Why Discovering Black-Owned Brands Is Still Harder Than It Should Be

You know the product you want. Maybe it’s a new candle for the living room, a birthday gift, a good moisturizer, a piece of art, or something cute for your kid.

You’d love to buy it from a Black-owned brand.

Now comes the hard part: finding one.

A search turns into another search. You check a list someone put together two years ago. Half the links no longer work. You scroll through social media. You find a brand you like, but you’re not quite sure who owns it. Another only sells through Instagram. Twenty minutes later, you’re still looking for the thing you originally came to buy.

It shouldn’t take that much work.

The brands are out there

The problem isn’t a lack of Black-owned businesses.

They’re making skincare and stationery. Clothing and coffee. Books, toys, jewelry, home goods, artwork, grooming products, specialty foods, gifts and plenty more.

But knowing those businesses exist and being able to easily find them when you’re ready to shop are two different things.

Discovery is still scattered.

A brand might have a beautiful website but never appear in your search results. Another might get most of its attention through social media, which means whether you see it can depend on what an algorithm decides to put in front of you that day.

Some brands make it onto directories. Others show up on annual lists. Some grow almost entirely through word of mouth.

And if you don’t already know the name of the business you’re looking for, finding it can be surprisingly difficult.