Canadian startup sees traffic surge as shoppers embrace home-grown marketplace

Valerie Crisp, 38, launched Common Goods in Toronto to help Canadians locate locally made goods amid rising U.S. tariff pressures. Starting as a product-search pilot, the venture shifted to an affiliate-driven marketplace before introducing direct-sale gift boxes that boosted holiday sales. After the Canadian prime minister announced a failed tariff deal, Crisp’s brief Threads posts went viral, causing daily site visits to triple within a day.

The platform now offers both affiliate listings for larger brands and its own curated boxes, with top sellers including apparel, personal-care items, tea and coffee. Operating without external funding, Crisp handles all operations herself and aims to raise repeat-customer rates toward 20 percent. She notes that while many Canadians want fully Canadian-made items, limited availability and higher prices make the broader “Buy Canadian” approach more realistic.