More than 140 retailers are to receive a share of €5.3m in government funding to help them strengthen their e-commerce offering, as the results of the second call of the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme were announced this week.
The scheme, which is administered by Enterprise Ireland, is aimed at retailers who already have an online presence, and are trying to strengthen and expand their e-commerce operations.
Some 204 applications were received for funding through the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme. Seven in 10 of the successful applicants are located outside Dublin.
The government launched its first call for applicants under the scheme in late April 2020, from which 185 applications were approved in July. The second call for the scheme opened on 20 August last.
Successful applicants in the second call will receive funding ranging from €16,000 to €40,000 to strengthen their online offering. The average grant value is €36,700 and covers up to 80% of project costs.
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Announcing the recipients, minister Damien English said that the scheme aims to help companies improve and maximise digital sales prospects.
“We know that consumers are keen to support their local retailers, even when shopping online, and these grants will help businesses to really maximise the opportunities in the e-commerce market.
“Of course, this market is not limited by geography and physical location, and we know that Irish businesses with strong online resources also have their eyes on the international marketplace,” the minister stated.
Stephen Creaner, executive director of Enterprise Ireland, said that the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme had proven to be a very attractive initiative for retailers. “Ultimately, retailers who are investing in their online presence now are also strengthening their offering to help deal with the uncertainty and challenges that lie ahead,” he added.
The 1933 Furniture Company, a family business located in Navan, was one of the 145 companies cleared for funding in the scheme’s second call. The business booked a profit of €99,000 in 2019 and had year-end net worth of €3.5m.
“We believe that the grant support will offer us the opportunity to create a new online platform that complements and integrates with our existing business model,” said Conor Moran, online marketing manager with The 1933 Furniture Company.
The Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme was open to Irish-owned retailers with a physical store and a pre-existing online presence who employ 10 or more people. 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 €2,500 Trading Online Vouchers, provided through the Local Enterprise Offices for companies with up to 10 employees. Enterprise Ireland will be opening a new call under the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme in early 2021.
The full list of recipients in the second call of the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme runs as follows:
Abbey Convenience Retail Ltd Dublin
Acepharm Ltd Dublin
Annacotty Consulting Ltd t/a Green Cross Pharmacy Limerick
Anthony Ryan Ltd Galway
Bellasy Ltd t/a University Pharmacy Galway
Blackberry Hearing Ltd Kildare
Bluebell Pharmacy Ltd Dublin
Brett Supplies Ltd Meath
Briarcroft Ltd t/a Lambert's Homevalue Carlow
Bushell Interiors Ltd Dublin
Butlers (Chemists) Ltd Cork
Callistoy Ltd Dublin
Carey’s Pharmacy Ltd Dublin
Carroll Newsagents Ltd Louth
Castle Davitt Furniture Ltd Mayo
Castleblayney Plant Hire Ltd Monaghan
Cavanagh Nets Ltd Donegal
Cell Again Ireland Ltd Dublin
Chapter and Verse Books Ltd Meath
Conways Sligo Bookshop Ltd Sligo
Corcorans' Furniture & Carpets Ltd Kerry
Cordar Pharmacy Ltd t/a Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacy Mayo
Cordners Shoes Ltd Sligo
Cullinan & Sons Ltd Clare
Custcare Ltd t/a The Bookmark Donegal
DAGG Procurement Ltd t/a Johnstons Pharmacy Longford
Daverns (Cashel) Ltd Tipperary
