eBay announces initiative to help small Irish businesses during Covid-19

eBay has launched an initiative that it says could help thousands of Irish businesses to stay open, even if their doors are closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The new Up & Running programme, which is open to all businesses with a product to sell, will see small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) get an opportunity to open their stores online by using eBay as their e-commerce platform, at no cost.

According to eBay, it will help any local Irish business that wants to quick start or increase its online selling capabilities, but doesn’t have the resources, budget or know-how to do so. For a minimum of three months, Irish businesses, with or without an existing e-commerce presence, are being invited to use the eBay marketplace with added benefits such as free listings; no final value fees; and free training that will cover eBay selling basics, how to get the most out of the platform, digital skills, search and listing optimisation, and marketing. The training will be delivered through a series of webinars and mentoring programmes from eBay’s team in Ireland,

“This is a difficult time for businesses of all sizes, but I hope that the launch of Up & Running initiative will help alleviate some of the challenges that Irish SMEs are facing, and help them to stay open for business,” said Hazel Mitchell, site lead for eBay Ireland.

“The initiative isn’t just a way to help businesses to stay afloat, it is also an opportunity for them to grow and reach new markets. The Covid-19 restrictions have shrunk our physical world but there is still huge potential in e-commerce. We want to help businesses quickly and remove any barriers that might otherwise prevent them from transitioning to online, so we invite business owners to contact us today to see how we can help them. This is a practical solution to a critical and immediate problem.”

Up & Running follows eBay’s Retail Expansion Programme, which was launched in 2019 and saw more than 100 Irish SMEs join the e-commerce site and grow their business capabilities online. These included Galway skincare brand Rí Na Mara and Laois male grooming brand Machado Men’s Grooming. Both companies have seen a rise in their online sales, especially in recent weeks.