Senita Slipac, founder of OREA Bazaar: Let’s be the change we want to see
OREA Bazaar
This e-commerce platform is the first multi vendor platform in our country. OREA is primarily focused on buying and selling handmade, original products with a local label that currently operates exclusively in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also nurtures the idea of expanding to the regional market.
"We are a community that opens opportunities for promotion and safe shopping and education to young and creative people. However, OREA also provides all its companions with networking services with potential partners and customers who are, for the most part, residing in other parts of the world and currently make up our widespread diaspora”, explains Slipac.
Behind this online platform is a huge and very responsible business. Out of several hundred registered, only eighty physical or legal persons currently place their products through the OREA Bazaar. However, behind each of them stand firmly the representatives of OREA.
To successfully use Orea's services, you must, first of all, produce:
- handmade products,
- recycled or repurposed products,
- print, photographs, digital print or screen-print products,
- as well as products that are partly industrial, but for the most part still made by hand.
At the same time, products that are not made in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia or Serbia, antiques, industrial products that are not at least partly handmade, products that are resold and not the work of the owner of the online store, and copies of copyrighted products will certainly not be found on this platform.
"If your handmade products are still not ready for 'action', if it is still just a hobby but you are a professional at heart who plans to place his work on the market in the foreseeable future, and for you there is an OREA team that will certainly give you advise, instruct and support ", adds Slipac.
How can the B&H diaspora help?
Senita Slipac spent most of her life in the United States, where she convinced herself, as she claims, that the thesis that Bosnians and Herzegovinians outside the borders of their country are very successful and prosperous is well-founded. However, in her opinion, a huge number of such people remained in the homeland and daily express the need for cooperation with our emigrants, in the form of mentoring, financial support or exchange of opinions.
“Our creatives strive to believe in them. They are eager to invest in them and they are certainly eager for sincere support. Although in Bosnia and Herzegovina there are many problems that are, most often, institutional in nature, at the same time there are many individuals whose work proves that indeed emigrants in their homeland have fertile ground for successful cooperation and successful business. Networking, and later the realization of joint projects is what our citizens miss", points out Slipac.
"If we give them a chance, not everyone will leave this country. At the same time, perhaps my example serves as a motive for other people to return to this rather uncertain homeland and continue to build a better future for all of us in it. Only together can we write and upgrade positive stories ", concludes Slipac.
Given the fact that the B&H authorities do not sufficiently use the power of the diaspora to strengthen the state and, in many cases, are very deaf to their demands, Slipac believes that the focus of interested emigrants to help Bosnians and Herzegovinians should be shifted to real sector, through various initiatives. At least until the B&H government itself shows a greater willingness to cooperate.
If you think that OREA Bazaar is the ideal platform for you, here you can find all additional information.
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