Dublin Chamber has today published a new guide to help Irish SMEs start selling online and improve their web presence.
 
Dublin Chamber, which represents companies in the Greater Dublin Region, said the ‘Selling Online in 2020: Tips for Traders in Ireland’ guide is being launched at a crucial time, with many firms looking at their online presence due to the impact of Covid-19. The guide was produced by the Chamber in partnership with ECC Ireland.
 
The Chamber is urging businesses which don’t already sell online to grasp this “missed opportunity” as soon as they can.
 
The fourth edition of the Chamber's guide provides advice on key issues such as privacy statements, terms and conditions, withdrawal periods and product quality.
 
Irish consumers now spend around €2 billion per year online, a figure which is predicted to grow considerably over the coming years. However, many firms still aren’t making the most of this growth, with just one in four companies able to process sales online.
 
Dublin Chamber's Head of Operations Linda McNulty said: “Not being set up to sell online is a missed opportunity for Irish firms. Increasingly we find that Irish consumers are looking to buy from local firms. However, the nature of online shopping dictates that when a person can’t buy what they want in Ireland, they will go online and buy from abroad. This new guide will act as a helpful companion for any firms seeking to either make the first step into the world of ecommerce or those seeking to improve their web presence. There's also lots of helpful legal advice in the guide too which will ensure that businesses who trade online remain in line with the latest consumer laws."
 
Ms McNulty said: “Part of the solution to getting more firms selling online is to make it easier and less intimidating for them to get started. Selling your products through a website is a simple, low-cost way of entering the European and global markets and to servicing more customers in the domestic market. This guide will help inform businesses on what they need to know to make the transition to online trading.”
 
The guide was compiled by the Enterprise Europe Network at Dublin Chamber of Commerce and by ECC Ireland and can be downloaded here.