What Is a Community Marketplace?

A community marketplace is an online marketplace designed to keep money and benefit inside a local community, rather than extracting it. Instead of routing dollars to a distant corporation, it favors local businesses, lower fees, and a built-in community benefit — like Good Circles, where every purchase saves you money and funds a local nonprofit.

How it differs from a regular marketplace

Local-first — it surfaces nearby businesses, not national sellers.
Low fees — merchants keep far more (89% of profit on Good Circles vs. losing 15–30% on big platforms).
Built-in benefit — a share of each sale funds a local cause.
Shoppers gain too — about 10% savings, not just convenience.

Why it matters

Up to 52.9¢ of every dollar spent at a local business stays in the community, versus 13.6¢ at a national chain. A community marketplace turns ordinary shopping into local investment — without asking anyone to spend more.

An example

Good Circles is a community marketplace launching in Mississippi in 2026: shop local, save about 10%, fund a nonprofit you choose, and local businesses keep more. See how it works »

See a community marketplace in action

Shop local, save ~10%, and fund a nonprofit you choose.

How Good Circles works

FAQ

What is a community marketplace?

An online marketplace built to keep money and benefit local — favoring nearby businesses, low fees, and a built-in community benefit like funding local nonprofits.

How is it different from Amazon?

Amazon routes money to a distant corporation. A community marketplace keeps spending local, charges businesses far less, and funds local causes.