Keeping Alaska dollars in Alaska

Frontiersman

PALMER — With a new facelift now complete, one website hopes to direct Alaska consumers back to Alaska businesses.

BuyAlaska.com launched the second version of its online directory Friday. The site, run by the Alaska Small Business Development Center, allows Alaska companies a free listing and better chance at attracting Internet traffic.

The idea is to get people looking at the goods and services available in the searchable database before they turn to Internet sites from Outside, Program Coordinator Winnie Cichosz said.

Cichosz presented data about how much consumer money leaves Alaska when she spoke before the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

“Alaskans send out $11 billion each year. … Half of all the (Permanent Fund dividends) go out of state,” Cichosz said. “With even just a 10 percent retention, we can create 4,400 jobs in Alaska.”

Cichosz understands people are not going to stop shopping online. The website is simply an attempt to raise awareness of the diversity and accessibility of Alaska products and services, she said. Before searching the Internet in its entirety, she hopes consumers will search BuyAlaska.com to see what is offered their area.

“This is just a piece of infrastructure to help people buy local,” Cichosz said.

The website has more than 2,700 listings from 124 Alaska communities. Wasilla shows 229 listings and Palmer has another 98. Listings range from chiropractors and dock builders to dress boutiques and welding suppliers.

As for the companies that have listings, Cichosz said the web directory is another way to get exposure. BuyAlaska.com gets 14,000 monthly visits with more than 50,000 page views. All this traffic means a higher spot on Google and other search engines.

The new version of the website includes additional photo galleries and customer reviews. There is also a bid-match area where customers can list demands, then companies can make offers to fulfill the requirements.

The website also offers traffic analytics to help business owners understand where their viewers are coming from. Businesses offering special promotions get listed on the home page as well as a weekly newsletter that goes out to 3,000 e-mail accounts.

Cichosz said other employees of the Alaska SBDC are activity working with large corporations to make them aware of what’s offered on BuyAlaska.com. The goal is to get large retailers and companies to realize there are suppliers in Alaska able to meet their needs, she said.

Because the website is run through the Alaska SBDC, all of the services BuyAlaska.com offers are completely free. The Alaska SBDC, a partnership between the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Small Business Administration, has five office locations in the state. In addition to BuyAlaska.com, the Alaska SBDC offers one-on-one business consulting.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.

IF YOU GO

What: BuyAlaska.com will hold an informational session.

Where: At its Wasilla office on the second floor of the Key Bank Building on the corner of the Parks Highway and Lucille Street.

When: March 26 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

Who: Business owners will walk away from the class with a listing on the site.