BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
The greatest challenge of running the Tlicho Online store is educating customers about how much work goes into making a piece and the cost of materials, says store co-ordinator Giselle Marion.
The beadwork on a pair of moccasins takes "hours and hours," for instance. Then, she says, you have to factor in the time the artist took to hand-sew the item. On top of that is the cost of the hide, beaver fur and beads.
Naturally tanned hide is difficult to acquire these days because it's a dying art, added Marion.
"For a moosehide you're looking at $2,000 depending on how it's cut and made and smoked. Caribou hide is difficult because it's thinner and it's finer," she said, adding items such as moccasins and mukluks should be treated with care.
"My goal is to educate people and let them know this product is a luxury item ... it's a rare item that should be appreciated and loved and taken care of and (they should) know where this product comes from and how it is made."
The Tlicho Online Store, based out of the Charlie Charlo building in Behchoko, opened in 2009 to sell hand-made wares from Northern artists. Seventy per cent of the purchase price goes to the artist while the rest goes to running the site, administration and shipping.
The store receives up to 20 orders a month and the average cost of an order is $250.
The online store, said Marion, is becoming more well-known through its numerous social media pages, including Twitter, Pinterest, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Tumblr. Its Facebook page has more than 4,300 likes.
Top-selling items include moccasins, specialty books and DVDs supplied by the Tlicho Community Services Agency, which publishes material focused on education, health and social services in Tlicho communities.
Items by Caroline Blechert of Creations for Continuity are also a hit. She uses natural porcupine quills to create pieces of jewelry with a twist on the traditional.
"I think at this stage we are becoming more known for our traditional items," said Marion. "I find more modern items like purses, stuff like that, don't go as fast."
Marion has been with the site since its inception and does everything behind the scenes.
She uploads the product photos and descriptions, posts to social media, ships the items and works with the artists. She also handles customer relations and is happy to teach anyone who is interested about the store and the Tlicho people.
"It is a store, but we also want to make sure the customer knows where the product is coming from, who we are as a store, a people, a nation and kind of share our lives because that's what we're giving them. We're sharing who we are."
Most of the site's traffic comes from southern Canada, mainly British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Shoppers outside of Canada are usually from the U.S., followed by Europe and Asia.
Marion is always looking for new ideas to branch out. Last week, she added photographer Jamie Stevenson to the site, so now customers can visit the store to book graduation and portrait packages.
The next step, Marion said, is tourism.
"We're always trying to look for something new to add to website because we don't want to be boxed in or categorized," she said.
"We want to be full and encompassing of what the Northwest Territories is about and that's all kinds of race, cultures so we try to embody that in our website."
