Guaranteed Irish Launch Collaborative Initiative with Leading Tech Firms in Strive to Grow Irish SMEs’ Online Sales

Following on from the €1bn additional return to the exchequer in May from the ‘shop local’ sentiment and campaign, Guaranteed Irish is pleased to announce the launch of a collaborative initiative to enable Irish based SMEs and retailers to enhance their digital capability and to develop a more competitive online offer.

The new initiative in partnership with leading tech firms Magico, IE Domain Registry and eShopWorld offers Guaranteed Irish member businesses the exclusive opportunity to avail of a full website consultation service and eCommerce review for all member SMEs and large-scale enterprises based in Ireland.

The initiative comes as the Government expands the Trading Online Voucher Scheme by €14.2m as part of its ongoing Covid-19 response following unprecedented demand for the Scheme, with a record 3 years’ worth of applications received in just 3 months from mid-March to June this year.

The purpose of this new initiative by Guaranteed Irish is to enable Irish based retailers to enhance their online and offline offerings to meet the expectations of post-pandemic consumers in building a more sustainable business in the domestic and global marketplace.

Irish consumers have grown accustomed to the accessibility and convenience of eCommerce services offered by global corporate firms and expect the same shopping experience from their local businesses, according to IE Domain Registry, the national registry for .ie domain names.

There were 255,944 registered .ie domains recorded in Ireland last year, a figure only set to rise given the lasting impact Covid-19 is set to have on eCommerce and Irish shopping habits. Guaranteed Irish is encouraging consumers to shop wisely online by looking out for businesses that carry the trusted Guaranteed Irish licenced mark on their website and those with a .ie domain.

As a direct result of making the choice to shop local, you are supporting local jobs in our communities throughout Ireland, building a sustainable local economy for the future of Ireland.

The initiative is supported by Guaranteed Irish members Magico, IE Domain Registry and eShopWorld, with all businesses extending their support and willingness to provide eCommerce supports to members that may wish to avail of digital tools and web support services as they adapt their business offering to meet the growing demand amongst Irish consumers for online shopping.

‘We are delighted to see such support being made available to businesses based here in Ireland who support jobs, local communities and the Irish economy. This global pandemic has forced businesses that have procrastinated about e-commerce to go online to survive. Guaranteed Irish is encouraging all members to continue to trade and to reach out to other businesses and support services to help them engage online,’ said Brid O’Connell CEO, Guaranteed Irish.

Commenting on the partnership, Paul Montwill Managing Director, Magico said, ‘While traditional high-street retail activity will experience a significant downturn in 2020, online sales in Ireland will surpass all previous records this year as businesses and consumers look online to sell and buy products.’

Mr Montwill noted that the ongoing enforcement of social distancing measures on high streets across Ireland will lead to a surge in businesses looking to boost their online presence in the months leading up to Christmas.

‘Online sales technology is becoming more affordable and easier to implement whilst the benefits of remote working technology have been brought to the fore like never before. We are delighted to partner with Guaranteed Irish to guide businesses through the process of setting up an online sales presence at a time when consumer trends are changing.’