Retailers are being urged to apply to a €3.4m Government fund to enhance their online presence.
In the latest round of the Online Retail Scheme, funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland, retailers can access up to €25,000 in grant funding to strengthen their ecommerce capabilities.
Since 2018, the Online Retail Scheme has allocated over €28m in funding in supporting more than 700 projects from Irish retailers.
The scheme has a national reach with more than 70% of successful retailers from the previous funding rounds based outside Dublin.
The programme provides direct financial support to retail companies to develop a more competitive online presence to complement their in-store offering.
“An online presence is no longer optional for many businesses, it is a key part of any business model and the benefits are huge,” said Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Business Neale Richmond.
“While it may be an intimidating prospect for some, the Government is determined to support businesses on this journey,” Mr Richmond added.
The Online Retail Scheme opens for applications today, 4 April, and closes on 3 May.
The applicant must be an Irish based enterprise that has ten or more full-time employees.
For smaller retailers looking to develop their online presence, the Local Enterprise Offices operate a Trading Online Voucher scheme (TOVS).