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Pictured at the launch of the Online Trading Voucher Programme are Ita Murphy, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City, Ciara McGee LEO South Cork and Joan Kelleher from LEO Cork North & West. The scheme offers vouchers to the value of €2,500 allowing businesses to start and/or improve their online trading. For more information or to apply for the grant visit www.localenterprise.ie/southcork Photo: Gerard McCarthy

Cork businesses are being urged to take their slice of Ireland’s €4 billion online sales market through the launch of the Online Trading Voucher Programme.

The scheme is being rolled out by the local enterprise offices in Cork City and County and offers small businesses funding to the value of €2,500 up to a maximum of 50% of the total cost to develop and improve their online trading presence.

With the trend ever increasing towards online spending and digital trade in Ireland growing at a rate of 16% per annum, there is an urgent need for more businesses to engage in e-commerce sales. It is believed 70% of online sales purchases made in Ireland are done in overseas markets.

According to Michael Hanley, Head of the Local Enterprise Office, Cork North & West, the initiative offers businesses an unmissable opportunity to engage in the hugely powerful market of online sales.

“With the digital economy in Ireland set to grow to €21 billion by 2017, firms can no longer ignore the internet,” he stated. “Trading online offers a major opportunity to Cork retailers and SMEs, at a time when growth in these sectors is badly needed.

“Irish consumers currently spend about €4bn per year online, but only a quarter of that goes to Irish businesses, and only 23pc of Irish SMEs are trading online. International research shows that SMEs who adopt online trading grow twice as fast and export twice as much as their offline competitors.

“Our role as Local Enterprise Offices is to assist and support the micro-business community and this scheme is just one of the many initiatives offered.”

To apply for the funding, applicants must attend one of the upcoming Information Seminars to learn how to get the best value and use of the voucher.

The initiative is targeted at businesses that are trading for over 12 months and have a limited online trading presence; less than 10 employees and a turnover less than €2 million.

Information Seminars will be held on Friday, July 25 at Mallow GAA Complex from 9.30am-1.30pm and on Wednesday, July 30 in the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery.

For more information or to apply for the Online Trading Voucher Programme call (023) 8834700 or visit www.localenterprise.ie/corknorthandwest

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