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"This ain't Amazon, it's the Black Nile."
A Black woman has created an app called the Black Nile, a Black version of Amazon where consumers can shop from Black-owned businesses and services on one platform.
As major companies and retailers, including Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more, are rolling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and initiatives, consumers are looking for ways to support small and Black-owned businesses.
UI and web designer Dacia Petrie used her background in technology to create the Black Nile to fulfill the need and make it even easier for shoppers to buy Black-owned. The app currently features 3,000 Black-owned businesses across over 40 categories, including skincare, hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, luxury wear, handbags, weddings, home and kitchen goods, baby and kids, plus-size clothing, and more.
“I saw somebody in the comments saying that they’re looking for a Black Amazon. Sista, I’m a hold your hand when I say this. This ain’t Amazon. It’s Black Nile,” Petrie said.
Petrie integrated Google Maps into the app, allowing users to easily locate nearby businesses and retrieve directions. Shoppers can also leave reviews on the app after visiting or experiencing their selected business or service.
“I created this with the intention to make shopping with Black-owned businesses as easy as possible,” Petrie said. “I am a UI designer and web designer, and I noticed that there are a lot of Black-owned directories, but many of them aren’t as user-friendly or optimized for our mobile devices. I saw someone in the comments saying that they were looking for something that’s a little bit more techy and something a little bit more user-friendly, and this is perfect.”
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