districts This Virtual Shopping Center Helps to Support Small Businesses By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2021-04-23 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-shopping-center References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-northshoreshopscom-the-virtual-central-shopping-district-that-makes-it-easier-to-shop-from-small-businesses-in-the-communities-you-love-301275759.html) & [NorthShoreShops](http://www.NorthShoreShops.com/) During a challenging time for small businesses, NorthShoreShops.com has been introduced as a [virtual shopping center](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/benemart-concept) to connect shoppers to small businesses. The [Virtual Shopping District](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holiday-shop) model was created to support small businesses on Chicago's North Shore and beyond, and it offers a simple way for shoppers to find and support [local businesses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buylokals). The platform was inspired by the ease that eCommerce giants offer and it helps local-area merchants build awareness, get new customers and make sales. On the Virtual Shopping District, consumers land on a central website that offers one checkout experience for everything from goods and services to gift cards. As David Kelbaugh, NorthShoreShops.com founder, says "buying locally at-scale shouldn't be so difficult." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 78% | Activity: 91% | Freshness: 10% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Virtual Shopping Districts:** The rise of virtual shopping districts presents opportunities for small businesses to connect with customers online and streamline their checkout process. - **Ecommerce for Small Businesses:** Ecommerce platforms that allow small businesses to sell products and services online can help them reach a wider audience and increase sales. - **Localized Shopping:** Localized shopping experiences that connect consumers with small businesses in their community could help boost support for local economies. ### Who This Affects Most - **Ecommerce:** Ecommerce platforms could benefit from developing tools and services specifically tailored to the needs of small businesses. - **Retail:** Retailers could explore partnerships with virtual shopping districts to expand their online presence and reach new customers. - **Local Economic Development:** Organizations focused on supporting local economies could collaborate with virtual shopping districts to promote small businesses and connect them with customers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Localized Boutique Shopping Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/boutique-shopping-apps.md) - [Community-Centric E-Commerce Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessible-digital-tools.md) - [Social Good eCommerce Directories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/socially-minded-companies.md) - [Multi-Brand Virtual Malls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-mall.md) - [Virtual Holiday Shopping Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holiday-shop.md) - [AR Shopping Malls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/door-to-shop-small.md) - [Digital Mall Product Directories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/westland-mall.md) - [Live Chat Shopping Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/klarna-1.md) - [AI-Assisted Retailer Websites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightspeed-showroom.md)