Jackie Mulligan champion events in the North, speaker and founder of her own digital start-up ShopAppy.com shares her story and answers listeners letters. ShopAppy was founded by Jackie Mulligan, who loves shopping in her home town of Saltaire. She and many of her friends were worried about seeing many of the great local shops struggling because of the increasing competition from supermarkets and online shopping giants. She even saw some shops closing to become online sellers - leaving vacant shops in the town. Jackie explains "I realised how happy it made me feel to have these lovely shops so close by, and how enjoyable it was to shop locally where you could speak to shopkeepers about the products because they had chosen them and they had bought them. I also noticed that in the local shops, residents talked to each other, shopping local just makes us all feel more connected and happy. I called it feeling 'shopappy' because I am a cockney and always drop my H's"

 

She also met lots of people who cared a lot about shopping local, but when they got home from work the shops were closed.

 

Jackie set about creating ShopAppy. Jackie is delighted that it is launched, she says “ShopAppy will give every independent in every local town a 24-hour shop window, doesn’t take commission on sales and encourages shoppers to look at what amazing things are on their doorstep. It is great to have convenience but it is also great when you feel good about where you shop. That's what might make us all shopappy!”