Minister English announces €5m in grants to retail sector through Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland

30th June 2021

133 retailers will receive funding via the scheme which aims to drive Irish retailers’ online sales at home and abroad

68% of successful applicants located outside Dublin

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 verypositive 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.

ENDS

Photos will be issued by Maxwell Photography and are available on request.

For further information please contact:

Brigid Burke, Press and Media Relations, Enterprise Ireland, 087 1803995 brigid.burke@enterprise-ireland.com

About Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness.  In this way, we support sustainable economic growth and regional development, and help create and sustain employment in Ireland.  www.enterprise-ireland.com

About the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme

Supporting the Irish retail sector to embed a more sophisticated online trading (e-tailing) strategy in its business model can contribute to the continued viability of a cohort of retail companies affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and help position them for recovery. Applicant companies must be an Irish-based retail enterprise that had 10 or more employees on or before 29 February 2020 and has the potential to sustain or create jobs, generate growth in online transactions and with an ambition to internationalise their business in future.

The business must also: • have an existing online presence (e.g. website or social media) • have a retail outlet and derive the majority of revenue from retailing products directly to individual consumers:

• Where a company provides both products and services, the applicant must provide a breakdown of sales revenue showing that products account for more than 50% of total revenue for a recent trading period, which may be up to the call close date;
• Where a company has a mixture of business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) operations, the applicant must provide a breakdown of sales revenue showing that sales from B2C activities account for more than 50% of total revenue for a recent trading period, which may be up to the call close date;
• Must employ at least 10 employees in the Republic of Ireland (on a full-time equivalent basis on or before 29 February 2020)

The Scheme originated in the work of the Retail Consultation Forum which is chaired by the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English T.D.

Building on two previous successful calls of the Covid19 Online Retail Scheme, introduced by the Department arising from the work of the Retail Consultation Forum, applications for the 2021 scheme were open to indigenous retailers to develop a more competitive online offer in response to the Covid-19 crisis and to strengthen business resilience. 

List of 133 approved companies under Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme

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