You can’t solve problems you don’t understand.
That’s why, before we launched anything on Dazzler, we went out and asked questions. Not just once, but continuously, over a series of more than 300+ conversations, surveys, field notes, and follow-ups spanning from 2022 into 2025.
We spoke with microbusiness owners, producers, café managers, digital-only retailers, and independent traders across the Island. We asked about footfall, banking, product visibility, logistics, tech, pricing, support schemes, past projects, and where re-alignment was needed.
What we got back is what now sits at the foundation of Dazzler. This isn’t a product built around buzzwords or gimmicks. It’s a platform shaped around merchant pain points, consumer blind spots, and a very real desire to see the Isle of Man do things differently, and do them well.
The Problem: Visibility, Footfall and Cost
In 2024, 10.7% of Island businesses identified footfall decline as one of their top three issues. For Douglas Town Centre specifically, that number climbs when filtered through qualitative responses: repeated mentions of “dead afternoons”, “few reasons to stay”, and “no incentive to explore”.
Douglas has the highest average fixed monthly costs on the Island, between £7,000 and £10,000 per month for a small business. These include rent, rates, utilities, and staff. That margin leaves very little space for reinvestment in marketing, infrastructure, or growth.
Meanwhile, on the consumer side, the number one problem from their perspective, according to 40.4% of business owners, is the cost of living. Discretionary spending has collapsed. People are making fewer non-essential trips into town. That’s not speculation; it’s directly reflected in trading patterns, merchant diaries, and anecdotal logs.
There is less “fun money” in circulation, and this is reshaping how local economies function.
Why the Old Fixes Aren’t Working
Despite the goodwill behind past schemes, 67.3% of merchants who were aware of these initiatives said they didn’t actually use them.
Why?
Because the platforms were rarely built with long-term engagement in mind. They weren’t joined up with any meaningful merchant onboarding, nor were they tied into existing consumer journeys. They lacked flexibility, practical marketing support, and real-world utility.
As one merchant told us, “Someone came around 10 years ago, promised a map, then disappeared.”
On top of that, businesses are time poor. In one of our producer surveys, several respondents noted they had abandoned their own websites entirely, not out of strategy, but because it was too time-consuming to manage them on top of stock, staff, and storefronts.
Digital solutions only work if they’re designed to be low maintenance for the person using them.
What Dazzler Is Built to Do
Dazzler was designed to reduce the friction between discovery and action.
If you’re a user: we want you to find a spot, get directions, see a menu, order online, book ahead, or claim an offer all in a few taps.
If you’re a business: we want you to appear where people are actually looking. Not behind a paywall. Not buried in an app store. Not stuck inside another scheme that quietly disappears.
Here’s what we’ve done differently:
- Mapped over 250+ hospitality venues across the Isle of Man with the correct addresses, contact links, opening hours, and menus
- Integrated delivery, ordering, and booking links/buttons where available
- Highlighted locally significant foods and Manx produce — bonnag, queenies, Loaghtan lamb, and more — with venue listings tied to seasonal availability
- Developed a backend for businesses to manage their own listings and receive analytics on clicks, interest, and engagement
- Made it free to get listed — because visibility shouldn’t be paywalled
The Data Behind the Direction
Dazzler’s strategic approach isn’t anecdotal, it’s evidence-led. Here are a few standout insights that shaped our core principles:
- 78.85% of businesses now primarily process payments digitally, showing readiness for tools that support digital integration
- Yet only 10.1% said directories were useful, suggesting existing platforms weren’t visible or functional enough
- In our consumer research, 8 in 10 users said they would use a local lifestyle platform if it helped them discover offers and discounts Island-wide
- 63% of merchants still rely on one-person digital solutions (like SumUp) but have no centralised way to communicate promotions, events, or unique selling points
- Our location research showed that Douglas footfall drops significantly after midday, with little evening economy in place, despite high availability of venues
What’s Coming Next
The next phase of Dazzler goes beyond listings. We’re launching a locally-optimised pre-order and payment solution tailored to the Isle of Man’s hospitality sector.
From QR code dine-in to click-and-collect to scheduled pre-paid group bookings, we’re giving local businesses the digital tools to reduce operational friction, smooth out inconsistent footfall, and capture more value from every customer interaction.
Here’s what’s coming:
- Pre-Paid Ordering: Secure revenue up front, reduce no-shows, and give your kitchen better prep time
- QR Dine-In: Let guests order directly from the table, reducing staff pressure and speeding up service
- Click-and-Collect: Perfect for delis, bakeries, coffee shops and food trucks looking to upsell and scale
- Corporate Pre-Booking: Streamlined systems for coaches, group bookings, and company orders
- Real-Time Deals and Upsells: Offer item-specific promotions, subscriptions, or loyalty-based incentives
- Built-In Analytics: Every transaction contributes to business intelligence — no extra logins required
- Usage-Based Pricing: You only pay when you earn. First 35 merchants get an exclusive rate-lock for a year
From May 1st to 9th alone, Dazzler users have already placed 98+ orders across collection, delivery, and booked tables, with an average engagement time of nearly 3 minutes per visit.
Whether you're a hotel, café, deli, or full-service restaurant, this infrastructure is built to help you grow, without needing to become a tech expert.
If you're interested in being part of the first wave, email us at support@dazzler.im
📬 If you’re a local business and want to work with us — we’d love to talk.
Reach out to us at support@dazzler.im or explore what’s live now at dazzler.app