Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013

Here we are again, another year down and we’re already so focused on 2013 that we almost forgot to reflect on how awesome this last year was. 2012 marks 7 years(/big-cartel-turns-7/) for Big Cartel, and, now that we’ve scratched that itch, we can comfortably settle in for the long haul. Here’s a rundown of how the year looked for us.

Growth

This year we surpassed 250K stores! To celebrate that milestone we brought lucky number 250,000, an artist from Boston, out to Salt Lake City for a special gallery show, and a grand opening of his online shop. It was a really special benchmark, and that perfect night made it even better. And while we’re feeling sentimental, take an early peek at the 250K buzz video we’ll be dropping later this month.

A quarter million stores means artists are selling stuff. Lots of it. All over the world. Big Cartel shops sold a combined $170 million worth of artistic, unique products. That means there’s an even larger group of people supporting the #ShopIndie movement, and for that, we applaud you. That worldwide audience is growing, and putting up some impressive numbers - here’s how BC shops are selling globally.

Evolution

2012 also saw some big upgrades to the Big Cartel platform, something we’re continually improving. We’re especially proud of a couple of our pet projects from this year: a sparkly new customization tool, and all of your order info brought neatly into the admin. These improvements set us up nicely for what looks to be a pretty epic 2013 - a year of better tools, new ways to sell, and a focus on educating artists on building and running an independent brand.

Team

To make all this possible, we’ve added a few to the fold. We’re now at an even 18, and all are settled in and feel right at home. Speaking of home, our office is done, decor’d, and warmed up for the cold Salt Lake City winter.

Thanks

A very special thanks to all of our wonderful artists on Big Cartel, and the massive legion around the world who support these independent brands. We work hard to put as much energy and passion into our business as you put into yours, and we look forward to 2013 being the best year yet for all of us.