Declan Dowling Ltd Waterford
Deks Opticians Ltd Dublin
Dingle Fashion and Gifts Ltd Kerry
Doonshean imaginings Ltd Kerry
Eason Ltd Dublin
Edward Slevin and Company Ltd Donegal
Electro City Ltd Kilkenny
Ennis Electrical and Gas Supplies Ltd Clare
Eurasia Ireland Distribution Ltd Dublin
Explore Marketing Ltd t/a Trespass Wicklow
Facet Ltd Dublin
Fennariv Designated Activity Company Waterford
Flanagans Interiors Ltd Wicklow
Fonez Ltd Galway
Formwave Ltd t/a Hifihut Dublin
Foy and Company (Ballyfofey) Ltd Donegal
Franks Interiors Ltd Louth
Freezer Queen Ltd t/a Redmond Electric Wexford
Fun Tech Ltd Dublin
Future Forests Ltd Cork
Gardiner Grain Ltd Wexford
Ger Gavin Home Interiors Ltd Tipperary
Gerard Anthony Ltd Roscommon
Gleeson Sport Scene Ltd Limerick
Glendalough Craft Centre Ltd Wicklow
Greenes Letterkenny Ltd Donegal
Hals Golf Ltd Dublin
Hanley's Garden Sheds Ltd Cork
Healthplus Ltd Galway
Healthwave Ltd Dublin
Hickey & Company Ltd Dublin
Hillcastle Sales Ltd t/a The Gift and Art Gallery Louth
Industry Lifestyle Ltd Dublin
Jabez Holdings Ltd t/a Stacks Pharmacy Dublin
James E. Hegarty and Co. Ltd Donegal
John Atkins & Co. Ltd Cork
John P. Hopkins & Sons Ltd t/a Hopkins Toymaster Wicklow
Joyces Wexford Ltd Wexford
JPD Pharmacy Ltd Monaghan
Keanes Jewellers UnLtd Company Cork
Ken Black Ltd Laois
Kennys Bookshop & Art Galleries (Holdings) Ltd Galway
Kerrigans Factory Shop Ltd Dublin
KETA Products Ltd Cork
Kintbury Ltd t/a 53 Degrees North Dublin
Landers Outdoor World Ltd Kerry
Lemap Ltd Dublin
Limegreen Ltd t/a Jim McLoughney Menswear Tipperary
Little Italy Ltd Dublin
Livy Issue Ltd t/a McGuirks Golf Dublin
Louis Copeland & Sons Ltd Dublin
Lovely stuff Ltd t/a Kinvara Skincare Galway
Luxury Treats Ltd Meath
M.P. Doyle Ltd Carlow
Mac Eochagain Ltd Mayo
Magees Pharmacy (Letterkenny) Ltd Donegal
Mahers Chemists Ltd Louth
Maurice Graham Ltd Monaghan
McDaid Pharmacy Ltd Cavan
Meadows & Byrne Ltd Cork
Melfer Ltd t/a McCormacks Pharmacy Tipperary
MGM Interiors Ltd Dublin
Michael Neatty & Co Ltd Galway
Mods & Minis Holdings Ltd Kerry
Montekin Ltd t/a Town Centre Pharmacy Louth
Moran's Homezone Ltd t/a The 1933 Furniture Company Meath
Morrisseys Medical Hall Ltd Carlow
Murphy and O'Connor Unltd Company Cork
Murphy Larkin Timber Products Ltd Waterford
Murphy's Ice Cream Ltd Kerry
N17 Discount Electrical Ltd Galway
O'Connor Pharmacy (Cork) Ltd Cork
O'Mahonys Booksellers Ltd Limerick
OSG Property Developments Ltd Kerry
O'Sullivans Pharmacies and Beauticians (Sarsfield St.) Ltd Limerick
P. Boland Ltd Wicklow
Patrick Rogers Ltd Sligo
Patrick Sweeney (Chemists) Ltd t/a Roches Chemist Dublin
Paul Lynam Offaly
Queenpharm Ltd Cork
Quills Retail Ltd Kerry
Radharc Concepts Ltd Galway
Ranove Investments Jervis Ltd Dublin
Ratoga Systems Ltd Dublin
Records & Discs Ltd t/a Tower Records Dublin
Rolsford Ltd t/a McSport Dublin
Ronaghan's Pharmacy Ltd Monaghan
Seagreen Ltd Dublin
Seahorse Aquariums Ltd Dublin
Serena Boutique Ltd Dublin
Simon Hart Ltd t/a Korkys Dublin
Siopa Rince Teoranta Dublin
Skinfull Affairs (Dublin) Ltd Dublin
Solar Spa Ltd Dublin
Soma Clothing Ltd t/a Carousel Dublin
Sortatron Ltd t/a McGorisks Pharmacy Westmeath
South Link Road Pharmacy Ltd Cork
Standum Teoranta Galway
Stephen Murtagh and Sons Ltd Meath
Sullivan's Quay Health Co Ltd Cork
The Edge Sports Ltd Cork
The Elms Furniture Ltd Kildare
The Greedy Pig Ltd t/a Hen's Teeth Dublin
The Outdoor Scene Ltd Dublin
The Templecrone Cooperative Agricultural Society Ltd Donegal
Thomas Archer (Ballina) Ltd Mayo
Thomas H. Kean Ltd Mayo
Tilestyle (Irl) Ltd Dublin
Torpedo Construction Ltd t/a Grange Builders Providers Dublin
Treshar Ltd Galway
Triona Crafts Ltd Donegal
Tynestyle Trading Ltd t/a Here's Health Cork
United Retail Trading Ltd t/a Eurocycles Eurobaby Dublin
Vibes & Scribes Ltd Cork
Villa Rotunda Ltd t/a The Garden House Dublin
Walsh Brothers, Ltd Kerry
Wolrac Ltd Carlow
Zest At Ltd Clare
Photo: (l-r) Stephen Creaner, Damien English and Conor Moran (Credit: Maxwells)
