MINISTER of State for Business, Employment and Retail at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Damien English, has today announced the successful applicants approved for funding through the third call of the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme, which is administered by Enterprise Ireland.
133 retailers have been approved €5M in funding as part of the scheme, which is targeted at retailers who already have an online presence to strengthen their online offering and enable them to reach a wider customer base.
The scheme received 292 applications. 68% of the successful applicants are located outside Dublin with 90 retailers from these regions approved for funding.
Under this Covid-19 competitive call, the successful applicants will receive funding ranging from €14,080 to €40,000 to strengthen their online offering. The average grant value is €37,500 and covers up to 80% of project costs.
Minister Damien English TD said: “There has been a very positive response from the Irish retail sector to this call for applications under the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme as Government continues to reach out and assist Irish businesses to transition and evolve as they trade through the impact of the pandemic.
“We know that consumers are keen to support their local retailers when shopping instore and online, and these grants will help businesses to really maximise the opportunities in the ecommerce market. Of course, this market is not limited by geography and we know that ambitious Irish businesses with strong online resources also have their eyes on selling to customers right across the globe.
“The economic value of operating in the ecommerce space and its convenience for customers has come to the fore since the onset of Covid-19 and the Online Retail Scheme will help companies improve and maximise their digital sales potential.
“The Government continues to focus on helping businesses to get back on track in the coming months and as more of our workplaces and businesses reopen, in line with public health guidelines, we will do everything we can to support retailers in creating safe shopping spaces, in store and online, for customers and staff.”
Ross O’Colmain, Department Manager, Construction, Timber, Cleantech and Consumer, Enterprise Ireland added: “The Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme continues to attract a large volume of applications from retailers and it’s clear that Irish businesses are keenly aware of the growing e-commerce opportunities both at home and abroad for online retail. Enterprise Ireland is committed to increasing the capability of Irish enterprises to increase their export sales.
“Whether new to ecommerce or already operating a transactional website this scheme aims to facilitate a step change for each of the successful applicants in the operation of an efficient online sales platform that complements their physical stores.
“Grants through this scheme are being used by retailers to upgrade their systems to improve their digital presence and to become more competitive in the virtual marketplace. This is helping to broaden their customer base and grow sales with some companies reporting that they are recruiting extra staff as result.
“Ultimately, retailers who are investing in their online presence will be more resilient and better able to take advantage of evolving market opportunities.”
Siobhan Geoghegan, Managing Director of Geoghegan’s department store in Navan said: “We are delighted to get grant funding through the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a strong online presence for our business and this scheme has enabled us to accelerate our online plans, allowing us to bring our excellent customer service from 70 years of retail experience online. We are excited to continue building on our digital offering to further complement and evolve the business in the future.”
The Online Retail Scheme was open to Irish-based retailers with a physical store and a pre-existing online presence who employ 10 or more people. In addition, the scheme focuses on retailers predominantly selling products to individual consumers as opposed to those selling mainly to business customers. Grants can be used to fund fees for service providers, develop and implement a digital strategy supported by in-house training and enhance the retailer’s website.
The scheme is complementary to the Trading Online Voucher Scheme by the Local Enterprise Offices that offers funding of €2,500 to businesses of up to 10 employees.
The 133 retailers awarded funding, operate across a broad spectrum of sectors including jewellery, fashion, sports, homeware and furniture, healthcare, electrical goods and equipment.
