How Fareport can help the Solent region’s crafters & creators increase their online shop orders

In a digital-first retail world, it’s often the small, unseen gaps that cause the biggest challenges. Many online sellers focus on their website or social media, but issues across the wider digital journey can quietly affect online performance too.

From how customers find you, to how easy it is to buy from you, every digital touchpoint matters. Taking a step back to look at how it all connects can unlock clearer decisions, stronger confidence and better results.

Read on to find out more about how Fareport can help…

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Helping Solent retailers find their way online

Across the Solent region covering Southampton, Portsmouth & the Isle of Wight, independent retailers, makers and creative businesses are the backbone of our local communities. From handcrafted jewellery and ceramics to independent fashion, gifts and artwork, these businesses bring colour, personality and connection to our high streets and markets.

Yet behind the scenes, many creative business owners are quietly facing the same struggle. You may have beautiful products and loyal customers but turning that into consistent online orders feels harder than it should.

You might be asking yourself:

Why does my website get visits but no sales?
Why do online orders feel unpredictable or non-existent?
Why does social media take so much time with so little return?
How do I sell online without losing the personal touch that customers love?
Where do I even start when everything feels technical and confusing?

If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone. And you are not failing. The retail world has changed fast, and many talented makers and shop owners were never given the chance to properly learn how digital retail actually works.

That is where the Solent Retail in a Digital World Skills Bootcamp comes in.

Practical digital skills for real retail challenges:

Delivered by Fareport Training and supported by the Solent Growth Partnership, this Skills Bootcamp has been designed specifically for local makers, crafters and creative retail businesses who want practical, realistic support with selling online.

This is not about theory or jargon. It is about understanding what stops customers from clicking “buy”, how to make your products shine online, and how to build a digital setup that works even when you are busy running your business.

Over the course of the Skills Bootcamp, you will learn how to:

Turn online interest into actual orders
Create clearer, more confident product listings
Price, present and position your products digitally
Build trust with customers who have never met you in person
Use social media with purpose rather than pressure
Simplify digital tools so they work for you, not against you
Create a digital retail plan you can realistically maintain

Everything is taught in a supportive, step by step way, with space to ask questions and apply learning directly to your own business.

Built around how small creative businesses actually work:

Many creative retailers struggle with online selling not because they lack talent, but because they are short on time, clarity and confidence. This Skills Bootcamp is built with that reality in mind.

The course is delivered live online every Tuesday and Friday from 9:30am to 4:00pm, over five weeks, with regular breaks built into each session. This structure gives you focused learning time without burnout, while still allowing space to reflect, practise and apply what you learn in between sessions.

Hurry! The final course starts on Tuesday the 17^th of February 2026, making it ideal for businesses who want to reset their digital approach, prepare for future trading periods and build confidence going into the year ahead.

Support that removes barriers, not adds to them:

Thanks to funding from the Department for Education via the Solent Growth Partnership, this Skills Bootcamp is fully funded for eligible sole traders and freelancers in the Solent area. Small businesses can also access the programme with a minimal employer contribution.

This means you can focus on learning and growth without worrying about high course fees or risky investments. It is a local opportunity designed to support local businesses at a point where support is genuinely needed.

Learn, connect, and grow locally:

This Skills Bootcamp is more than just a course. It is a community. You will connect with other makers, freelancers and creative business owners across the Solent region, share experiences openly and gain reassurance that the challenges you face are shared by many.

If you are tired of guessing, overwhelmed by digital advice that does not fit your business, or frustrated by slow online sales despite hard work, this could be the turning point you have been waiting for.

👉 Find out more and secure your place on the Solent Retail in a Digital World Skills Bootcamp:
https://www.fareport.co.uk/course/solent-retail-in-a-digital-world-skills-bootcamp/